Affiliate Industry

Better Collective establishes strong position in the US market with the acquisition of the RotoGrinders Network

Published

5 years ago

May 28, 2019

Better Collective establishes strong position in the US market with the acquisition of the RotoGrinders Network

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Better Collective, the world’s leading developer of digital platforms for bookmaker information, iGaming communities, and betting tips, has today completed an acquisition of 60% of the shares in Rical LLC (“RotoGrinders”) (which operates rotogrinders.com, pocketfives.com, sportshandle.com, usbets.com, and pennbets.com) for 21 million USD. In the period 2022-2024, Better Collective will acquire the remaining 40% of the shares of RotoGrinders at a valuation based upon an EBITDA multiple between 5x and 10x. The valuation will be determined by the future growth and profitability of RotoGrinders and Better Collective’s other business in the United States.

RotoGrinders strongly positioned within US iGaming

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, RotoGrinders owns a strong network of platforms for sports betting and daily fantasy sports (“DFS”) in the US, including rotogrinders.com, pocketfives.com, sportshandle.com, usbets.com and pennbets.com. In 2018, RotoGrinders generated revenue of >8 million USD and operating earnings of >3 million USD (EBITA) (un-audited). RotoGrinders has historically focused on DFS, however, with the changing regulation in the US market since 2018, the business focus has increasingly been directed towards affiliation to sports betting and other online gambling. Combined with Better Collective’s current business, the total (annualised) revenue from the US market is expected to exceed 10 million USD in 2019.

The remaining 40% of the shares in RotoGrinders are held by the company’s three founders and certain key employees. The three founders will continue managing the daily business of RotoGrinders. The company has approximately 50 employees.

Better Collective US boosted by acquisition

Better Collective has had US-focused products up and running for some time, leading to revenue streams from online sports betting since last year. Building a presence and taking part in this new market opportunity is now boosted by the acquisition of RotoGrinders. Better Collective intends that RotoGrinders will remain headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee and be the centre for operating US focused products and business. Furthermore, Better Collective USA, Inc. (“Better Collective USA”) has opened an office in New York, which will coordinate all of Better Collective’s activities in the US, including sales and marketing activities. Better Collective USA will be managed by VP of Business Development and Sales, Marc Pedersen.

Better Collective USA key points after the acquisition:

Expected revenue of > 10 million USD in 2019 (annualised)
Anticipated profitable business with strong foundation in both DFS and online gambling
Organisation with > 50 employees specialised in US Sports and affiliate marketing
Founder-led organisation in RotoGrinders with significant ownership until 2022-2024
Offices in Nashville and New York

The transaction

Pursuant to a purchase agreement entered into on this date, Better Collective USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Better Collective A/S, has acquired 60% of the shares of RotoGrinders for 17.85 million USD in cash and shares of Better Collective A/S with an approx. market value of 3.15 million USD to be issued no later than June 17, 2019. The share price of 75.66 SEK is determined as a weighted average over 10 trading days prior to closing. In addition thereto, it has been agreed, that Better Collective in the period 2022-2024 will acquire the remaining 40% of the shares of RotoGrinders at a valuation based upon EBITDA multiple between 5x and 10x. The multiple is determined by future profitability of RotoGrinders and certain aspects of Better Collective’s business in the United States.

Up to 35% of the future payments may be paid in the form of shares in Better Collective, at the discretion of Better Collective. The new shares to be issued as part of the initial payment as well as any shares paid as part of the future payments will be subject to a 12-month lock-up period from the date of the respective share issue.

RotoGrinders will be fully (100%) consolidated into the Better Collective accounts as from June 1, 2019. The value of the assets and remaining committed tranche payments will be included in the accounts at an estimated fair value.

Market development in the US

On May 19, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), making the legal status of sports betting a state matter, thereby removing the previous federal ban. Since then, several states that have been in favour of repealing the act, including New Jersey, have legalised sports betting within their state. While some states may abstain from legalising sports betting, Better Collective anticipates that most states will do so over the coming years. Dependent on this process, various market sources expect the regulated US sports betting market to surpass 6 billion USD in five years.

Better Collective has been licensed in New Jersey since 2014, and the market share is growing. There are still only a few operators live within sports betting, but more are expected to come online during the next 3-6 months. In 2019, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania are expected to launch online sports betting, thereby increasing the market potential. In addition, Indiana, Iowa, Montana and Tennessee recently enacted sports betting laws, many of which are expected to include online sports betting.

Jesper Søgaard, CEO of Better Collective:

“Since PASPA was repealed by the US Supreme Court last year, we have carefully evaluated how best to establish Better Collective in the growing US market. We have assessed various acquisition opportunities, searching for access to strong products and dedicated people with insight into this market. We strongly believe that we found exactly that in RotoGrinders, where we see a strong and dedicated management team and talented employees. Management and key employees remain shareholders in RotoGrinders for the coming years, in which the US market is expected to unfold, whereby management and key employees on the one side and Better Collective on the other to a large extent share the potential risks and upside. We are truly excited about this opportunity.”

Calvin Spears, CEO and co-founder of RotoGrinders

“Joining the Better Collective group will help us fully realize the potential we’ve created with the RotoGrinders network. Regulated online sports betting will create an enormous affiliate marketing opportunity in the US. We feel Better Collective is the perfect partner for us as this opportunity unfolds. The experience, resources, and technology they’ve built up over the past 15 years in European sports betting will prove incredibly valuable here. Our combined goal is to be the largest US sports betting affiliate and we’re in a great position to make it happen.”

About Better Collective:
Better Collective’s vision is to empower iGamers through transparency and technology – this is what has made them the world’s leading developer of digital platforms for betting tips, bookmaker information and iGaming communities. Better Collective’s portfolio includes more than 2,000+ websites and products, among other bettingexpert.com, the trusted home of tips from expert tipsters and in depth betting theory.

Affiliate Industry

47 New Brands in Q1’24: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2024

George Miller

47 New Brands in Q1’24: Affilka by SOFTSWISS Results

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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

Published

2 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Wladimir P.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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

Published

3 weeks ago

April 5, 2024

George Miller

Affilka by SOFTSWISS Announces Partnership with 10bet

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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