Gambling group Codere has appointed Luis Sánchez Serrano as the Corporate Director of Technology and Digitalisation. Luis Sánchez will report directly to the Group’s general director, Vicente Di Loreto.

Luis Sánchez has more than 23 years of experience, mainly in the banking industry, in companies such as Liberbank, Bankinter, Banco Espirito Santo, has proven capabilities in the design and implementation of transformation projects, innovation and digitalisation of organisations , as well as a broad strategic and transversal vision of the main processes and technological solutions of the market.

“This incorporation strengthens our team and consolidates the strategy of change and transformation undertaken in our group to continue fulfilling our commitment to the client and creating value,” Vicente Di Loreto said.

Pollard Banknote Limited has added the classic arcade game GALAGA™ to its portfolio of licensed brands. Under an agreement with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., Pollard Banknote will offer GALAGA™ branded instant tickets to its lottery clients. Pollard Banknote’s suite of licensed brands includes several powerhouse arcade games from the early 1980s.

As per the agreement, Pollard Banknote will leverage the GALAGA™ signature logo and colourful pixilated icons for eye-catching ticket designs and promotional merchandise. The ticket artwork will utilise distinctive GALAGA™ imagery to mimic the game’s acclaimed playstyle. GALAGA™ branded merchandise, including full-sized vintage arcade games, will be available to lotteries for social media contests and second chance draws.

“Pollard Banknote’s retro arcade brands have captivated lottery players around the globe, and we are confident that GALAGA™ will give players more of the classic arcade look and feel they love. We look forward to helping lotteries bring GALAGA™ to market, supported by our 360˚ approach to marketing and promotional programs that promote player excitement and engagement,” Brad Thompson, VP of Sales and Marketing at Pollard Banknote said.

Evolution released today its Interim Report for January-June 2019.

Second quarter of 2019 (Q2 2018)

• Operating revenues increased by 45% to EUR 85.7 million (59.3)
• EBITDA increased by 63% to EUR 42.7 million (26.2), corresponding to a margin of 49.8% (44.2)
• Profit for the period amounted to EUR 34.5 million (20.1)
• Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.19 (0.11)

January-June 2019 (1H 2018)

• Operating revenues increased by 49% to EUR 165.0 million (110.8)
• EBITDA increased by 63% to EUR 78.6 million (48.1), corresponding to a margin of 47.7% (43.4)
• Profit for the period amounted to EUR 63.1 million (36.7)
• Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.35 (0.20)

Comments from CEO Martin Carlesund:

“Evolution’s strong development continues, and we can report continued high growth and further improved margin in the second quarter. 2019 is a year of product and innovation, and during the period, we have launched all this year’s new games. The response has been instant, and we are overwhelmed by the positive reception among both players and operators. Our aim in the development has been to create games that attract new player types and to expand the Live vertical into new segments, and so far, we are very happy with the outcome. All games, from the new titles within the Game Show category to the dice games, find their audiences and we see a significant increase in the number of players. The new games are not as staff intensive as the traditional table games, which in combination with a generally high efficiency in all studios contribute to the margin development. The extended portfolio also contributes to the revenue growth, but it is important to note that most of our revenues continue to derive from our core games and that the new games are still in an early stage post-launch. However, all new titles contribute to a generally higher interest in Live Casino and we believe that the Live vertical will continue to grow its share of the total online casino market. When the Live vertical grows, we take market shares – as do our customers with access to the new games.

Revenues amounted to EUR 85.7 million, which is 45 percent higher than the corresponding quarter last year. EBITDA amounted to EUR 42.7 million with a margin of 49.8 percent, which is the highest margin recorded so far in a single quarter. In the first half of the year, the margin was 47.7 percent, and we expect to be able to sustain this level in the second half as well which is why we increase our expected margin range to 47-49 percent for the 2019 full year.

The positive market development continues. The Nordics are growing, however at a somewhat slower pace as the Swedish market now is normalising following the intense start to the year as a result of the new gaming legislation. The UK continues to stabilise and is growing compared to the corresponding quarter last year. Both Rest of Europe and Rest of World also exhibit favourable growth.

Going forward, we will continue to invest in the development of both additional game shows and other innovative product types, as well as table games to meet the overall demand for Live. We also continue to invest in our studios. During the quarter, we have transferred the first tables to the new Malta studio, while also expanding the studio in Georgia. In addition, we have initiated a doubling of the capacity in New Jersey. We will also strengthen our presence in the US further and have started the planning for the construction of a studio in Pennsylvania. All in all, investments for the 2019 full year in absolute numbers will be somewhat higher than in 2018. It is imperative for us to meet the demand for Live, to continue to enable innovation within the company and to constantly increase the gap to competition. Connected to this, it is important to remember that in a case where we must prioritise, we will always put growth before margins.

During the first half of the year, we have laid the foundation for Evolution’s continued leadership in Live Casino. A proof of this was when we received the award as Live Casino Supplier of the Year for the tenth consecutive year at the EGR B2B Awards in June. The award goes straight to all our employees. I am immensely proud of everyone’s achievements so far this year, and the innovation power they possess creates confidence for the future.

Since Evolution’s inception, we have had a paranoid approach to our development, and given all achievements so far in 2019 I would like to conclude these comments by pointing out that we are never fully satisfied, we never sit back and each day, we fight to become a little bit better.”