Industry News
bet-at-home.com AG: Group figures for the first quarter of 2020
Group figures for the first quarter of 2020 (01.01. to 31.03.2020):
- Gross betting and gaming revenue at EUR 32.2 million
- EBITDA in the first quarter of 2020 at EUR 9.0 million
- Cash and short-term time deposits at EUR 55.3 million
Revenue development in Q1 2020
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the immediate stop in European sports in mid-March 2020 led to a drop in sales in the online sports betting segment, although above all the short-term expansion of eSports as well as sport events in “more exotic” leagues, contributed to keep up the betting offer within the bet-at-home.com AG Group. The online gaming segment remained nearly unaffected by any protective measures due to the purely virtual variety of entertainment offers and was responsible for 57.6% of gross betting and gaming revenue in the first quarter of 2020.
Overall, gross betting and gaming revenue in the first quarter of 2020 was EUR 32.2 million, 13.4% below the previous year’s figure (Q1 2019: EUR 37.2 million). The decline in gross betting and gaming revenue is mainly due to the loss of essential parts of the Swiss market and the significant decline in the Polish market.
The betting and gaming volume in the bet-at-home.com AG Group totaled EUR 677.8 million in this period (Q1 2019: EUR 827.3 million).
Betting fees and gaming levies were at EUR 5.6 million in the first quarter of 2020 (Q1 2019: EUR 5.3 million). In the same period, VAT on electronic services had a negative impact on earnings of EUR 1.1 million (Q1 2019: EUR 0.9 million).
Accordingly, the net betting and gaming revenue amounted to EUR 25.5 million in the first quarter of 2020 (Q1 2019: EUR 31.1 million).
Brand awareness increased despite the lack of sport events and postponement of Euro 2020
According to the absence of numerous sporting events from mid-March 2020, fewer bonus offers were taken up by our customers. Therefore the total marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2020 were EUR 6.6 million and thus below the comparative value of the previous year (Q1 2019: EUR 8.2 million).
With regard to the European Football Championship, which was originally scheduled for 2020, bet-at-home was able to immediately adjust its marketing strategy to the postponement by one year, so that no significant marketing agreements with a focus on the planned major event were concluded in the reporting period and beyond. As a consequence, bet-at-home will set its marketing focus on the second quarter of 2021.
As at 31 March 2020, the bet-at-home.com AG Group had 5.3 million registered customers (31.03.2019: 5.1 million).
Earnings development in the first quarter of 2020
In the first quarter of 2020, EBITDA amounted to EUR 9.0 million and was therefore below the very strong prior-year period (Q1 2019: EUR 12.7 million), but could outperform the previous quarter (Q4 2019: EUR 8.2 million). Earnings before taxes (EBT) were at EUR 8.5 million (Q1 2019: EUR 12.2 million).
Stable asset and capital structure
As a result of the contribution to earnings made in the current reporting period, Group equity increased to EUR 47.5 million as of 31 March 2020 (31.12.2019: EUR 41.6 million), resulting in a consolidated equity ratio of 48.9% (31.12.2019: 43.7%).
The bet-at-home.com AG Group also held liquid assets and short-term time deposits in the amount of EUR 55.3 million as of 31 March 2020 (31.12.2019: EUR 54.8 million).
Outlook for the fiscal year 2020
From the current perspective, the Management Board still expects a gross betting and gaming revenue between EUR 120 million and EUR 132 million in the financial year 2020. The decline in gross betting and gaming revenue compared to the financial year 2019 is attributable to the loss of essential parts of the Swiss market and the significant decline in the Polish market. A potential decline in revenues due to regulatory changes in Germany can currently not be estimated and is therefore not considered.
Furthermore, the Management Board still expects EBITDA to amount between EUR 23 million and EUR 27 million for the financial year 2020.
About bet-at-home:
The bet-at-home.com AG Group is active in the domain of online gaming and online sports betting. With 5.3 million registered customers, the company (which is listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange) represents, together with its subsidiaries, one of Europe’s most successful online betting and online gaming providers. The varied options offered on www.bet-at-home.com include sports betting, poker, casino, games and virtual sports. bet-at-home has companies in Germany, Austria, Malta and Gibraltar. The successful development of the company can be attributed to its 292 employees as at 31 March 2020. The Group holds various licenses via its Maltese companies for online sports betting and gaming. The licenses allow the company to organize and market online sports betting and online casinos. Since 2009, bet-at-home.com AG has been a part of the Betclic Everest SAS Group, which is a leading French Group in the domain of online gaming and sports betting.
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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