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Aspire Global: Interim Report Second Quarter 2021

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ALL-TIME HIGH REVENUES AND EBITDA IN Q2 2021

SECOND QUARTER

  • Revenues increased by 27.7% to €55.8 million (43.7).
  • EBITDA increased by 40.1% to €9.9 million (7.1).
  • The EBITDA margin increased to 17.7% (16.1%).
  • EBIT increased by 37.5% to €7.8 million (5.7).
  • Earnings after tax increased 53.7% to €6.9 million (4.5).
  • Earnings per share increased 56% to €0.14 (0.09).

SIX MONTHS

  • Revenues increased by 34.2% to €103.9 million (77.4).
  • EBITDA increased by 50.3% to €18.4 million (12.3).
  • The EBITDA margin increased to 17.8% (15.8%).
  • EBIT increased by 49.3% to €14.3 million (9.6).
  • Earnings after tax increased 84.9% to €13.0 million (7.0).
  • Earnings per share increased 93% to €0.27 (0.14).

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE QUARTER AND AFTER THE END OF THE QUARTER

  • Revenues increased 27.7% from Q2 2020 driven by strong development in all segments and the acquisition of BtoBet, a leading sportsbook provider, in September 2020.
  • Organic growth of 21.6% from Q2 2020.
  • B2B revenues grew 24.4% from Q2 2020 with organic growth of 16.2%.
  • Significant progress in sub-segments Aggregation and Games – Pariplay and Sports – BtoBet.
  • Good progress in the US with deals covering game aggregation and proprietary games.
  • Platform and managed services deal with Ireland’s biggest land-based casino group.
  • Three deals covering Aspire Global’s complete offering for the launch of new brands in Europe and Latin America.
  • First brand live with BtoBet’s sportsbook on Aspire Global’s platform.
  • New license for games in Greece. Aspire Global now operates in 30 regulated markets.
  • Sports deals signed with, among all, esports operator Luckbox.
  • BuyWin, a new innovative tool, which addresses the new German regulation, was launched in July. BuyWin also gives a higher return to player and access to a wider range of content.

 

CEO COMMENTS

“WE ARE CONFIDENT TO REACH OUR 2021 FINANCIAL TARGETS”

Aspire Global reports its sixth consecutive quarter with solid growth. We made significant progress in the quarter by growing our business with both existing as well as new partners in the US, Europe, Latin America and Africa. Taking into account our strong business momentum and deal flow, we are confident to reach our 2021 financial targets.

Revenues increased by 27.7% from Q2 2020 to an all-time high €55.8 million, with organic growth of 21.6%. Growth was particularly strong in the UK and Ireland as well as in region rest of world which reflects our successful expansion in the Americas as well as the consolidation of BtoBet. It is especially gratifying to note the strong organic growth taking into account that Q2 2020 was positively impacted by the pandemic.

EBITDA increased by 40.1% to record high €9.9 million and the EBITDA margin improved to from 16.1% to 17.7%. The increased profitability is driven by strong topline growth, impressive performance in BtoBet and Pariplay, acquired in 2020 and 2019, respectively, as well as our continuous focus on cost control.

KEY WINS FOR OUR PLATFORM OFFERING

Our recent contract wins with new partners, covering Aspire Global’s complete iGaming offering, show that we are in the forefront of the industry. In June, we signed a deal with Stake.com for its upcoming launch of a new brand in the UK. Stake.com is an international, fast-growing casino and betting site with more than 30 billion bets every year. We are happy to support Stake.com with our complete offering in launching its new casino and betting site stake.co.uk in the large UK market. In April, we signed the deal with Luckster.com, a new multi-vertical brand founded by industry veterans, for its upcoming launch in Europe and Latin America. Two weeks ago, we signed an agreement with JNS Gaming which we will support in building a new, global casino and sports brand.

A key growth segment to us is landbased casinos that want to go online. We are proud to partner with Funfair Casino, Ireland’s biggest land-based casino group, and to support in taking their business online.

SUCCESS FOR BTOBET

Just shortly after our acquisition of BtoBet last fall, BtoBet announced a deal with Betfair in Colombia. Betfair launched its sportsbook in Q1 2021 and we can now see a satisfying development in deposits which demonstrates BtoBet’s capabilities. This mutually rewarding collaboration can open up for other opportunities and is a good case study of how Aspire Global approaches tier 1 operators.

Esports is a quickly growing segment and we are excited to team up with the award-winning esports operator Luckbox. BtoBet will be providing Luckbox with its cutting-edge sportsbook in European and Latin American countries. This will enable Luckbox to build an entirely bespoke player journey, customizing the sportsbook experience to its liking and providing players with a unique customer experience.

BtoBet’s proprietary sportsbook is a key competitive advantage when talking to new as well as existing partners. In the quarter, we initiated the first projects where partner brands will replace their existing sports solution with the BtoBet sportsbook and mid-August the first brand went live with BtoBet’s sportsbook on our platform. We expect the shift of partner brands to the BtoBet proprietary platform to positively impact revenues and margins throughout 2021.

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE US

Our expansion plans for the US market are running according to plan. Since early August, we have Quincy Raven in place as the Managing Director of Aspire Global’s US operations. The US iGaming market is growing at an impressive rate, and we want to be at forefront of the developments. Quincy has vast experience and will focus on accelerating sales and setting up the relevant operations in order to make sure Aspire Global can establish a significant presence in the US.

In May, Pariplay signed a deal with Amelco that will integrate Pariplay’s premium Fusion platform into its US offering. This partnership will boost both parties’ US operations across multiple states. In April, Pariplay signed a deal with the platform provider GAN to provide its games across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

GROWTH IN NEW MARKETS

Aspire Global today operates in 30 regulated markets spanning Europe, the Americas and Africa. Our objective is to continue our growth in regulated markets, both with existing and new partners. We have a strong focus on gaining more certifications and licenses mainly in Europe and the Americas. In the Americas, we focus especially on the US and Brazil. In Europe we see a huge potential for our sportsbook. The introduction of our sportsbook offering has just started in the UK and we have certification processes ongoing in other key European markets. In June, Pariplay was granted a Greek suitability license and the license allows us to enter the Greek market for the first time.

NEW INNOVATIVE FEATURES

To stay at the forefront of the industry development, innovation is important to us. In order to meet the new requirements in the German market, we launched BuyWin in July. BuyWin addresses the new German regulation by a unique bet contribution on transactions, enabling operators to offer all the games German players are used to, at the standard, high RTP of 95-96%. The innovative tool delivers better player acquisition opportunities due to the higher RTP and wider range of gaming content. AspireEngage, our new CRM tool, was launched earlier this year and is a key contributor to the strong growth.

VALUE CREATING ACQUISITIONS

In Q2 2021, Pariplay reported revenue growth of over 72% and BtoBet of more than 105% with good profitability. These two acquisitions have significantly contributed to Aspire Global’s strong performance and have been essential in positioning Aspire Global as the powerhouse for iGaming operators. It is satisfying to see that Aspire Global has so clearly demonstrated its ability to make value creating acquisitions.

STRONG B2C GROWTH

Also in this quarter, the B2C segment demonstrated strong revenue growth. In March 2021, we initiated a review of the role of the B2C segment within the Group structure and we expect to finalize the review during the fall. The review will assist us to better assess our options to further accelerate its growth. Such a move could help improve Aspire Global’s overall margins and EBITDA and potentially support us in accelerating new B2B initiatives and enter fresh markets.

OUTLOOK

Aspire Global has consistently demonstrated its ability to execute its growth strategy and create value. We see tremendous growth opportunities by expanding with existing partners, gaining new partners and entering new markets. Aspire Global’s financial targets for 2021 are €200 million in revenue and €32 million in EBITDA which implies an EBITDA margin of 16%. Taking into account our strong business momentum and deal activity, we are confident that Aspire Global will reach its 2021 financial targets.

Tsachi Maimon, CEO

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Arizona Department of Gaming Reports $44.9 Million in Tribal Gaming Contributions for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026

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The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) announced today $44,891,270 in tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund for the second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. This represents an approximate 5.6 percent increase when compared to the same quarter of FY 2025.

“The financial support that tribal gaming provides the state of Arizona continues to power local and statewide needs that are vital to healthy and safe communities,” said Jackie Johnson, Director of the ADG. “With nearly $45 million in tribal gaming contributions in the most recent period, the Department is proud to ensure the continuation of important revenue streams that positively impact Arizonans.” 

The Arizona Benefits Fund receives 88 percent of tribal gaming contributions, providing significant dollars to support instructional improvement for schools, trauma and emergency care, tourism, and wildlife conservation throughout the state. If interested in viewing the cumulative tribal gaming contributions by year, please visit our reports webpage: gaming.az.gov/resources/reports.

Tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund for the second quarter of the State’s FY 2026 are as follows:

Instructional Improvement Fund/Education………………………………………………..$22,373,810

Trauma and Emergency Services Fund………………………………………………………..$11,186,905

Arizona Department of Gaming Operating Costs………………………………………….$4,040,214

Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund……………………………………………………………$3,196,258

Tourism Fund…………………………………………………………………………………………..$3,196,258

Problem Gambling Education, Treatment and Prevention……………………………..$897,825

Total: Tribal Gaming Contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund……………………..$44,891,270

Per the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact, the remaining 12 percent is distributed by the tribes to the cities, towns, and counties of their choosing for community services and public safety programs for local governments. Since FY 2004, cumulative contributions have totaled approximately $2.5 billion, benefitting both the state and its cities, towns, and counties.

Currently, there are 26 Class III casinos in Arizona, which ADG regulates in partnership with Arizona tribes. For more information, view our tribal gaming webpage: gaming.az.gov/tribal-gaming-page.

The post Arizona Department of Gaming Reports $44.9 Million in Tribal Gaming Contributions for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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R. Franco Digital Shortlisted for Casino Platform Excellence at EGR Europe Awards 2026

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R. Franco Digital, the leading Spanish iGaming provider, has been officially shortlisted for Casino Platform Supplier of the Year at the prestigious EGR Europe Awards 2026. The nomination recognizes a landmark year for the company, characterized by the explosive growth of its IRIS Open Omnichannel Platform and a major commercial breakthrough into the Italian market.

The winners will be announced during a gala ceremony on February 18, 2026, at the Hilton Malta, where the industry’s top-tier operators and suppliers gather to celebrate European gaming excellence.

IRIS: The Engine of Omnichannel Growth

The core of R. Franco Digital’s success lies in its IRIS platform, a highly scalable, multi-jurisdictional solution that unifies casino, sports betting, and retail management.

IRIS Platform Milestones (2025-2026):

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  • Content Depth: Seamlessly integrated with over 1,600 games from global third-party providers.

  • Operational Stability: Provides 24/7 multilingual support and advanced real-time analytics for operators.

  • Commercial Momentum: Secured 50+ new operator partnerships and entered three new markets within the last 12 months.

Performance Highlights: 4 Billion Game Rounds

R. Franco Digital’s games portfolio has seen a massive surge in engagement, bolstered by 20 new high-performance slot releases in 2025. Standout titles such as Strange Spins, Aphrodite, Zorro: Final Duel, Ovomon, and The Phantom contributed to a record-breaking year.

Metric 2025–2026 Achievement
Total Game Rounds 4 Billion+ across regulated markets
Revenue Growth 30% Increase during the judging period
New Content 20 New slot titles launched
Expansion Debut in the Italian regulated market

Strategic Italian Market Entry

A major factor in the EGR shortlisting was R. Franco Digital’s successful entry into Italy. The provider rapidly localized its content to meet the specific demands of Italian players through tier-one partnerships:

  • Stanleybet.it: Launched 19 games, including the Italian-exclusive debut of Strange Spins.

  • 888.it: Successfully rolled out the popular Super 7 3×3 title.

“We’re proud to be shortlisted for this award, which reflects the strength of our IRIS platform and the quality of the content we’ve delivered over the past year,” said Javier Sacristán Franco, International Business Director at R. Franco Digital. “Our team has worked hard to support operators with reliable, innovative solutions… we are delighted to see that effort recognised.”

The post R. Franco Digital Shortlisted for Casino Platform Excellence at EGR Europe Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Big Hot Flaming Pots

Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online

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Light & Wonder has officially launched Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures, the digital debut of its highly successful land-based franchise. Developed by in-house specialist studio Lightning Box, this 3×5 slot offers 243 ways to win and a high-energy “three-pot” mechanic that has already become a staple on casino floors worldwide.

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The post Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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