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Newgioco Reports Full Year 2018 Results
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GGR Up 61%; 89% Increase in Handle;
Newgioco Group, Inc., a sports betting and gaming technology company providing regulated online and land-based gaming and wagering through licensed subsidiaries in Italy and Austria, and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, reported its financial and operating results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2018.
Full Year 2018 Financial and Business Highlights
- Revenue of $34.6 million, up 51.2%
- Gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $37.7 million, up 60.8%
- Handle of $413.2 million, up 89.1%
- Income from operations of $427,274, down 83.5% due to $3.1 million in non-recurring expenses including $1.0 million in investments for future growth, $1.6 million relating to legacy activities and items outside the normal course of business and $500,000 for executive compensation forgone in prior years
- Net loss of $3.05 million compared to net income of $1.4 million in 2017
- Adjusted EBITDA of $3.6 million compared to $2.6 million in 2017
- Accelerated roll out in rapidly developing U.S. sports betting market
- Significant progress made in strengthening management team and board of directors
- Conference call scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on March 7, 2019
“Newgioco generated more than $413 million in total handle in 2018, an 89.1% improvement over 2017 volume, demonstrating our continued, strong growth,” commented Michele (Mike) Ciavarella, Newgioco Chief Executive Officer. “Our web-based handle grew 120.9% to $235.9 million, becoming our largest revenue stream. In addition, regulated products like online poker and online casino, continue to grow rapidly, reducing the impact of volatility from our sports betting revenue. As this trend continues, the quarter-to-quarter impact of sports betting on our profitability should decrease, giving us greater visibility and predictability into our quarterly revenues.”
“On the sportsbook side, the fourth quarter, while favorable for bettors, was a challenging one for the industry operators, and December especially so, resulting in abnormally low conversion ratios,” added Mr. Ciavarella. “However, our industry leading risk management capabilities enabled Newgioco to maintain hold ratios which far exceeded industry averages. Looking into 2019, we are expecting our handle exclusively from Italian operations to exceed $500 million. Growth from other geographies, regulated web-based revenue streams and software service fees in the U.S. and other markets are expected to be incremental to this baseline, helping accelerate our overall growth rates as we harvest the investments of the last year.”
“In the second-half of 2018, and especially in the fourth quarter, we increased our investments in anticipation of accelerating near-term growth,” concluded Mr. Ciavarella. “This included investments in our U.S. operation, a more expansive trade show presence and schedule, our expanded sales office in Naples, Italy, and our expanded risk management facility in Teramo, Italy, as well as the addition of six new vice presidents that recently joined Newgioco along with our new Chief Financial Officer. We expect these growth-related investments, which totaled more than $2 million in expenses in 2018, to drive accelerating growth in 2019 and beyond. In addition, we incurred $2.1 million in non-recurring charges, including $1.1 million in non-cash expenses, related to our convertible debentures, $508,000 in non-recurring charges and $500,000 for executive compensation forgone in prior years, which impacted our 2018 profitability.”
“With most of the investments behind us and our ELYS platform now fully developed, we believe we are poised for accelerated growth in 2019,” added Mr. Ciavarella. “We expect to add two to three U.S. tribal and/or non-tribal casinos as SaaS customers by the end of 2019, with a target of approximately 50,000 active U.S. domiciled players. With continued, steady growth in Italy, opportunities to expand in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, and this greenfield opportunity in the U.S., we believe continued revenue growth is achievable and will lead to improved operating margins.”
Full Year 2018 Financial Summary
Revenue
For the full year 2018, revenue was $34.6 million, an increase of $11.7 million or 51.2%, compared to revenue of $22.9 million 2017. The revenue increase was mainly attributable to a significant increase in handle partially offset by a shift in gaming mix.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2018 were $10.0 million compared to $5.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of 78.7%. The increase was primarily due to significant investments in growth of $1 million in technology development, marketing, legal and other professional fees in support of the company’s expansion to the U.S., $1 million related to legacy activities, $609,000 related to items outside the normal course of business and $500,000 for executive compensation that was forgone in prior years.
Direct Selling Costs
Direct selling costs represent the fees paid to the company’s network service provider, license fees and commissions for field agents and promoters and are based on percentage of handle (turnover). For the year ended December 31, 2018 direct selling costs were $24.1 million compared to $14.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of 64.5%. The increase was primarily due to the significant increase in handle.
Interest Expense
Net interest expense was $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, including $2.0 million of Non-cash interest associated with debentures issued in 2018. The increase from $482,000 in 2017 was the result of interest expense incurred on debentures issued in 2018.
Net Income (Loss)
As a result of all of the above, for the year ended December 31, 2018, net loss was $3.0 million, or ($0.04) per diluted share based on a weighted average of 75,887,946 shares outstanding. In comparison, for the year ended December 31, 2017 the company reported net income of $1.4 million, or $0.02 per diluted share based on a fully-diluted weighted average shares outstanding of 75,344,948. Net loss for the period included $1.1 million in costs related to the repayment of convertible notes, and $1 million in investments related to the U.S. launch and product readiness efforts. In addition, the 2018 net loss included $300,000 in reimbursement for the CEO’s relocation to the United States to support the U.S. launch, $308,000 in costs directly related to product readiness and the expansion of offices to support future growth, and $500,000 in compensation catch-up related to executive salary forgone in prior years.
Other Comprehensive Income / (Loss)
For the year ended December 31, 2018 the Company recorded an expense of approximately $831,000 for foreign currency translation adjustment, compared to income of approximately $166,000 for foreign currency translation adjustment for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Adjusted EBITDA
Excluding the $3.1 million in charges described above, adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $3.6 million compared to $2.6 million for the full year 2017. A reconciliation from Comprehensive Income (Loss), as shown in the company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss), to Adjusted EBITDA is included in the tables of this press release.
Balance Sheet Summary
The Company had $6.3 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2018 compared to $6.5 million as of December 31, 2017. The Company also increased its Restricted Cash by approximately $1 million from $588,000 to $1.6 million.
Total debt outstanding was $5.4 million as of December 31, 2018 compared to $2.2 million as of December 31, 2017.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure – Adjusted EBITDA
This news release includes information on Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined by SEC Regulation G.
Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA, when viewed with our results under GAAP and the accompanying reconciliations, provides useful information about our period-over-period growth. Adjusted EBITDA is presented because management believes it provides additional information with respect to the performance of our fundamental business activities and is also frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of comparable companies. We also rely on Adjusted EBITDA as a primary measure to review and assess the operating performance of our Company and our management team.
Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. We calculate adjusted EBITDA by taking comprehensive income (loss) and adding back the expenses related to foreign currency translation adjustment, total other expenses(loss), income taxes, product readiness and U.S market launch and adjustment for salary figures in prior years. Investors are cautioned that there are material limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures as an analytical tool. In addition, these measures may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies, limiting their usefulness for comparison purposes. We compensate for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from these non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as a substitute for comprehensive income (loss) (as determined in accordance with GAAP) for the purpose of analyzing our operating performance or financial position, as Adjusted EBITDA is not defined by GAAP. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to comprehensive income (loss) is provided in the tables at the end of this press release.
Conference Call Information
The Company will host a conference call with investors and interested parties to review the results today at 4:30 p.m. ET. To access the conference call dial:
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• United States: |
1-877-407-0792 |
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• Toll-free: |
1-201-689-8263 |
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Reference confirmation code: 13688357 |
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A replay will be available until March 21, 2019 which can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921 if calling within the United States or 1-412-317-6671 if calling internationally. Please use passcode 13688357 to access the replay.
The call will also be accompanied live by webcast over the Internet and accessible at http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=133543.
About Newgioco Group, Inc.
Newgioco Group, Inc., headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is a vertically-integrated leisure gaming technology company, with fully licensed online and land-based gaming operations and innovative betting technology platforms that provide bet processing for casinos and other gaming operators. The Company conducts its business under the registered brand Newgioco primarily through its internet-based betting distribution network on its website, www.newgioco.it as well as retail neighborhood betting shops situated throughout Italy.
The Company offers its clients a full suite of leisure gaming products and services, such as sports betting, virtual sports, online casino, poker, bingo, interactive games and slots. Newgioco also owns and operates innovative betting platform software providing both B2B and B2C bet processing for casinos, sports betting and other online and land-based gaming operators. Additional information including information about EBITDA presentation is available on our corporate website at www.newgiocogroup.com and will remain on our website indefinitely as we will continue to present values for EBITDA.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are identified by the use of the words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “continue,” “predict,” “potential,” “project” and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements and includes statements such as the quarter-to-quarter impact of sports betting on our profitability decreasing, our handle exclusively from Italian operations exceeding $500 million with industry leading conversion ratios, growth-related investments driving accelerating growth in 2019 and beyond, being poised for accelerated growth in 2019, adding two to three U.S. tribal and/or non-tribal casinos as SaaS customers by the end of 2019, and achieving revenue growth of 25% to 35%, with operating margins in the 10 to 15% range . These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include our ability to decrease the quarter-to-quarter impact of sports betting on our profitability, our ability to generate a handle exclusively from Italian operations exceeding $500 million with industry leading conversion ratios, our ability to implement growth-related investments to drive accelerating growth in 2019 and beyond, our ability to achieve accelerated growth in 2019, our ability to add two to three U.S. tribal and/or non-tribal casinos as SaaS customers by the end of 2019, our ability to achieve revenue growth of 25% to 35%, with operating margins in the 10 to 15% range, and the risk factors described in Newgioco’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.
— Tables Follow –
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NEWGIOCO GROUP, INC. |
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December 31, 2018 |
December 31, 2017 |
|||||||
|
Current Assets |
||||||||
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
6,289,903 |
$ |
6,469,858 |
||||
|
Accounts receivable |
10,082 |
116,489 |
||||||
|
Gaming accounts receivable |
1,021,052 |
1,163,831 |
||||||
|
Prepaid expenses |
124,712 |
87,692 |
||||||
|
Related party receivable |
49,914 |
— |
||||||
|
Other current assets |
55,700 |
12,543 |
||||||
|
Total Current Assets |
7,551,363 |
7,850,413 |
||||||
|
Noncurrent Assets |
||||||||
|
Restricted cash |
1,560,539 |
587,905 |
||||||
|
Property, plant and equipment |
354,799 |
280,111 |
||||||
|
Intangible assets |
12,583,457 |
3,245,748 |
||||||
|
Goodwill |
262,552 |
260,318 |
||||||
|
Investment in non-consolidated entities |
275,000 |
1 |
||||||
|
Total Noncurrent Assets |
15,036,347 |
4,374,083 |
||||||
|
Total Assets |
$ |
22,587,710 |
$ |
12,224,496 |
||||
|
Current Liabilities |
||||||||
|
Line of credit – bank |
$ |
750,000 |
$ |
177,060 |
||||
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
4,603,608 |
1,606,560 |
||||||
|
Gaming accounts balances |
1,049,423 |
1,274,856 |
||||||
|
Taxes payable |
1,056,430 |
1,555,371 |
||||||
|
Advances from stockholders |
39,237 |
547,809 |
||||||
|
Liability in connection with acquisition |
— |
142,245 |
||||||
|
Debentures, net of discount |
3,942,523 |
1,148,107 |
||||||
|
Derivative liability |
— |
222,915 |
||||||
|
Promissory notes payable – other |
— |
100,749 |
||||||
|
Promissory notes payable – related party |
318,078 |
318,078 |
||||||
|
Bank loan payable – current portion |
120,920 |
121,208 |
||||||
|
Total Current Liabilities |
11,880,219 |
7,214,958 |
||||||
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Bank loan payable |
225,131 |
362,808 |
||||||
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Other long-term liabilities |
608,728 |
532,680 |
||||||
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Total Liabilities |
12,714,078 |
8,110,446 |
||||||
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Stockholders’ Equity |
||||||||
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Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized, none issued |
— |
— |
||||||
|
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value, 160,000,000 shares authorized; 75,540,298 |
7,555 |
7,415 |
||||||
|
Additional paid-in capital |
23,956,309 |
14,254,582 |
||||||
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Accumulated other comprehensive income |
(1,081,338) |
(250,327) |
||||||
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Accumulated deficit |
(13,008,894) |
(9,897,620) |
||||||
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Total Stockholders’ Equity |
9,873,632 |
4,114,050 |
||||||
|
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
$ |
22,587,710 |
$ |
12,224,496 |
||||
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NEWGIOCO GROUP, INC. |
||||||||
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For the year ended December 31, |
||||||||
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2018 |
2017 |
|||||||
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Revenue |
$ |
34,575,097 |
$ |
22,865,146 |
||||
|
Costs and Expenses |
||||||||
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Selling expenses |
24,142,110 |
14,672,099 |
||||||
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General and administrative expenses |
10,005,713 |
5,597,881 |
||||||
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Total Costs and Expenses |
34,147,823 |
20,269,980 |
||||||
|
Income (Loss) from Operations |
427,274 |
2,595,166 |
||||||
|
Other Expenses (Income) |
||||||||
|
Interest expense, net of interest income |
2,614,837 |
482,367 |
||||||
|
Changes in fair value of derivative liabilities |
— |
(257,231) |
||||||
|
Imputed interest on related party advances |
761 |
24,365 |
||||||
|
Gain on litigation settlement |
(516,120) |
— |
||||||
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Loss on issuance of debt |
196,403 |
— |
||||||
|
Impairment on investment |
— |
6,855 |
||||||
|
Other Expense |
75,000 |
— |
||||||
|
Total Other Expenses (Income) |
2,370,881 |
256,356 |
||||||
|
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes |
(1,943,607) |
2,338,810 |
||||||
|
Income tax provision |
1,102,701 |
972,924 |
||||||
|
Net Income (Loss) |
$ |
(3,046,308) |
$ |
1,365,886 |
||||
|
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) |
||||||||
|
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
(831,011) |
166,304 |
||||||
|
Comprehensive Income (Loss) |
$ |
(3,877,319) |
$ |
1,532,190 |
||||
|
Income (loss) per common share – basic |
(0.04) |
0.02 |
||||||
|
Income (loss) per common share – diluted |
(0.04) |
0.02 |
||||||
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding – basic |
75,887,946 |
74,032,631 |
||||||
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding – diluted |
75,887,946 |
75,344,948 |
||||||
|
NEWGIOCO GROUP, INC. |
||||||||
|
For the years ended December 31, |
||||||||
|
Cash Flows from Operating Activities |
2018 |
2017 |
||||||
|
Net income (loss) |
$ |
(3,046,308) |
$ |
1,365,886 |
||||
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by |
||||||||
|
Depreciation and amortization |
488,464 |
601,266 |
||||||
|
Amortization of deferred costs |
58,188 |
100,329 |
||||||
|
Non-cash interest |
1,995,128 |
205,216 |
||||||
|
Loss on issuance of debt |
196,403 |
— |
||||||
|
Imputed interest on advances from stockholders |
1,514 |
24,365 |
||||||
|
Changes in fair value of derivative liabilities |
— |
(257,231) |
||||||
|
Unrealized loss on trading securities |
75,000 |
— |
||||||
|
Impairment (recovery) of assets |
(518,354) |
6,855 |
||||||
|
Stock issued for services |
— |
23,250 |
||||||
|
Bad debt expense |
6,354 |
135,953 |
||||||
|
Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities |
||||||||
|
Prepaid expenses |
(95,209) |
(85,301) |
||||||
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
3,062,422 |
482,904 |
||||||
|
Accounts receivable |
100,053 |
(91,603) |
||||||
|
Gaming accounts receivable |
142,779 |
(654,287) |
||||||
|
Gaming accounts liabilities |
(225,433) |
435,771 |
||||||
|
Taxes payable |
(498,941) |
903,187 |
||||||
|
Other current assets |
(43,157) |
(2,304) |
||||||
|
Customer deposits |
— |
138,359 |
||||||
|
Long term liability |
76,048 |
26,059 |
||||||
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities |
1,774,952 |
3,358,674 |
||||||
|
Cash Flows from Investing Activities |
||||||||
|
Acquisition of property, plant, and equipment, and intangible assets |
(4,455,099) |
(180,722) |
||||||
|
Increase in restricted cash |
(972,634) |
(45,142) |
||||||
|
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities |
(5,427,733) |
(225,864) |
||||||
|
Cash Flows from Financing Activities |
||||||||
|
Proceeds from (repayment of) bank credit line, net |
750,000 |
165,925 |
||||||
|
Proceeds from (repayment of) bank loan |
(137,965) |
(109,104) |
||||||
|
Repayment of bank credit line |
(177,060) |
— |
||||||
|
Proceeds from debentures and convertible notes, net of repayment |
6,883,906 |
591,202 |
||||||
|
Advance to related party |
(49,914) |
|||||||
|
Purchase of treasury stock |
(2,261,307) |
— |
||||||
|
Advances from stockholders, net of repayment |
(508,572) |
(77,398) |
||||||
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities |
4,499,088 |
570,625 |
||||||
|
Effect of change in exchange rate |
(1,026,262) |
536,001 |
||||||
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash |
(179,955) |
4,239,436 |
||||||
|
Cash – beginning of the period |
6,469,858 |
2,230,422 |
||||||
|
Cash – end of the period |
$ |
6,289,903 |
$ |
6,469,858 |
||||
|
NEWGIOCO GROUP, INC. |
||||||||
|
(in thousands) |
For the year ended December 31, |
|||||||
|
2018 |
2017 |
|||||||
|
Comprehensive Income (Loss) |
$ |
(3,877,319) |
$ |
1,532,190 |
||||
|
Total Other Expenses (Income) |
2,370,881 |
256,356 |
||||||
|
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
831,011 |
(166,304) |
||||||
|
Income tax provision |
1,102,701 |
972,924 |
||||||
|
EBITDA |
427,274 |
2,595,166 |
||||||
|
Product Readiness and U.S. Market Launch |
1,019,500 |
— |
||||||
|
Items Relating to Legacy Activities |
1,000,000 |
— |
||||||
|
Items Outside the Normal Course of Business |
608,600 |
— |
||||||
|
Adjustment for salary forgone in prior years |
500,000 |
— |
||||||
|
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ |
3,555,374 |
$ |
2,595,166 |
||||
SOURCE Newgioco Group, Inc.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Newgioco Reports Full Year 2018 Results
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As highlighted in EvenBet’s iGaming Future 2026 report, streaming has become a key growth channel for iGaming brands. YouTube anchors long-form storytelling – developer insights, product demos, and CEO interviews that build credibility. According to the EvenBet Gaming Social Media Report, YouTube accounts for 14% in Europe and 15% in Asia, showing near-equal relevance across regions and reinforcing its universal value for both markets.
Twitch, mentioned in iGaming Future 2026 alongside YouTube Live and Kick, plays a pivotal role in real-time engagement – driving live gameplay, poker tournaments, and influencer collaborations that enhance transparency and community connection. While no percentage data is provided for Twitch, the report emphasizes streaming as a natural fit for gambling content and audience interaction.
Together, these platforms turn audiences into participants – transforming content from promotion into experience.
TikTok & Instagram – Short, Raw, and Honest
Authenticity wins here. These platforms thrive on short-form, story-driven content that prioritizes emotion over polish. According to the EvenBet Gaming Social Media Report (p. 58), Instagram ranks second in both regions – 22% in Europe and 20% in Asia – while TikTok shows stronger traction in Asia (9%) than in Europe (5%), underscoring its growing influence among younger, mobile-first audiences.
Behind-the-scenes clips, quick tips, and relatable humor consistently outperform corporate messaging. Interactive ad formats like reels and hashtag challenges help iGaming brands spark viral loops, amplify influencer reach, and turn curiosity into action.
In a mobile-first world, these platforms don’t just advertise – they convert. The brands that master them know one truth: social is the marketplace, the focus group, and the loyalty engine all at once.
Customer Access and Personalization
Today’s players expect the brand to recognize them before signing in. The data backs it up: operators using personalized onboarding see up to 37% higher retention. Hybrid campaigns – connecting online and live play – are rising fast. A push notification might lead to an app bonus, unlocking a live event seat. That seamless loop is where loyalty lives. For iGaming operators, personalization now stretches far beyond “Hello, [Name]”:
- Behavioral segmentation uses AI to analyze time-of-day habits, game preferences, and betting velocity – letting brands tailor every interaction, from welcome bonuses to tournament invites;
- Cross-channel identity mapping ensures players get a consistent experience across web, app, email, and live venues – no duplicate offers, no irrelevant messages;
- Progressive profiling builds player personas gradually through engagement, balancing data collection with trust. This creates a 360° view without overwhelming the user with long forms;
- Experience-based incentives are replacing static bonuses. For example, completing a “10-hand challenge” online could unlock real-world prizes or exclusive event tickets.
What Next?
As highlighted in EvenBet’s iGaming Future 2026 report, the next phase of iGaming marketing – especially in B2B – is built on access, insight, and shared growth. Partners no longer want to be sold to; they want to collaborate, learn, and co-create. Loyalty now comes from ecosystems of mutual value, not discounts or outreach volume. Next-gen B2B engagement revolves around:
- Micro-communities on Slack, Discord, or LinkedIn – invite-only spaces where suppliers, affiliates, and operators exchange insights and form strategic alliances;
- Account-based marketing (ABM) powered by AI – integrating CRM and social data to tailor outreach, improving conversion rates by up to 50%;
- Virtual demos and co-branded webinars – frictionless entry points for collaboration that combine live interaction with analytics-driven follow-up;
- Shared data dashboards – transparency as the new trust currency, providing partners with real-time access to KPIs and campaign metrics.
In both B2C and B2B, the rule holds: the closer you get to your audience or partner, the harder it is for them to leave.
Innovation: Beyond Buzzwords
Gamification has become the universal language of engagement – missions, badges, leaderboards, loyalty loops. AI adds the adaptive layer; players evolve in real time. This same logic applies in marketing: adaptive storytelling that shifts with user behavior. The future? Predictive personalization. The line between “targeting” and “understanding” is getting thinner, and the best marketers are crossing it first. The new generation of gamified marketing goes beyond points and badges – it builds ecosystems of continuous engagement:
| Category | Tool / Mechanism | Description & Benefits |
| B2C (Players) | Dynamic Missions | AI-driven missions that adapt to player behavior in real time – e.g., switching from “daily spins” to “multi-table hands” based on user habits. Keeps engagement personal and relevant. |
| Reward Tiers & Progression Paths | Data-driven systems that reward consistency, not just spend. Players advance through experience-based milestones, improving long-term retention. | |
| Social Competition | Leaderboards, team missions, and community milestones create peer motivation. Increases engagement by up to 40% vs. solo play. | |
| Narrative Gamification | Marketing campaigns unfold as storylines – every message or promo feels like a new chapter in the player’s journey. Builds emotional attachment. | |
| AR & VR Integration | Combines real-world activity (QR scans, event participation) with digital rewards, creating immersive cross-channel brand experiences. | |
| Predictive Personalization | AI anticipates player mood and intent, adapting visuals, tone, and offers before behavior shifts. Moves from reactive to proactive marketing. | |
| B2B (Partners) | Partner Scoreboards | Tracks campaign performance – traffic, conversion, retention. Encourages friendly competition and higher partner productivity. |
| Gamified Learning Platforms | Turns product training and onboarding into missions, quizzes, and leaderboards. Boosts learning retention and team motivation. | |
| Incentive Ecosystems | Partners earn tiered rewards – access to beta tools, co-marketing funds, or exclusive insights – based on measurable performance metrics. | |
| Community Challenges | Affiliates or resellers compete in group KPIs (e.g., “Top Q3 Converters”). Builds engagement and shared achievement culture. | |
| AI Engagement Analytics | AI monitors partner engagement levels, offering personalized feedback, goal suggestions, and reward triggers automatically. |
Ultimately, gamification in iGaming marketing has shifted from “adding fun” to engineering motivation. It’s about designing systems where engagement becomes the most natural move. When rewards, progress, and storytelling align seamlessly with user behavior, participation stops feeling like marketing and starts feeling like entertainment. The brands that master this balance turn every interaction into a self-sustaining loop of curiosity, reward, and loyalty – where players don’t just play the game, they live inside it.
Final Hand
In 2025, iGaming marketing is a blend of human intuition and machine precision. The era of mass messaging is over – success now means balancing data with emotion and automation with authenticity. In B2B, growth comes from trust, transparency, and measurable ROI rather than lead volume. In B2C, players expect instant personalization, dynamic engagement, and brands that speak their language – making AI-driven personalization and social-first storytelling essentials, not extras.
The strongest brands will merge both worlds, using AI to amplify empathy and data to sharpen creativity. In a market flooded with content, relevance is survival – and trust is the true currency of differentiation.
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This Halloween season, GR8 Tech dares the iGaming world to face its darkest fears. The company has launched an interactive campaign titled “What Scares Operators Most?”, inviting operators to explore the challenges that haunt their daily operations—and to discover how the right solution can turn those fears into fuel for growth.
The mysterious, immersive journey highlights iGaming’s most chilling pain points, and each revealed fear leads to actionable insights and practical solutions, guiding operators toward the tools and strategies that keep their businesses bulletproof, no matter what monsters lurk in the data.
“Fear is a powerful teacher,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “Every operator faces moments that test their systems and their strategy. Our Halloween campaign acknowledges those fears and shows that with the right partner, they’re entirely conquerable.”
On the GR8 Tech website, visitors can flip cards, uncover their personalized iGaming “fear,” access GR8 Tech’s expert take on how to overcome it, and view materials that discuss the problem in more detail. They can also share their results or book a meeting to discuss real-world solutions.
Operators brave enough to fight their fears are encouraged to continue the conversation in person at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, Booth 5028. Because in the world of iGaming, even the scariest nightmares can turn into winning stories.
The post GR8 Tech Challenges Operators to Face Their Fears This Halloween appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
Relax Gaming is opening the hatch to Frank’s Diner, an apocalyptic slot where Split Symbols, reel multipliers, and Gold Wild re-spins deliver the potential for sizzling wins. Split Symbols take centre stage, with two or three identical single symbols landing on the same reel, forming double or triple stacks that immediately multiply the number of ways to win.
BC.GAME has released Tim & Larry, a new in-house developed slot combining traditional video slot mechanics with a cartoon-inspired theme centered around a kitchen standoff between a cat and a mouse. The game features high volatility, a theoretical RTP of 96.91%, and a capped maximum payout of 15,000× the base bet.
Inspired Entertainment, Inc., is excited to announce the launch of Werewolf It Up! featuring Cash Bank and Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. Packed with captivating visuals and engaging gameplay, this online and mobile slot duo is designed to deliver strong results for operators and offers the best in iGaming entertainment for players.
TaDa Gaming invites players to spin for royal rewards in Crown of Fortune, a vibrant 5×3 slot featuring expanding Wilds, locking respins and dazzling payout potential of up to 1000x the bet. Blending nostalgic fruit slot charm with polished, modern mechanics, Crown of Fortune captures the timeless allure of classic gameplay—enhanced by Wild-driven action.
SlotMatrix has launched its latest exclusive title, Aphrodite’s Fortune, an enchanting slot that invites players into the goddess’s golden garden of love and wealth. Set among the clouds of Mount Olympus, Aphrodite’s Fortune celebrates beauty, fortune, and celestial power in a stunning 10,000-ways-to-win format.
Have you got what it takes to take on the Prize Ladder and come out on top? That’s the question players must answer before taking on the latest classic slot title from in-demand content house, Northern Lights Gaming. Bright lights and big wins are the order of the day in Prize Ladder, a game-show style blockbuster that promises twists and turns from the very first game round to the last.
Gaming Corps is preparing to enchant players this October with the launch of its latest slot, 3 Pots of Potions. Arriving just ahead of Halloween, the high-volatility release combines imaginative design with feature-rich gameplay and the potential to conjure wins of up to 10,000x the stake.
Get ready for a spine-tingling splash with Fish Tales: Halloween from Booming Games! This spooky twist on the beloved Fish Tales: Monster Bass takes you to a haunted underwater world where ghoulish fish and creepy cash prizes await. The beloved spook-tacular mechanics remain intact, but with an eerie makeover—fog-drenched waters, zombified fish, and a fang-tastic new design.
Evoplay has released Young Buffalo Coins, the second instalment in its popular Young Buffalo series. Following the success of the original title, the new game takes players back to the wild prairies for another action-packed adventure, combining fast-paced gameplay, sticky coins, and big jackpot opportunities.
Online casino operators can give their players the fright of their lives with Midnight Queen, the latest slot launch from in-demand iGaming content provider, ICONIC21. Midnight Queen is a Vampire-themed slot that’s perfect for entertaining players during the Halloween season and beyond.
TaDa Gaming has returned to the savannah with intriguing new release Golden Explorer. A rich trove of multiplier gemstones sparkling with additional random multiplier bonuses can burst on to the screen, enhancing the win potential and delivering vivid and exciting gameplay for 96.99% and a max win of 30,000x.
To celebrate the launch of Reactoonz 100, Play’n GO’s iconic slot character Garga reached a max altitude of 37,753 metres (117,300 ft) in a two-hour flight to set a world record and become the first slot character ever in space. Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced that one of the most iconic characters in slots, Garga, has set a world record by becoming the first slot character in space.
Tom Horn Gaming is expanding its portfolio with the release of 243 Zeus Fruits, a slot that combines two proven player favourites – fruit slots and Greek mythology. The game delivers short feature cycles, multipliers, and higher stakes through the supplier’s QuickX mechanic.
Amusnet invites players into a realm of mystery and midnight thrills with Vampire Dice, its latest Online Casino portfolio addition. This captivating dice-themed game combines gothic elegance, thrilling features and an immersive atmosphere where every roll reveals secrets of the night.
SlotMatrix has embraced the Halloween spirit with its latest exclusive release, Ghost Pigger. Combining high energy rhythm and rewarding gameplay in a disco-fuelled haunted house, Ghost Pigger makes for a truly unique slot experience. The 96.09% RTP, medium volatility, and maximum win potential of up to 13,712x keep the players engaged.
The post Week 43/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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