Industry News
Evolution Gaming’s Interim Report For January-September 2019
Evolution released today its Interim Report for January-September 2019.
Third quarter of 2019 (Q3 2018)
- Operating revenues increased by 47% to EUR 94.7 million (64.3)
- EBITDA increased by 73% to EUR 48.5 million (28.0), corresponding to a margin of 51.2% (43.5)
- Profit for the period amounted to EUR 39.8 million (21.2)
- Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.22 (0.12)
January-September 2019 (9M 2018)
- Operating revenues increased by 48% to EUR 259.8 million (175.2)
- EBITDA increased by 67% to EUR 127.1 million (76.1), corresponding to a margin of 48.9% (43.4)
- Profit for the period amounted to EUR 102.9 million (57.9)
- Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.57 (0.32)
Events during the third quarter of 2019
- Positive effects from investments in games and studio capacity
- All geographic markets contribute to the high growth
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board license received
Summary of the third quarter and first nine months of 2019
Comments from CEO Martin Carlesund: “I am very satisfied to report consistently strong results for the third quarter. Our investments in new games and studios are having an increasingly strong impact, which is reflected in both the high growth as well as stronger margins. We have also seen a further increased demand for Evolution’s products globally. In addition, we now see clearly that we are reaching completely new player types, who to a large extent are playing Live games for the first time. These new players are being converted from other game categories, such as slots, which is very encouraging to see. Through our expansion and construction of studio capacity, together with the 10 new games launched during the first half of 2019, we are also favourably positioned to take advantage of the growing general demand for Live.
Revenues in the third quarter amounted to EUR 94.7 million, an increase of 47 percent compared to last year. EBITDA amounted to EUR 48.5 million, with a margin of 51.2 percent. For the nine-month period, the EBITDA margin was 48.9 percent. Based on this outcome, we will end up slightly above the previously communicated margin range of 47-49 percent for the 2019 full year.
Evolution’s products experience high demand all over the world, which can be seen in our growth which is truly global. To increase the understanding of our geographical reach, starting in this report we will break down our revenues per region. We are growing together with our customers in all regions, with the highest growth in Asia and North America. We expect this development to continue and it reflects the operators’ focus on new growth markets. In some regulated markets in Europe, online casino has entered a more mature phase, but Live Casino as a vertical continues to grow its share of the total market.
As previously communicated, we continue to invest in additional studio capacity to meet the total demand for Live. Our all-new studio in Malta is now operational, and we are also continuing to expand our existing studios in both Georgia and New Jersey. In Georgia, we have now doubled the capacity since the launch of the studio in April 2018. By the end of the year, we will also have doubled the capacity in New Jersey in order to add more games from our portfolio and to allow additional space for dedicated customer environments. Currently, we offer 9 out of 21 game titles from our portfolio to operators in the state.
During the quarter, we received an Interactive Gaming Manufacturer licence from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which is a prerequisite to be able to offer our services in Pennsylvania. Based on our experience in New Jersey, we see great opportunities to attract both online operators and land-based casinos with our offering. Planning for the studio is in full swing with launch during 2020.
After the end of the quarter we have signed an agreement with Flutter Entertainment and its successful brands Paddy Power and Betfair. The deal is the result of a dialogue that has been going on for many years, and which has been intensified thanks to our latest innovations. We look forward to developing this partnership over time.
For us, 2019 has been a year of products and innovation. We have further strengthened our development capabilities and going forward, we will keep up the pace in the development of new games. Behind the scenes, the work to develop our core games while also expanding the Live vertical with new innovations is always ongoing. When we publish the 2019 year-end report in February, ICE 2020 will have just ended. As in previous years, our ambition is to pave the way for the entire industry by launching new ground-breaking products.
The absolute core of Evolution is built on innovation with a focus to meet the demand for Live and to constantly increase the gap to the competition. I have a confident view of what the future will bring. “
Industry News
SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
Industry News
Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase
Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.
“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.
“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.
Industry News
PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer
PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.
In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.
Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.
“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
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