Affiliate Industry
Better Collective reports record revenue; strong growth in US business and media partnerships
Interim report January 1 – June 30, 2021
Highlights second quarter 2021
- Q2 Group revenue grew by 162% to 40,009 tEUR (Q2 2020: 15,253 tEUR). Organic revenue growth was 47%.
- The US business performed strongly, even before inclusion of Action Network, by recording NDC performance and revenue on par with a strong Q1 2021, despite Q2 being low season.
- Q2 Group EBITDA before special items increased 90% to 12,662 tEUR (Q2 2020: 6,672 tEUR). The EBITDA-margin before special items was 32% (Publishing segment 43% and Paid Media segment 11%).
- Special items include cost related to the acquisition of Action Network of 5.3 mEUR.
- Cash Flow from operations before special items was 11,069 tEUR (Q2 2020: 10,363 tEUR), an increase of 7%. The cash conversion was 93% following a 121% conversion rate in Q1. End of Q2, capital reserves stood at 69 mEUR including cash of 40 mEUR and unused bank credit facilities of 29 mEUR.
- New Depositing Customers (NDCs) were 197,000 in the quarter with an implied growth of 179%, establishing a new quarterly record.
- Media partnerships saw breakthrough performance delivering more than 38,000 NDCs. Three new media partnerships were signed.
- Earn-out payments of 1.2 mEUR in cash and 0.9 mEUR in shares were made in relation to the 2020-acquisition of HLTV and its achievement of pre-agreed financial performance.
- At the AGM, Therese Hillman, CEO of NOD and former Group CEO of NetEnt, was elected to the board of directors.
- Better Collective acquired leading US sports betting media platform, Action Network, for 196 mEUR (240 mUSD), gaining market leadership within sports betting media in the US.
- Better Collective resolved on a directed share issue of 6.9 million shares, raising proceeds of 145 mEUR to maintain financial flexibility.
- For the fourth consecutive year, Better Collective topped the prestigious EGR Global’s Power Affiliates 2021 ranking.
Financial highlights first six months 2021
- In the first half of 2021, revenue grew by 118% to 78,845 tEUR (YTD 2020: 36,174 tEUR).
- In the first half of 2021, EBITDA before special items increased 64% to 25,855 tEUR (YTD 2020: 15,718 tEUR). The EBITDA-margin before special items was 33%.
- Cash Flow from operations before special items was 27,171 tEUR (YTD 2020: 19,814 tEUR), an increase of 37%. The cash conversion rate before special items was 107%. At the end of Q2 2021, cash and unused credit facilities amounted to 69 mEUR.
- New Depositing Customers (NDCs) exceeded 371,000 in the first half year (growth of 99%).
Significant events after the closure of the period
- July revenue reached 12.4 mEUR, more than double of July 2020, with an organic growth of 13%. July 2021 revenue was negatively impacted by an extraordinarily low sports win margin, especially in connection with the finalisation of EURO2020. This should be seen in the light of a comparison month of July 2020, which was positively impacted by the rescheduling of sports events due to COVID-19 and an above average sports win margin.
Financial targets
The full-year financial targets remain unchanged.
Jesper Søgaard, Co-founder & CEO of Better Collective, commented:
“Q2 marks yet a record quarter in terms of revenue and NDCs delivered to our partners. At the same time, we continue to record strong profitability and cash flows. The strong performance is especially driven by the US business, and by our media partnerships that saw breakthrough performance during Q2. The peak of the quarter was the closing of our largest acquisition to date, Action Network, which is a game changer and consolidates our leading sports betting media position in the US”
Conference call
A telephone conference will be held at 10.00 a.m. CET today by CEO Jesper Søgaard and CFO Flemming Pedersen. The presentation will simultaneously be webcasted, and both the telephone conference and the webcast offer an opportunity to ask questions.
Affiliate Industry
47 New Brands in Q1’24: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results
Affilka by SOFTSWISS, a leading affiliate management software provider, is approaching a new milestone of 360 brands in Q1’24.
The first quarter of the year brought remarkable achievements to the Affilka by SOFTSWISS team. The Asian gaming community recognised the company’s affiliate management software as the Best Affiliate Marketing Solution on the market.
This year, Affilka’s team participated in iGB Affiliate London 2024 with a dedicated stand for the first time. During the concurrent iGB and ICE events, the team had nearly 200 meetings over several days. First agreements quickly followed and were signed shortly after the exhibition period.
Affilka by SOFTSWISS experienced substantial growth, adding 47 new brands to its partner network, bringing the total to nearly 360 brands in Q1 2024. More than 33 thousand new affiliate accounts were registered during this period, marking a 118% increase compared to the previous year’s last quarter.
The rise in new affiliate accounts has led to an acceleration in new player registrations, exceeding 7.4 million over the first quarter of the year. Compared to the last quarter of 2023, this metric demonstrated a 106% increase.
The number of unique clicks on referral links with Affilka by SOFTSWISS during this period showed 115% growth and reached almost 436 million in absolute numbers. The rising metrics underscore the crucial role of effective affiliate management in achieving success within the iGaming industry.
Moving to the financial metrics of Affilka by SOFTSWISS, stable growth is evident over the first quarter of 2024 compared to the last quarter of 2023. The affiliate GGR revealed a 112% increase, while the player deposit amount showed a 113% enlargement. The growth within affiliate payments amounted to 117% in Q1’24 compared to the previous quarter.
Anastasia Borovaya, Head of Affilka by SOFTSWISS, summarises: “The recent product performance showcases a steady and continuous growth trajectory, a testament to our ongoing investment in innovation and user experience enhancement. Acknowledging affiliate marketing’s crucial role in the iGaming ecosystem, we prioritise delivering exceptional service to exceed our clients’ expectations.”
The global affiliate marketing industry is expected to double in size within the next five years. Finding a reliable affiliate marketing platform provider ensures a competitive edge in the rapidly expanding market.
The team is ready to share valuable industry insights and unveil the upcoming updates at the SiGMA Americas Summit in San Paulo on 23–25 April. Clients and potential partners can book a meeting with the Affilka team at stand i70 on the SOFTSWISS events page.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
Affiliate Industry
StatsDrone data reveals MyAffiliates as the most used affiliate marketing software by the iGaming industry
New research from StatsDrone – the affiliate programme stats tracker – today, Thursday 11 April, unveils MyAffiliates as the most used affiliate marketing software in the gaming industry.
The research was conducted this month – April 2024 – on a sample of 1,100 affiliate programs with the latest StatsDrone data revealing that MyAffiliates is used by almost 16% of gaming operators, followed by Affilka (11.8%), Income Access (10.5%) and NetRefer (7.8%).
MyAffiliates is an established affiliate marketing software platform, empowering iGaming operators to combine all of their gaming brands and products under one umbrella affiliate system. It has been in operation since 2007.
The findings of the latest research, affirms MyAffiliates’ position as the preferred choice among gaming operators and, with nearly 16% of operators utilizing its software, has today cemented its position as a market leader.
Furthermore, with 17% of gaming operators still relying on proprietary software, the potential for solutions such as MyAffiliates is significant. As a ready-built solution, MyAffiliates seeks to further expand their market share and empower more operators to optimize their affiliate marketing strategies.
John Wright, CEO of StatsDrone, expressed his insights regarding MyAffiliates’ dominance in the iGaming industry, stating, “We know that MyAffiliates has an advanced platform for operators and is one of the reasons we know that MyAffiliates has become the most popular affiliate platform in iGaming. We hear from affiliates it is one of their preferred platforms to work with so, for us, it isn’t much of a surprise to see why operators choose MyAffiliates. In the last 6 months, we’ve noticed more MyAffiliates brands being requested on our platform, and I can’t see why that trend won’t continue.“
Clemence Dujardin, MyAffiliates Group CEO comments: “Considering this significant milestone, we at MyAffiliates extend our heartfelt gratitude to our clients and partners for their unwavering trust and support. This achievement underscores not only the effectiveness of the MyAffiliates platform but also the dedication of our team to continually innovate and provide unparalleled service to our users.” She added, “As the leading affiliate marketing software in the iGaming industry, MyAffiliates remains committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower gaming operators to maximize their affiliate programs’ performance and ROI.”
Affiliate Industry
Affilka by SOFTSWISS Announces Partnership with 10bet
Affilka by SOFTSWISS, a leading provider of affiliate tracking software for the iGaming industry, announces a new collaboration with 10bet, a prominent player in the iGaming realm.
10bet operates in diverse markets, including Europe, LatAm, and Africa. Offering both casino and sportsbook solutions, 10bet brings over 20 years of global experience and expertise to the table.
This partnership marks a significant milestone for both companies as they join forces to enhance affiliate marketing strategies and expand their market reach. 10bet has already launched seven brands through the collaboration with Affilka by SOFTSWISS. Five of these brands were successfully migrated, while two were created from scratch, with another one to follow shortly.
Notably, 10bet made a strategic decision to transition from third-party software to leverage the advanced features and tailored solutions offered by Affilka by SOFTSWISS. Thanks to a designated Project Manager in the 10bet team, the integration process was smooth and seamless. Allocating a single point of contact is crucial to ensure effective migration and ongoing success.
“We are delighted to partner with Affilka by SOFTSWISS,” says Yotam Peretz, VP of Acquisition at 10bet. “The platform provides us flexibility, reliability, and personalised support. That’s exactly what we need to optimise our affiliate programs and drive growth in our target markets. I’m sure this collaboration marks the beginning of an exciting and successful journey.”
Angelika Antonova, Head of Sales at Affilka by SOFTSWISS, comments on the recent partnership: “This migration serves as further validation of Affilka’s superiority over existing solutions in the market, highlighting its distinct advantages. We are happy to welcome 10bet to the Affilka family. This partnership signifies our shared vision for excellence in affiliate marketing. We look forward to collaborating with the 10bet team to deliver outstanding results and unlock new opportunities in the dynamic iGaming landscape.”
Affilka by SOFTSWISS is ready to present valuable industry insights and unveil the upcoming reporting system updates at the SiGMA Americas Summit in San Paulo on 23–25 April. Clients and potential partners can book a meeting with the Affilka team at stand i70 on the SOFTSWISS events page.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
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