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Gaming Innovation Group reports Q4 2019

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GIG adds responsible gaming features to its real-time data platform, GiG Data
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The B2C divestiture reduces complexity and financial leverage, enabling complete focus on driving the inherent strategic opportunities in the core B2B platform and media, creating a foundation for sustainable earnings and growth.

“It is a great honor to write my first shareholder letter to you after my appointment as CEO in November 2019. The dynamics in the online gambling industry, both competitive and regulatory, have changed dramatically in the last two years and we as a company are forcefully adapting to that. We are coming out of a strategic review initiated in November last year, I am certain the actions taken will place the Company in a truly exciting position for growth while securing the sustainability of the Company’s financial position by significantly reducing its debt and leverage”, says Richard Brown, CEO of GiG.

Financial Highlights

  • Revenues in Q4 2019 of €29.4m (39.9)
  • EBITDA in Q4 2019 was €4.8m (5.0) with an EBITDA margin of 16.4% (12.6%)
  • Revenues for the B2C segment in Q4 2019 were €19.0m (25.8), EBITDA was €4.1m (0.8) with an EBITDA margin of 22% (3%)
  • Revenues for the B2B segment in Q4 2019 were €12.1m (16.4), EBITDA was €0.8m (4.3)
  • Revenues in the B2B Media Services were €7.5m (8.7) in Q4 2019, EBITDA was €4.0m (4.9)
  • Other operating expenses were €13.7m (15.4) a reduction by 12%, the number of employees decreased from 706 to 648 year-on-year

Operational Highlights

  • Richard Brown appointed new CEO on 6 November 2019
  • Introduction of fixed fee platform payment model
  • GiG launches Hard Rock International’s online sportsbook in Iowa
  • GiG signed with Mr Green in Latvia for platform services, casino and sportsbook
  • Renewal of contract with B2B partner Armstrong Operations Ltd. incl two new brands, the signed on the platform with the new fixed fee payment model

Events after Q4

  • Divestment of the B2C vertical to Betsson Group
  • Introduction of GiG’s next generation data platform, to be sold to existing customers and separately to external customers
  • Extension of contract with a current platform customer with the addition of two new brands on the fixed fee model
  • Revenues in January were 8% higher than the average in Q4 2019

Outlook and guidance

  • GiG will become one of few fully independent of B2C, B2B providers after divestment of the B2C segment which will give the Company dedicated focus on building the B2B business
  • Strategic review continues for its proprietary sportsbook; GiG is actively discussing joint ventures or other constellations with potential partners to release the true asset value of the sportsbook and to secure external long term funding
  • With the divestment of the B2C vertical, full year 2020 revenues are expected in the range of €70 – 75 million, with an EBITDA expected in the range of €14 – 17 million, including, for comparison, B2C as continued operations until completion of the transaction

 

Industry News

Dutch Mental Health Care Calls for Total Ban on Online Gambling Advertising

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The Dutch mental health service is calling for a total ban on online gambling advertisements in the Netherlands.

Although a ban on untargeted gambling advertisements and a ban on the use of role models has been in effect since 2023, a recent research by KRO-NCRV’s Pointer shows that (illegal) gambling companies and sports tipster platforms are still enticing young people via social media such as TikTok and Snapchat.

By using influencers and terms like “free money”, they try to attract a young audience and thus lower the threshold to start gambling. This concerns both legal online casinos and online casinos that do not have a license in the Netherlands. The Gaming Authority has started an investigation based on Pointer’s findings.

Pointer’s research shows that part of the gambling industry deliberately targets young people who are often susceptible to promises such as “fast money” and the influence of role models. Ruth Peetoom, chair of the Dutch mental health service, compares this approach to that of the tobacco industry, where similar marketing strategies were used to get young people to smoke.

Despite the existing advertising ban, gambling companies continue to explore the boundaries of the law, according to Peetoom. The Dutch mental health and addiction care associations in the Netherlands therefore push for a total ban on online gambling advertising and stricter rules for the duty of care of gambling providers.

With the call for a total ban, the Dutch mental health care sector hopes to prevent further normalisation of gambling behaviour among young people and to protect them from the temptation and consequences of online gambling.

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Compliance Updates

UKGC: Market impact data on gambling behaviour – operator data to Oct 2024

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UKGC: Market impact data on gambling behaviour - operator data to Oct 2024
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The Gambling Commission has published further data on the gambling industry in Great Britain.

This data, sourced from operators, reflects the period between March 2020 and September 2024, inclusive, and covers online and in-person gambling covering Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) found on Britain’s high streets.

Comparison should not be made with the industry statistics dataset, as this dataset may include free bets and bonuses and does not include data from all operators.

This release compares Quarter 2 (Q2) of financial year 2024 to 2025, with Q2 of 2023 to 2024, looking at how the market has changed in comparative periods over a year.

The latest operator data shows:

  • online total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in Q2 (July to September) was £1.32 billion, an increase of 11 percent from Q2 the previous year. The overall number of total bets and/or spins increased 12 percent Year-on-Year (YoY), reaching a new peak for the third consecutive quarter of 25.2 billion, whilst the average monthly active accounts2 in the quarter increased 8 percent
  • real event betting GGY increased by 6 percent YoY to £453 million. The number of bets decreased 10 percent, while the average monthly active accounts in Q2 increased 9 percent
  • slots GGY increased 16 percent to £680 million YoY. The number of spins increased 13 percent to 23.3 billion while the average monthly active accounts in Q2 increased 16 percent to 4.4 million per month. Although this is a new peak for GGY in this dataset for the slots vertical, it should be noted that one operator has re-classified some of its products into the slot vertical this quarter, which has had an impact on the vertical data
  • the number of online slots sessions lasting longer than an hour increased by 9 percent YoY to 10 million. The average session length remained at 17 minutes. Approximately 6.1 percent of all sessions lasted more than one hour compared to 6.6 percent in Q2 the previous year. The number of spins per session has fallen from 147 to 142 YOY, whilst the GGY per session has fallen from £4.20 to £4.13 in the equivalent timeframe
  • LBO GGY decreased by 1 percent to £533 million in Q2 2024 to 2025, compared to the same quarter last year, while the number of total bets and spins decreased by 0.1 percent to 3.1 billion.
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Industry News

Petra Maria Poola Joins Xace as Group Commercial Director

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Xace has announced that Petra Maria Poola has joined the company as Group Commercial Director.

Petra brings a wealth of experience from the iGaming industry having formerly held roles at several iGaming companies such as Yolo, Relax Gaming and SiGMA. She will lead the commercial growth of Xace and its group companies, including crypto and iGaming focused xda.io, helping to drive strategic initiatives across banking, fintech and iGaming solutions.

In her new role, she will mainly oversee the growth of the group’s sales, marketing and account management functions, ensuring a cohesive strategy that supports Xace’s ambitious expansion plans.

“I am incredibly excited to start this new chapter with Xace, and work alongside such a talented team and management. Transitioning into the fintech space, while still connected to iGaming, presents an exciting opportunity for growth and learning. I’m looking forward to applying my expertise to help Xace and its group companies achieve new heights commercially, while gaining deeper insights into the fast-evolving world of fintech,” said Petra Maria Poola.

Reuben Abel, CEO of Xace, said: “Petra’s extensive background in the iGaming sector, combined with her commercial acumen, makes her a valuable addition to the Xace team. She will play a crucial role in expanding Xace’s market presence and enhancing its suite of services tailored to the specific needs of the iGaming and fintech industries.”

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