Industry News

AGS Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Published

2 months ago

March 6, 2024

ags-reports-record-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2023-results

PlayAGS, Inc. (NYSE: AGS) (“AGS”, “us”, “we” or the “Company”), a designer and developer of equipment and services solutions for the global gaming industry, today reported operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

Commenting upon the Company’s fourth quarter financial performance, AGS President and Chief Executive Officer David Lopez said, “The strength in our four quarter results was broad-based, with all three operating segments setting new quarterly records for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. The quality and consistency of our recent financial performance is a true reflection of our incredibly talented and focused team, increasingly deep and diverse product offering across all three segments, and the improving efficiency and effectiveness of our execution.”

Kimo Akiona, AGS Chief Financial Officer added, “We exited 2023 with a total net debt leverage ratio of 3.2 times, down from 3.8 times at the start of the year. Supported by our consistent operating momentum and execution, heightened focus on efficient and effective working capital management, continued capex deployment discipline, and anticipated cash interest savings from our recent debt repricing and repayment; a path to below 3.0 times remains well within our sight.”

Summary of the Three and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
(In thousands, except per-share and Adjusted EBITDA margin data)

	Three Months Ended December 31,									Twelve Months Ended December 31,

	2023			2022			% Change			2023			2022			% Change
Revenues:
EGM	$	85,952		$	75,338			14.1	%	$	327,053		$	284,331			15.0	%
Table Products		4,829			3,890			24.1	%		17,706			14,920			18.7	%
Interactive		3,370			2,508			34.4	%		11,777			10,185			15.6	%
Total revenues	$	94,151		$	81,736			15.2	%	$	356,536		$	309,436			15.2	%
Income from operations	$	16,048		$	13,447			19.3	%	$	57,393		$	37,969			51.2	%
Net income (loss)	$	67		$	2,541			(97.4	)%	$	428		$	(8,035	)		(105.3	)%
Basic income (loss) per share	$	0.00		$	0.06			(97.1	)%	$	0.01		$	(0.22	)		(104.5	)%
Diluted income (loss) per share	$	0.00		$	0.06			(97.1	)%	$	0.01		$	(0.22	)		(104.5	)%

Adjusted EBITDA:
EGM	$	38,626		$	34,412			12.2	%	$	146,287		$	127,502			14.7	%
Table Products		2,842			2,370			19.9	%		9,792			8,781			11.5	%
Interactive		1,292			498			159.4	%		2,888			2,360			22.4	%
Total Adjusted EBITDA(1)	$	42,760		$	37,280			14.7	%	$	158,967		$	138,643			14.7	%
Total Adjusted EBITDA margin(2)		45.4	%		45.6	%		(20 bps)			44.6	%		44.8	%	(20 bps)

Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results

• Total revenue increased 15% year-over-year to a record $94.2 million, representing our eleventh consecutive quarter of double-digit total revenue growth. All three operating segments delivered double-digit growth rates versus the prior year, with Interactive, Table Products and Electronic Gaming Machines (“EGM”) revenue increasing 34%, 24% and 14% year-over-year, respectively. Total revenue grew approximately 5% relative to the $89.4 million delivered in Q3 2023 and has now established a new Company record in four of the past five quarters.

• Gaming operations, or recurring revenue, totaled $59.6 million, approximately 4% ahead of the $57.4 million achieved in Q4 2022. Interactive and Table Products recurring revenue increased 34% and 7% year-over-year, respectively, with each establishing new records within their respective segments. EGM gaming operations revenue advanced 2% versus the prior year, setting a new Q4 high-water mark of $52.3 million. Recurring revenue accounted for over 60% of the Company’s consolidated Q4 2023 revenue mix. Gaming operations revenue declined modestly relative to the $61.0 million achieved in Q3 2023, consistent with historically normal seasonal trends within the business.
• Equipment sales revenue increased more than 40% year-over-year to a record $34.6 million, with EGM and Table Products sales revenue reaching records of $33.7 million and $893 thousand, respectively. Global EGM unit sales eclipsed 1,500 units for the first time ever, advancing approximately 36% year-over-year. Global EGM unit sales growth has surpassed 30% in each of the past three quarters. Equipment sales revenue increased over 20% relative to the $28.4 million delivered in Q3 2023, supported by strong growth in both EGM and Table Products sales revenue.
• The Company generated near breakeven net income in Q4 2023 compared to $2.5 million in Q4 2022. Higher interest expense, commensurate with an increase in market-level rates, and an approximately $2 million unfavorable swing in income tax expense more than offset a nearly 20% year-over-year increase in income from operations.
• Total Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)(1) increased approximately 15% year-over-year to a record $42.8 million, marking our fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit Adjusted EBITDA growth. All three segments contributed to the record-setting performance, led by a more than doubling of Interactive Adjusted EBITDA to $1.3 million, while Table Products and EGM Adjusted EBITDA increased approximately 20% and 12% year-over-year, respectively. Q4 2023 Total Adjusted EBITDA surpassed the prior record of $40.1 million, delivered in Q3 2023, by approximately 7%. The Company has now established new Total Adjusted EBITDA records in four of the past five quarters.
• Total Adjusted EBITDA margin (non-GAAP)(1) was 45.4%, surpassing the 45% level for the first time since Q4 2022. Q4 2023 margin performance reflects the improving margin profile of the Company’s Interactive business, supported by the segment’s recent outsized revenue growth; superior gross margins on the highly-modular and efficiently designed Spectra family of EGM cabinets; and operating leverage resulting from the over 15% year-over-year increase in total revenues. For the full year 2023, Adjusted EBITDA margin was 44.6%, placing it in the upper half of the Company’s targeted 44% to 45% range articulated at the start of the year.
• Net cash provided by operating activities increased approximately 10% year-over-year to $26.4 million. Q4 2023 free cash flow (non-GAAP)(2) totaled $11.0 million, up more than 45% compared to the $7.6 million delivered in the prior year period. The year-over-year improvement in free cash flow generation reflects the Company’s record-setting operating performance, heightened focus on efficient and effective working capital management, and continued capex deployment discipline. The Company has now generated over $10 million of free cash flow in three consecutive quarters.
(1) Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP financial measures; see non-GAAP reconciliation below.
(2) Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP financial measure; see non-GAAP reconciliation below.

EGM

Three Months Ended December 31, 2023 compared to Three Months Ended December 31, 2022

(Amounts in thousands, except unit data)	Three Months Ended December 31,

	2023		2022		$ Change			% Change
EGM segment revenues:
Gaming operations	$	52,290	$	51,207	$	1,083			2.1	%
Equipment sales		33,662		24,131		9,531			39.5	%
Total EGM revenues		85,952		75,338		10,614			14.1	%

EGM Adjusted EBITDA	$	38,626	$	34,412	$	4,214			12.2	%

EGM Business Segment Key Performance Indicators (“KPI’s”)
EGM gaming operations:
EGM installed base:
Class II		11,193		11,251		(58	)		(0.5	)%
Class III		5,250		5,075		175			3.4	%
Domestic installed base, end of period		16,443		16,326		117			0.7	%
International installed base, end of period		6,126		6,244		(118	)		(1.9	)%
Total installed base, end of period		22,569		22,570		(1	)		(0.0	)%

EGM revenue per day (“RPD”):
Domestic revenue per day	$	31.68	$	31.46	$	0.22			0.7	%
International revenue per day	$	8.86	$	7.61	$	1.25			16.4	%
Total revenue per day	$	25.47	$	24.87	$	0.60			2.4	%

EGM equipment sales
EGM units sold		1,519		1,116		403			36.1	%
Average sales price (“ASP”)	$	20,677	$	19,382	$	1,295			6.7	%

EGM Quarterly Results

		Domestic Gaming Operations (3)
	•	Domestic EGM gaming operations, or recurring revenue, increased approximately 1% year-over-year to a fourth quarter record $47.2 million. A 15% year-over-year increase in our higher-yielding premium EGM installed base, further deployment of Spectra UR43 and initial deployment of Spectra UR 49, both of which are delivering per unit performance comparable to our premium products, and continuous installed base optimization contributed to our improved gaming operations revenue performance in the quarter. Domestic EGM recurring revenue topped $45 million for the seventh consecutive quarter and accounted for approximately 60% of the total domestic EGM revenue generated in Q4 2023.
	•	The domestic EGM installed base expanded to 16,443 units at the end of Q4 2023, representing an increase of 117 units versus the prior year and up sequentially for the seventh consecutive quarter. Outsized premium EGM footprint growth and deployment of our high-performing Spectra UR43 and Spectra UR49 cabinets drove the expansion of our domestic EGM installed base in both the year-over-year and quarterly sequential periods.
	•	Domestic EGM RPD increased approximately 1% year-over-year to a fourth-quarter record $31.68, exceeding $30 for the eleventh consecutive quarter. Outsized premium unit growth, further capital efficient installed base optimization, deployment of our high-performing Spectra UR43 and Spectra UR49 cabinets and a relatively stable gaming macroeconomic environment paced our improved Q4 2023 domestic EGM RPD performance versus the prior year. Domestic EGM RPD decreased modestly relative from the $32.57 achieved in Q3 2023, reflecting historically normal seasonality in market-level Gross Gaming Revenue (“GGR”) trends.
	•	Our installed base of high-performing premium EGM units increased 15% year-over-year and accounted for over 17% of our domestic EGM installed base at the end of Q4 2023 compared to approximately 15% at the end of Q4 2022. Our premium EGM installed base grew sequentially for the sixteenth consecutive quarter. Supported by our deep pipeline of new premium game content, including the recently-launched Pinata Pays game family, which placed two titles in the top five of the “New-Premium Leased” category within the January 2024 Eilers-Fantini Game Performance Report, and our increasingly diverse portfolio of premium cabinet offerings, with several new premium form factors scheduled to launch throughout 2024, we continue to believe we are poised to benefit from a compelling multi-year growth runway within the higher-yielding, higher-return premium game market segment.
		International Gaming Operations
	•	International EGM gaming operations, or recurring revenue, totaled $5.1 million, up 16% versus the $4.4 million delivered in Q4 2022. The sustained relative outperformance of established AGS franchise game themes throughout the Mexico casino market, further execution of our global installed base optimization initiatives, a stable macroeconomic backdrop, and favorable foreign exchange fluctuations all contributed to our year-over-year revenue increase. International EGM recurring revenue declined approximately 5% relative to the $5.4 million delivered in Q3 2023, with the decrease largely attributable to historically normal seasonality and, to a lesser extent, unfavorable foreign exchange movements.
	•	The international EGM installed base totaled 6,126 units at December 31, 2023, representing a quarterly sequential increase of 43 units. New casino openings paced the installed base growth realized in the quarter.
	•	International EGM RPD increased approximately 16% year-over-year to $8.86, establishing a new fourth quarter record. The Company estimates International EGM RPD grew approximately 4% year-over-year on a constant-currency basis. Anticipated seasonality and unfavorable foreign exchange fluctuations led to an approximately 6% quarterly sequential decline in Q4 2023 International EGM RPD.
		EGM Equipment Sales
	•	Global EGM sales reached a record 1,519 units in Q4 2023, representing an increase of over 35% compared to the 1,116 units sold in Q4 2022. Sustained Spectra UR43 demand momentum, supported by the continued strong performance of multiple titles on the cabinet; initial sales of our recently-launched Spectra UR49 cabinet; a strategic focus on broadening our customer account penetration, particularly with larger multi-site corporate operators; the ability to leverage a deeper and more diverse suite of game content and cabinet variety to increase average order size; and continued outsized penetration of the Historical Horse Racing (“HHR”) market, aided by the strength of our game performance, contributed to our improved EGM unit sales performance versus the prior year. Global EGM unit sales increased approximately 13% relative to the 1,345 units sold in Q3 2023 and have now grown sequentially in eleven of the past twelve quarters.
	•	The average sales price (“ASP”) in Q4 2023 was $20,677 versus $19,382 in Q4 2022, surpassing the $20,000 level for the second time in the past three quarters. Our improved quarterly ASP performance reflects the superior pricing we have been able to command on our high-performing Spectra family of cabinets and continued implementation of our price integrity initiatives. ASP increased approximately 7% relative to the $19,380 delivered in Q3 2023, with the lift largely attributable to a greater mix of Spectra family cabinet sales, including our premium-priced Spectra UR49, and a decrease in the relative weighting of lower-priced convert-to-sale unit sales.
	•	The Company sold units into 30 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces and four international jurisdictions outside of the U.S. and Canada throughout Q4 2023, supported by further successful execution of our strategic initiative to broaden our customer account penetration, particularly with larger corporate buyers. To that end, we sold units to nearly 180 unique customers in Q4 2023, representing an increase of more than 70% versus the prior year and over 60% higher than the number sold to in Q4 2019.
		Product Highlights
	•	The Company’s Spectra family of gaming cabinets continues to take the gaming industry by storm, with both Spectra UR49 and UR43 achieving a top-five ranking in the January 2024 Eilers-Fantini Cabinet Performance Report, with reported theoretical index performance of 1.62 times and 1.51 times zone average, respectively. The Spectra duo’s exceptional performance put AGS in an enviable position as the only manufacturer with two cabinets in the top five of any category within the Eilers Report. The Spectra UR43 footprint surpassed 4,000 units at year end 2023, while Spectra UR49 continued to gain steam with nearly 170 units deployed. With multiple game themes in various stages of the field testing process and several new additions to the cabinet lineup scheduled for release in 2024, the Company believes it remains in the very early innings of realizing the Spectra family’s true growth potential.
	•	AGS’ decision to strategically transform the scale and scope of its game development team beginning in the back half of 2019 has provided the Company with the content needed to consistently scale the business. The byproduct of this multi-year effort was well-represented within the January 2024 Eilers-Fantini Game Performance Report, as the Company placed seven titles in the Quarterly Top-50 New Core games, while also producing two top-five titles in the report’s New Premium Leased category. Supported by the breadth, depth and quality of its current game portfolio, which features contributions from each of the Company’s game development studios, AGS has uniquely armed itself with the tools needed to simultaneously execute its recurring revenue yield optimization initiatives, while also positioning the Company to emerge as the middle-tier provider of choice in the North American slot sales market.

⁽³⁾“Domestic” includes both the United States and Canada.

Table Products

Three Months Ended December 31, 2023 compared to Three Months Ended December 31, 2022

(Amounts in thousands, except unit data)	Three Months Ended December 31,

	2023		2022		$ Change			% Change
Table Products segment revenues:
Gaming operations	$	3,936	$	3,691	$	245			6.6	%
Equipment sales		893		199		694			348.7	%
Total Table Products revenues	$	4,829	$	3,890	$	939			24.1	%

Table Products Adjusted EBITDA	$	2,842	$	2,370	$	472			19.9	%

Table Products unit information:
Table products installed base, end of period		5,415		5,051		364			7.2	%
Average monthly lease price	$	239	$	241	$	(2	)		(0.8	)%

Table Products Quarterly Results

	•	Total table products revenue increased 24% year-over-year to a record $4.8 million. Gaming operations, or recurring, revenue accounted for over 80% of Q4 2023 segment-level revenue. Total table products revenue advanced approximately 10% relative to the $4.4 million achieved in Q3 2023.
	•	Gaming operations revenue reached a record $3.9 million, representing a year-over-year increase of approximately 7%. Growth across all major segments of our table products installed base, including an over 65% increase in the number of shufflers installed on lease, drove our improved recurring revenue performance versus the prior year. Broad-based installed base growth also paced a 2% increase in recurring revenue on a quarterly sequential basis.
	•	The table products installed base totaled 5,415 units at the end of Q4 2023, up 364 units, or approximately 7%, versus the prior year. A more than 65% increase in both our PAX S and DEX S shuffler lease bases, further customer adoption of our all-inclusive AGS Arsenal site license offering, which contributed to outsized premium game growth of approximately 19%, and an over 30% increase in our Bonus Spin Xtreme (“BSX”) progressive installed base combined to drive our year-over-year installed base growth. This same set of growth catalysts, along with new casino opening activity, contributed to an over 100 unit increase in our installed base versus the prior sequential quarter.
	•	The average monthly lease price (“ALP”) was relatively consistent versus the prior year and prior sequential quarter at $239.
	•	Equipment sales revenue more than quadrupled year-over-year to a record $893 thousand, exceeding the prior record, established in Q2 2023, by nearly 70%. Supported by new casino opening activity, PAX S sales surpassed 35 units, while we also benefitted from the sale of 13 DEX S units in the quarter.
	•	Table Products Adjusted EBITDA increased 20% year-over-year to a record $2.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 58.9% compared to 60.9% in Q4 2022, reflecting a higher allocation of field service expense to the segment to better align with the current composition of the installed base and a greater mix of equipment sales revenue. Table Products Adjusted EBITDA increased by more than 15% versus the $2.4 million delivered in Q3 2023, representing our third consecutive quarter of sequential Adjusted EBITDA growth. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by over 300bps sequentially, reflecting the operating leverage realized as a result of our outsized revenue growth.
	•	The PAX S specialty game card shuffler footprint surpassed 330 units at the end of Q4 2023, with units live in over 65 unique casinos across more than 20 states and provinces. The PAX S footprint expanded by over 40 units, or approximately 14%, sequentially in Q4 2023, supported by the activation of more than 20 units in conjunction with a recent high-profile new casino opening. With PAX S approved in all major North American markets and supported by the overwhelmingly positive customer feedback received on the product to date, the Company believes it remains in the early stages of realizing PAX’s true growth potential.
	•	The Bonus Spin Xtreme progressive installed base increased by over 30% year-over-year and approximately 5% sequentially to 530 units. BSX is currently installed in over 50 casinos across nearly 20 jurisdictions. The enhanced BSX features and functionality scheduled to launch in 2024 should allow the product to resonate with an even broader audience, helping to drive additional customer adoption in the quarters ahead.
	•	At quarter end, the Company was live with over 20 AGS Arsenal site licenses across a variety of tribal and commercial end markets. The Arsenal’s compelling value proposition and our organizational commitment to investing in table product innovation continue to drive interest in our site license offering.

Interactive

Three Months Ended December 31, 2023 compared to Three Months Ended December 31, 2022

(Amounts in thousands)	Three Months Ended December 31,

	2023		2022		$ Change		% Change
Interactive segment revenue:
Gaming Operations	$	3,370	$	2,508	$	862		34.4	%
Total Interactive revenue	$	3,370	$	2,508	$	862		34.4	%

Interactive Adjusted EBITDA	$	1,292	$	498	$	794		159.4	%

Interactive Quarterly Results

	•	Total Interactive revenue reached a record $3.4 million, representing an increase of 34% year-over-year and approximately 8% ahead of Q3 2023. Real-money gaming (“RMG”) revenue accounted for over 90% of Q4 2023 segment-level revenue, with the balance derived from the Company’s B2C social casino platform.
	•	RMG revenue increased 46% year-over-year and more than 20% sequentially to a record $3.1 million. An accelerating cadence of new game launches, including the introduction of the Company’s first ever online-first game theme, Double Shamrock; more tactical and targeted business development activities with our B2C operator partners; the continued strong performance of franchise brands, including Capital Gains, in the online channel; and the activation of more than 10 new B2C operator partners globally paced our record-setting Q4 2023 RMG revenue performance. Revenues earned from North American-facing customers accounted for over 90% of Q4 2023 RMG revenue mix.
	•	Interactive Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled versus the prior year to a record $1.3 million, reflecting our ability to flow through a significant portion of the RMG revenue growth achieved in the quarter while simultaneously providing our team with the financial resources necessary to support achievement of our multi-year growth objectives. Adjusted EBITDA increased by over 40% compared to the $902 thousand delivered in Q3 2023, supported by further returns on the tactical investments in technical and customer-facing talent initiated in the back half of 2022. The Interactive segment has generated positive Adjusted EBITDA for sixteen consecutive quarters, consistent with the Company’s commitment to profitably scaling revenues within the segment.
	•	AGS maintained its position near the top of the charts in the February 2024 Eilers-Fantini Online Game Performance Report, with the exceptional performance of its new and proven online brands producing a top-five overall slot index ranking for the fourth consecutive month. The Company’s “New” game performance told a similar story within the February report, ranking second best for the fourth month in a row with a reported theoretical win index of over 3 times site average. Three AGS game themes achieved a top-15 ranking within the February report’s “New” game category, including Platinum 8x8x8x, Mega Diamond and 8x Crystal Bells, while its established online franchise brand, Capital Gains, ranked second in the overall slots category with a reported theoretical win index of more than 14 times site average. Looking ahead, the Company remains committed to further diversifying its online content offering to include online-first game themes, bespoke product, simple slots, instant win, and table games to further solidify its position as a partner of choice to the industry’s leading B2C i-casino operators.
	•	The Company’s growing suite of RMG game content, consisting of over 60 proven AGS land-based titles, was live in nearly all of the most prominent regulated North American online jurisdictions and with over 80 i-gaming operators globally as of December 31, 2023. Pennsylvania, Michigan and Canada represented the Company’s highest revenue generating end markets in Q4 2023.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had an available cash balance of $50.9 million and $40.0 million of availability under its undrawn revolving credit facility, resulting in total available liquidity of over $90 million.

The total principal amount of debt outstanding, as of December 31, 2023, was $566.8 million compared to $571.4 million at December 31, 2022. Total net debt, which is the principal amount of debt outstanding less cash and cash equivalents, was $515.8 million as of December 31, 2023, conveying a total net debt leverage ratio of 3.2 times compared to 3.8 times as of December 31, 2022⁽⁴⁾.

Fourth quarter 2023 capital expenditures totaled $15.4 million, bringing full year 2023 capital expenditures to $61.9 million. Growth capital expenditures, which primarily relate to gaming equipment-related investments into the Company’s EGM and Table Product installed bases, accounted for approximately 60% of the total capital expenditures incurred for the full year 2023, with the balance attributable to capitalized research and development (“R&D”) expenditures and investment in long-lived assets intended to support various corporate operations. The Company expects full year 2024 capital expenditures, inclusive of anticipated capitalized R&D and corporate operation expenditures, to land in the range of $65 million to $70 million.

Free cash flow⁽⁴⁾reached $11.0 million in Q4 2023 compared to $7.6 million in Q4 2022, pushing full year 2023 free cash flow to $27.4 million.

February 2024 Debt Repricing and Voluntary Repayment

On February 5, 2024, the Company successfully completed a repricing of its term loan credit facility. Among other things, the repricing removed the credit spread adjustment with respect to term loan borrowings and reduced the interest rate applied to such borrowings to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 3.75%. Additionally, in conjunction with the repricing transaction, the Company elected to voluntarily repay $15 million of its total debt outstanding.

2024 Net Leverage Target

Supported by the relative resiliency observed across the broader North American gaming complex 2024-to-date, both with respect to GGR trends and customer purchasing demand; the growing appeal and strong performance of AGS’s deeper and more diverse suite of EGM gaming cabinets and game content; the anticipated continued outsized growth in Interactive revenues; an unwavering commitment to cost containment and operational efficiency; and steadily improving free cash flow conversion, the Company expects to exit 2024 with a total net debt leverage ratio in the range of 2.75 times to 3.00 times.

⁽⁴⁾Total Adjusted EBITDA, Total Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Free Cash Flow are non-GAAP financial measures; see non-GAAP reconciliation below.

Conference Call and Webcast

AGS executive leadership will host a conference call on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 5 p.m. EST to review the Company’s fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results. Participants may visit the Company’s website, investors.playags.com, to access a live webcast of the conference call and a slide presentation reviewing the Company’s quarterly and full year financial performance. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website following the live event. United States residents may access the call live by dialing +1 (833) 470-1428, while international participants should visit www.netroadshow.com/events/global-numbers?confId=60800 for a dial by country directory. The conference call access code is 775707.

Company Overview

AGS is a global company focused on creating a diverse mix of entertaining gaming experiences for every kind of player. Our roots are firmly planted in the Class II tribal gaming market, but our customer-centric culture and remarkable growth have helped us branch out to become one of the most all-inclusive commercial gaming equipment suppliers in the world. Powered by high-performing Class II and Class III slot products, an expansive table products portfolio, highly rated social casino, real-money gaming solutions for players and operators, and best-in-class service, we offer an unmatched value proposition for our casino partners. Learn more at playags.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations and projections, which are intended to qualify for the safe harbor of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements identified by words such as “believe,” “will,” “may,” “might,” “likely,” “expect,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “believes,” “continues,” “projects” and similar references to future periods. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections of future events.

These forward-looking statements reflect the current views, models, and assumptions of AGS, and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or qualified and could cause actual results in AGS’s performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, but are not limited to, the ability of AGS to maintain strategic alliances, unit placements or installations, grow revenue, garner new market share, secure new licenses in new jurisdictions, successfully develop or place proprietary product, comply with regulations, have its games approved by relevant jurisdictions, market conditions, and other factors. For a more detailed discussion of these and other factors, please refer to AGS’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including those set forth under Item 1. “Business,” and Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in AGS’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC. All forward-looking statements made herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements speak only to the facts and circumstances present as of the date of this press release. AGS expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Published

2 days ago

May 8, 2024

George Miller

the-untapped-potential-of-seo-in-igaming

Reading Time: 4 minutes

With Filip Podborschi, SEO Strategist at The Unit

From our experience in SEO in igaming, there are a number of areas where we see room for improvement and common mistakes which can be rectified. Let’s take a look at these facets of SEO one by one, with our best tips for how to make sure you can maximise your search ranking and drive more volume to your website.

Keyword strategy

The first thing operators should do in this area is identify the best performing keywords that result in higher search volumes on each post. It’s pages that rank rather than websites, so you need a different search intent on each page, and that increases the list of keywords you’re ranking for.

The way to do this is by checking the search volume, and then implementing the keywords according to SEO best practices, which means having primary and secondary keywords and adjusting repetition accordingly.

The common mistake we see here is that companies don’t go into enough depth when conducting competitive analysis; especially when they’re new to the industry. Identifying what exactly your competitors are doing regarding SEO is harder than it looks, and it’s an area where marketing agencies tend to be quite lazy. They may use some tools which will show the standout competitors by algorithm, but they won’t crawl for long enough to ascertain what services they offer and provide a comparison with their client’s service. You need to find out which sites could be ranking better than you, and why.

We also see issues with the ranking of sites based on the user’s location. For example, you may have a website that ranks well in Canada, and when I as a user based in Romania search for that category, I’m not going to get the same list of results as a user who is based in Canada. The best thing to do is use a VPN to gauge how your websites are ranking and performing with your specific audience in your domestic geographical area.

SEO tags optimisation

With SEO tags, which are essentially the page title and description you see on the search engine results page, the page title has the highest ranking power. Google will first check the page title to get an idea of what the page is about and what searches it is relevant for. It will then check the H1 and the content, and it may look through the H2 as well.

A common issue here is some websites have templated SEO tags, especially for the inner pages, so it’s more of a formula within the code to generate a random structure. It is very obvious they are templated and that the operator doesn’t really care about the length.

The key thing with tags is to make sure your pages have titles that don’t exceed the ideal length. This is a big mistake if you get this wrong, and it is very important to optimise your titles. SEO tags can be optimised around keywords. Once doing so, it is very important to prioritise your main pages. If you have 10 pages as part of the main menu, then you should optimise those, before optimising the inner pages.

Identifying duplicate pages is also important, as well as making sure meta inscriptions include CTAs; those inscriptions don’t impact rankings directly, but they do impact the CTR. You have to do that without being too spammy though, so it’s advisable to avoid words like ‘sale’ or calls to “CLICK HERE NOW”.

Headings

Keywords must be implemented in headings; especially in H1s and H2s. Make sure not to overuse H2s and keep them optimised for content value.

If we structure the ranking power of the elements that are bringing results, we would optimise with the page title first, H1 second, content third and H2s fourth. It is better to have five H2s with three of them being optimised around the same search intent that is highlighted in H1, than it is to have 3/10 optimised around keywords. Too many H2s will just confuse Google about your search intent. You can have similar search intent as with H1s, and also have H3s and H4s to highlight value to the reader.

Interlinking strategy

Interlinking between pages is often missing. I’m not talking about interlinking from the main menu, as every page has the ability for you to go back, but I’m talking about interlinking within content, which Google considers to be much more important, because it cares about the relevancy. Google will consider pages with high-quality content as a higher authority page.

Our advice would be to implement anchor links on both branded and non-branded keywords. You should make sure there is an anchor link to the parent page. For example, domain.com/blog is a parent for domain.com/blog/igaming-seo.

It’s very important to have child pages linking to the parent page, passing authority to the parent page. Having that interlinked structure will pass more authority to that parent page.

To explain that in a little more detail, let’s say you have a sportsbook page with 10 more child pages that reflect a particular set of sports. Having each of those 10 pages optimised so they have some authority and linking them to the parent page would pass authority to that parent page. Parent pages usually have a keyword with higher search volume, and passing as much authority as you can to the child page is very important. Too often websites lack content on child pages.

The future of SEO and experience needed

Going forward, we see AI as one of the most significant developments in SEO. At this point, we are not able to rank user engagement in AI, and it is important to keep yourself updated with how Google is reacting to this.

Google in time may provide additional options if you want to be eligible for a particular set of results in that environment. Keep an eye on what features it will offer and the types of websites. Google may consider implementing specific types of results for betting, such as displaying odds or a comparison of odds from three or four sites at the same time.

With all these issues, it is vital to have the relevant experience on board, particularly when it comes to the skill of conducting very in-depth competitor analysis, and this is something The Unit can provide. Conducting competitor analysis is something we have done across several industries, and not just in igaming. The main strength you can have with SEO is to know your competitors inside out, and those skills can be adjusted based on your needs.

The post The untapped potential of SEO in iGaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Industry News

IGT Expands Footprint in Spain’s ‘Salones’ Sector with Launch of New Multi-level Progressive Theme

Published

2 days ago

May 8, 2024

Niji Narayan

igt-expands-footprint-in-spain’s-‘salones’-sector-with-launch-of-new-multi-level-progressive-theme

Reading Time: < 1 minute

International Game Technology PLC announced that its latest multi-level progressive (MLP) game, Diamond Mania, has launched in Spain’s Amusement with Prize (AWP) “salones” sector. Diamond Mania will follow the success of IGT’s Magic Fortune Link AWP game in Spain, a high-performing title that recently surpassed a 1000-unit deployment milestone.

“IGT is committed to growing its footprint in Spain by supplying researched-backed, market-attuned games that meet the player preferences in the region. Building on the successful deployment of IGT’s debut title for the salones sector, Magic Fortune Link, we are excited to expand our offering to include Diamond Mania, a unique multi-game jackpot that can help operators achieve excellent results and diversify their gaming floors,” said Maria Aldana, IGT Director of Sales Western Europe and Africa.

Specifically adapted for the salones market, Diamond Mania features four lively base game themes: Samurai Takeo, Majestic Stallion, Ramosis Treasures and Wish Mistress. Featuring proven mechanics for a highly engaging experience for players, Diamond Mania offers three special bonuses, a reel boost, a prize boost and a jackpot bonus, which can combine to activate the super games and mega games features and ultimately lead to the chance to win one of the four progressive jackpots.

Diamond Mania is available on the BINTIA 27-inch multi-game cabinet, which offers dual HD monitors and a topper option for casino-like styling. It features an ergonomic design, programmable LED lighting, vivid high-resolution graphics, an immersive sound system and can be configured with the TITO function.

The game will be exclusively distributed through Orenes Grupo, Spain’s salones sector market leader in operations and gaming machine distribution. Later this year, IGT plans to introduce Treasure Box, the Company’s third MLP developed specifically for Spain’s salones sector, which represents approximately 3000 gaming and bingo halls.

The post IGT Expands Footprint in Spain’s ‘Salones’ Sector with Launch of New Multi-level Progressive Theme appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.