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Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Announces 2018 Fourth Quarter And Full Year Results

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Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Announces 2018 Fourth Quarter And Full Year ResultsReading Time: 13 minutes

 

Q4 REVENUE INCREASED 11.9% YEAR-OVER-YEAR

 

Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2018.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2018 Highlights

  • Net revenues for the fourth quarter and full year 2018 were $111.4 million and $437.5 million, respectively.
  • Gross gaming revenues for the fourth quarter and full year 2018 were $183.5 million and $716.9 million, respectively. See reconciliation of this and other non-GAAP metics in the tables below.
  • Fourth quarter and full year 2018 net income was $22.1 million and $71.4 million, respectively.
  • Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter and full year 2018 were $37.0 million and $165.7 million, respectively.
  • Tiverton Casino Hotel (“Tiverton“) and the new hotel at Twin River Casino Hotel (“Twin River”) opened.
  • The merger with Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. (“Dover Downs”) is expected to close in March 2019.

“We are pleased with the progress we made on our strategic initiatives in 2018. This past year was transformational for us, with the successful launch of our newest property, Tiverton, the successful opening and ramp of our new hotel at Twin River, the introduction of sports betting across our casino properties and the Dover Downs merger and related launch of TRWH as an NYSE-listed company.  I am proud of our team’s focus and dedication to these initiatives without losing sight of our customers,” said George Papanier, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are on track to close the Dover transaction this month, and our teams are hard at work planning for the integration to capture the synergies and strategic benefits of this combination for our combined shareholders.”

Summary of Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Results





Quarter Ended December 31,









Year Ended December 31,





Amounts in $000’s 



2018



2017



Change





2018



2017



Change





























Net revenue



$

111,422



$

99,554



11.9%





$

437,537



$

421,053



3.9%

Income from operations



34,697



27,990



24.0%





120,649



123,723



-2.5%

Income from operations margin



31.14%



28.12%









27.57%



29.38%





Net income



22,130



19,154



15.5%





71,438



62,247



14.8%

Net income margin 



19.86%



19.24%









16.33%



14.78%





Adjusted EBITDA



36,980



38,535



-4.0%





165,697



166,772



-0.6%

Adjusted EBITDA Margin



33.19%



38.71%









37.87%



39.61%





2018 Fourth Quarter Results

Net revenues for the fourth quarter increased 11.9% to $111.4 million from $99.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. Net revenue increases were the result of the opening of Tiverton and the hotel at Twin River in September and October, respectively. Gaming revenues increased $8.5 million, or 11.3%, hotel revenues increased $1.6 million, or 38.2%, and food & beverage revenues increased $1.5 million, or 14.0%, each compared to the same period in the prior year.

Income from operations in the fourth quarter increased $6.7 million, or 24.0%, year-over-year to $34.7 million.  This improvement can be attributed to operating income generated by the increased revenue and a $3.7 million decrease in advertising, general and administrative expenses (“AG&A”). The decrease in AG&A was primarily driven by a $12.8 million decrease reflecting reductions in share-based compensation expense,  partially offset by merger and going public expenses and normal volume-related increases.

Net income for the fourth quarter increased by $3.0 million, or 15.5%, to $22.1 million due primarily to increased income from operations, partially offset by $1.8 million of increased interest expense and an increase in the effective tax rate from 17.2% to 20.9%.

Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $37.0 million, a decrease of $1.6 million, or (4.0%), from $38.5 million in the fourth quarter last year driven by increased corporate administrative expenses.

2018 Full Year Results

Net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018 increased 3.9% to $437.5 million, from $421.1 million in the same period in 2017. This increase was primarily attributable to increases in gaming and racing revenue and non-gaming revenue attributable to the opening of Tiverton on September 1, 2018, partially offset by a decrease of $5.3 million from closing Newport Grand on August 28, 2018.  The increase in non-gaming revenue can also be attributed opening the Twin River hotel and, to a lesser extent, due to increases in merchandise, cash services and entertainment revenue.

Total operating costs and expenses for the full year 2018 increased $19.6 million to $316.9 million from $297.3 million for 2017. This increase resulted in income from operations of $120.6 million, which represented a decrease of 2.5% compared to 2017. The year-over-year increase in costs and expenses can be attributed to $6.6 million of costs related to the Dover Downs merger and public company costs, a disposal loss of $6.5 million in connection with the sale of the Newport Grand land and building, a $3.7 million charge incurred associated with a pension plan withdrawal liability, an increase of $2.5 million in expansion and pre-opening costs primarily associated with Tiverton and increased marketing expense to support the opening of Tiverton and the Twin River hotel, partially offset by a $19.3 million reduction in the amount of share-based compensation expense.

Net income for 2018 was $71.4 million, an increase of 14.8% from $62.2 million in 2017. Contributing to the net income increase year-over-year was a reduction in the effective tax rate from 38.4% to 27.0% as a result of federal tax reform.

Adjusted EBITDA for the full year of $165.7 million was essentially the same as 2017.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

TRWH had $77.6 million in cash and cash equivalents, excluding restricted cash, at December 31, 2018. Outstanding indebtedness at December 31, 2018 totaled $394.2 million including $55.0 million outstanding on the Company’s revolving credit facility.  The Company’s leverage remained relatively consistent at approximately 2.4x compared to the prior year. Capital expenditures for Tiverton and Twin River hotel in 2018 totaled approximately $117 million.

Following the Dover Downs merger, the Company plans to consider a potential tender for a portion of its outstanding common stock or another transaction to provide a return of capital to shareholders.  The amount, timing and terms of any such transaction, if any, will be determined at that time and be based upon prevailing market conditions, the Company’s financial condition and prospects and other factors, including conditions in the bank, credit and debt capital markets.

Reconciliation of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP measures

To supplement the financial information presented on a generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) basis, the Company has included in this earnings release non-GAAP financial measures for Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, gross gaming revenue and leverage. The non-GAAP measure Adjusted EBITDA excludes depreciation, amortization,  interest expense and income, net, income taxes,  merger and going public expenses, loss associated with Newport Grand land and building disposal, acquisition-related costs associated with announced planned acquisitions in Colorado, pension withdrawal expense, pension audit payment, shared-based compensation expense, non-recurring litigation expenses, legal and financial expenses for strategic review, non-recurring expansion and pre-opening expenses, storm-related repairs, and credit agreement amendment expenses. Adjusted EBITDA margin is Adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenue. Gross gaming revenue is is net gaming revenue inclusive of the State of Rhode Island’s share of net terminal income, tables games revenue and other gaming revenue. Leverage  is calculated as outstanding debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA as defined above.

The reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their comparable GAAP financial measures are presented in the tables appearing below. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for any measure prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that presenting non-GAAP financial measures aids in making period-to-period comparisons and is a meaningful indication of its actual and estimated operating performance. The Company’s management utilizes and plans to utilize this non-GAAP financial information to compare the Company’s operating performance to comparable periods and to internally prepared projections. The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures may not be the same as or comparable to similar non-GAAP measures presented by other companies.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year Conference Call

The Company’s fourth quarter and full year 2018 earnings conference call and audio webcast will be held today, Tuesday March 19, 2019 at 5:00 PM EDT. To access the conference call, please dial (877) 791-0146 (U.S. toll-free) and reference conference ID number 1562667. The webcast of the call will be available to the public, on a listen-only basis, via the Internet at the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.twinriverwwholdings.com.  An online archive of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website for 120 days.

About Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc.

Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc., owns and manages two casinos in Rhode Island and one in Mississippi, as well as a Colorado horse race track that possesses 13 OTB licenses. Properties include Twin River Casino Hotel (Lincoln, RI), Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi, MS), Tiverton Casino Hotel (Tiverton, RI) and Arapahoe Park (Aurora, CO). TRWH’s expertise spans various casino markets, including regional, destination & resort environments. Its casinos range in size from 1,000 slots and 32 table games facilities to properties with 4,200 slots and 123 table games, along with hotel and resort amenities.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed Dover Downs transaction, Twin River filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-228973) with the SEC that includes a combined proxy statement/prospectus. The registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on February 8, 2019, and a definitive proxy statement/prospectus was sent to each Dover Downs stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting in connection with the proposed transaction beginning on February 13, 2019. This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement, registration statement, prospectus or other documents Dover Downs and/or Twin River may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed Dover Downs transaction. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE DOCUMENTS, ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY DOVER DOWNS OR TWIN RIVER WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED DOVER DOWNS TRANSACTION BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors are able to obtain free copies of these materials and other documents filed with the SEC by Dover Downs and/or Twin River through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors are also able to obtain free copies of the documents filed by Dover Downs and/or Twin River with the SEC from the respective companies by directing a written request to Dover Downs at Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., 1131 North DuPont Highway, Dover, Delaware 19901 or by calling (302) 857-3292, or contact Twin River at Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc., 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI 02865 or by calling (401)-475-8474.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and not intended to and does not constitute an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell or an invitation to subscribe for, buy or sell any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to, or in connection with, the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor will there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

Participants in the Solicitation

This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any investor. Dover Downs, its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders of Dover Downs in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are set forth in the relevant materials filed with the SEC. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Dover Downs is contained in Dover Downs’ definitive proxy statement in respect of the Dover Downs transaction, its proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2018, its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018, its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, which was filed with the SEC on November 8, 2018 and certain of its current reports filed on Form 8-K. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking” statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than historical facts, including future financial and operating results, the tax consequences of the transaction and the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, legal, economic and regulatory conditions and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are forward-looking statements.   

Forward-looking statements concern future circumstances and results and other statements that are not historical facts and are sometimes identified by the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “intend,” “expect,” “endeavor,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “overestimate,” “underestimate,” “believe,” “could,” “project,” “predict,” “continue,” “target” or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others (1) the risk that the proposed Dover Downs transaction may not be completed on the terms, in the time frame expected or at all; (2) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the Dover Downs and proposed Colorado transactions; (3) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of TRWH, including the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of transactions; (4) TRWH’s ability to implement its business strategy; (5) the inability to retain and hire key personnel; (6) the risk that stockholder litigation, result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and/or liability; (7) evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; (8) changes in general economic and/or industry specific conditions; (9) actions by third parties, including government agencies;(10) the risk that TRWH will be unable to complete any proposed capital return transaction on the terms, in the time frame expected or at all; and (11) other risk factors as detailed in the combined proxy statement/prospectus that was filed in a Registration Statement on Form S-4 with the SEC in connection with the Dover Downs transaction.  The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.

Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. TRWH does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.

TWIN RIVER WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)







Quarter Ended December 31,



Year Ended December 31,





2018



2017



2018



2017



















Revenue:

















Gaming



$

83,825



$

75,288



$

327,740



$

314,794

Racing



2,718



3,152



13,158



14,034

Hotel



5,687



4,115



21,339



19,431

Food and beverage



12,465



10,935



48,380



47,004

Other



6,727



6,064



26,920



25,790

Net revenue



111,422



99,554



437,537



421,053



















Operating costs and expenses:

















Gaming



20,138



16,441



71,798



65,558

Racing



1,990



1,966



9,031



9,534

Hotel



2,352



1,713



8,266



7,173

Food and beverage



11,922



8,818



40,246



37,371

Advertising, general and administrative



33,507



37,229



156,023



155,336

Expansion and pre-opening



54



59



2,678



154

Newport Grand disposal loss



(27)





6,514



Depreciation and amortization



6,789



5,338



22,332



22,204

Total operating costs and expenses



76,725



71,564



316,888



297,330

Income from operations



34,697



27,990



120,649



123,723



















Other income (expense):

















Interest income



53



52



173



194

Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized



(6,774)



(4,910)



(23,025)



(22,809)

Total other expense



(6,721)



(4,858)



(22,852)



(22,615)



















Income before provision for income taxes



27,976



23,132



97,797



101,108



















Provision for income taxes



(5,846)



(3,978)



(26,359)



(38,861)

Net income



22,130



19,154



71,438



62,247

Deemed dividends related to changes in fair value of 

common stock subject to possible redemption



2,214



(668)



640



(2,344)

Net income applicable to common stockholders



$

24,344



$

18,486



$

72,078



$

59,903



















Net income per share, basic



$

0.66



$

0.51



$

1.95



$

1.64

Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic



37,080,705



36,486,318



36,938,943



36,478,759



















Net income per share, diluted



$

0.63



$

0.48



$

1.87



$

1.56

Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted



38,503,938



38,485,001



38,551,708



38,442,944

TWIN RIVER WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)

(in thousands)







 December 31, 





2018



2017

Assets









Current assets:









Cash and cash equivalents



$    77,580



$    85,814

Restricted cash



3,851



7,402

Accounts receivable, net



22,966



18,311

Other current assets



18,065



22,525

Total current assets



122,462



134,052











Property and equipment, net



416,148



335,548

Goodwill



132,035



132,035

Intangible assets, net



110,104



115,367

Other non-current assets



1,603



1,132

Total assets



$  782,352



$  718,134











Liabilities, Temporary Equity and Shareholders’ Equity









Current liabilities:









Current portion of term loan



$      3,595



$    33,325

Accounts payable



14,215



25,062

Accrued liabilities



57,778



57,849

Total current liabilities



75,588



116,236











Stock options





46,521

Deferred tax liability



17,526



11,646

Revolver borrowings



55,000



20,000

Term loan, net of current portion, discount and deferred financing fees



335,578



337,875

Total liabilities



483,692



532,278











Commitments and contingencies









Common stock subject to possible redemption





9,053











Shareholders’ equity:









Common stock



380



362

Additional paid in capital



125,629



67,910

Treasury Stock, at cost



(30,233)



(22,275)

Retained earnings



202,884



130,806

Total shareholders’ equity 



298,660



176,803

Total liabilities, temporary equity and shareholders’ equity



$  782,352



$  718,134

TWIN RIVER WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)

(in thousands)







 Years Ended December 31,





2018



2017

Cash flows from operating activities:









Net income



$    71,438



$    62,247

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:









Depreciation and amortization



22,332



22,204

Share-based compensation



(1,474)



17,791

Amortization of deferred financing fees



2,400



2,205

Amortization of original issue discount



867



1,082

Bad debt expense



202



29

Deferred income taxes



5,880



(5,126)

Newport Grand disposal loss



6,514



Loss on disposal of property and equipment



11



24

Changes in operating assets and liabilities



1,074



7,376

Net cash provided by operating activities



109,244



107,832











Cash flows from investing activities:









Repayment of loans from officers and directors



5,360



362

Proceeds from sale of land and building for Newport Grand disposal



7,108



Capital expenditures, excluding Tiverton Casino Hotel and new hotel at Twin

River Casino



(11,874)



(8,574)

Capital expenditures – Tiverton Casino Hotel



(94,581)



(34,355)

Capital expenditures – new hotel at Twin River Casino



(22,435)



(4,924)

Other investing cash flows



(1,178)



6

Net cash used in investing activities



(117,600)



(47,485)











Cash flows from financing activities:









Revolver borrowing



41,000



10,000

Revolver repayments



(6,000)



(25,000)

Term loan repayments



(34,527)



(11,564)

Stock repurchases



(7,958)



(2,275)

Other financing cash flows



4,056



(94)

Net cash used in financing activities



(3,429)



(28,933)











Net change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash



(11,785)



31,414

Cash and equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period



93,216



61,802

Cash and equivalents and restricted cash, end of period



$  81,431



$  93,216

TWIN RIVER WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.

Reconciliation of Net Income and Net Income Margin to

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (Unaudited)

(in thousands)







Quarter Ended December 31,



Year Ended December 31,





2018



2017



2018



2017



















Net revenue 



$    111,422



$        99,554



$    437,537



$    421,053



















Net income



$      22,130



$        19,154



$      71,438



$      62,247

Depreciation and amortization



6,789



5,338



22,332



22,204

Provision for income taxes



5,846



3,978



26,359



38,861

Interest expense, net of interest income



6,721



4,858



22,852



22,615

Merger and going public expenses (1)



2,292





6,636



Newport grand disposal loss (2)



(27)





6,514



Pension withdrawl expense (3)







3,698



Expansion and pre-opening expenses (4)



54



59



2,678



154

Non-recurring litigation expenses (5)



626



678



1,861



1,722

Pension audit payment (6)



1,400





1,400



Share-based compensation 



(8,825)



3,994



(1,474)



17,791

Legal & financial expenses for strategic review (7)



4



226



676



822

Credit agreement amendment expenses (8)



83





493



106

Acquistion costs (9)



208





208



Storm related repair expense (10)



(321)



250



26



250

Adjusted EBITDA



$    36,980



$      38,535



$  165,697



$  166,772



















Net income margin



19.86%



19.24%



16.33%



14.78%

Adjusted EBITDA margin



33.19%



38.71%



37.87%



39.61%





(1)

Merger and going public expenses primarily include legal and financial advisory costs related to the merger with Dover Downs and one-time costs of becoming a public company.

(2)

Newport Grand disposal loss represents the loss on the sale of the land and building, write-down of building improvements and write-off of equipment.

(3)

The pension withdrawal expense represents the accrual for the New England Teamsters Multi- employer pension plan withdrawal liability.

(4)

Expansion and pre-opening expenses represent costs incurred for Tiverton Casino Hotel prior to its opening on September 1, 2018.

(5)

Non-recurring litigation expense represents legal expenses incurred by TRWH in connection with certain litigation matters (net of insurance reimbursements).

(6)

Pension audit payments represents a charge for out-of-period unpaid contributions, inclusive of estimated interest and penalties, to one of the Company’s multi-employer pension plans.

(7)

Legal and financial expenses for the strategic review include expenses associated with TRWH’s review of strategic alternatives that began in April 2017.

(8)

Credit Agreement amendment expenses include costs associated with amendments made to TRWH’s Credit Agreement.

(9)

Acquisition costs represent costs incurred during the year associated with the Company’s announced acquisition of three casinos in Black Hawk, Colorado from Affinity Gaming.

(10)

Storm-related repair expenses include costs, net of insurance recoveries, associated with damage from Hurricane Nate at Hard Rock Biloxi.

TWIN RIVER WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS, INC.

Calculation of Gross Gaming Revenue (Unaudited)

(In thousands)







Quarter Ended December 31,







Year Ended December 31,









2018



2017



Change



2018



2017



Change



























Net gaming revenue



$             83,825



$             75,288



11.3%



$    327,740



$    314,794



4.1%

Adjustment for the State of RI’s  share of net

terminal income, table games revenue and other

gaming revenue (1)



99,710



86,774







389,203



370,604





Gross gaming revenue



$         183,535



$         162,062



13.3%



$  716,943



$  685,398



4.6%





(1)

Adjustment made to show gaming revenue on a gross basis consistent with gross gaming win data provided throughout the gaming industry.

Calculation of Leverage (Unaudited)

(In thousands, except times levered)







Year Ended December 31,





2018



2017

Face Value of Debt (1)



$    397,439



$  396,966

Adjusted EBITDA (2)



165,697



166,772

Leverage



 2.4x 



 2.4x 





(1)

Outstanding debt before unamortized original issue discount and unamortized term loan deferred financing costs of $3.3 million and $5.8 million in 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(2)

See reconciliation of GAAP net income to Adjusted EBITDA above.

Source: Twin River Worldwide Holdings, 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: Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Announces 2018 Fourth Quarter And Full Year Results

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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The Group Stage of the 2025 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) has come to a thrilling close, following six days of high-stakes competition. The top three teams from Group Green and Group Red have earned a one-way ticket to the Grand Finals, whilst the remaining 16 teams that ranked 4th – 11th from both groups are set to contend in the Last Chance Stage taking place from December 6th – 7th, in a final push for survival. With $3,000,000 up for grabs, the winning team at the Grand Finals in Bangkok will claim the lion’s share of the prize pool, along with the coveted title, making every match a battle for glory.

Day one of the Group Stage began with Group Green, kicking off with Inner Circle Esports making a strong statement with an early chicken dinner and an incredible 18 eliminations, setting the pace for the group. Day two saw continued strong performances from Alpha Gaming, Alter Ego, and Team GOAT, taking the top three spots respectively. On day three, Alpha Gaming demonstrated consistency throughout the day, with a 12-elimination victory providing a solid boost, allowing them to end the day in the top spot with 174 points. At the end of the Group Green matches, Alpha Gaming, Dplus, and Team GOAT secured their spot to advance directly to the Grand Finals, leaving the mid-pack teams to fight for survival in the Last Chance Stage.

Group Red matched the intensity, delivering three days of high-stakes matches and tactical play. Day one began with EArena from Thailand taking an early win with 65 points and one Chicken Dinner, signaling their intent to remain top of the rank. Day two featured unexpected twists, with Regnum Carya and Team Flash executing key plays to climb the leaderboard. Maintaining their status, South Korea’s DRX locked in a top-three finish on day three with five Chicken Dinners, joined by Regnum Carya and EArena, clinching direct passage to the Grand Finals.

The Last Chance stage of the 2025 PMGC will see 16 teams, made up of those that placed 4th – 11th from both groups of the Group Stage, go head-to-head in twelve points-based matches over two days. The top two teams in the final standings will secure the remaining slots in the Grand Finals, while the other 14 teams will be eliminated from the tournament. Every match will put everything on the line as teams battle for a final shot to contend in the most prestigious PUBG MOBILE Esports tournament of the year.

Teams heading to the Last Chance Stage:

  • Team Flash
  • Weibo Gaming
  • Influence Rage
  • Arcred
  • Burmese Ghouls
  • Alliance
  • Geekay Esports
  • Boars Gaming
  • Wolves Esports
  • Inner Circle
  • Team Gen G
  • Loops Esports
  • Alter Ego
  • Team Falcons
  • Papara Supermassive
  • Team 9ZG

2025 PMGC Key Dates

  • PMGC Last Chance (December 6th – 7th)
  • PMGC Grand Finals (December 12th – 14th)

As the pinnacle of the competitive season, the 2025 PMGC in Bangkok stands as the ultimate proving ground for the world’s top PUBG MOBILE Esports teams. This year marks a new chapter for the scene, uniting the 2025 PMGC with the 2025 PUBG Global Championship (PGC) under the groundbreaking banner of PUBG UNITED 2025. By ending the year with its most prestigious event, PUBG MOBILE Esports not only celebrates the year’s finest talent, but also sets a forward-looking momentum that will shape the competitive landscape of the year ahead.

For more information on the 2025 PMGC, fans can keep up to date on PUBG MOBILE Esports’ YouTube, Facebook and Twitch channels. For more PUBG MOBILE Esports news, stay tuned on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and TikTok.

 

The post THE 2025 PUBG MOBILE GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP STAGE WRAPS UP WITH LAST CHANCE IN SIGHT appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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PayRam Unveils Private Stablecoin Payment Gateway Built for iGaming

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PayRamnt-weight: 400;”> has launched its private stablecoin payment gateway for iGaming operators, gaming platforms, and affiliates that require fast, borderless, and censorship-resistant payments.

Built on the belief that payments should operate as freely as the internet itself, PayRam delivers decentralized PayFi infrastructure that allows iGaming businesses to accept and manage stablecoin payments through fully self-hosted infrastructure. Operators no longer rely on banks, custodians, or centralized processors to control their revenue.

In an industry plagued by frozen balances, chargebacks, delayed settlements, and compliance shutdowns, PayRam gives operators direct control over funds, payouts, and transaction infrastructure. Platforms retain ownership of their payment flow without platform risk. Operators can now accept private stablecoin deposits, launch without intermediaries, and expand globally on their own terms.

Stablecoins Are the Future of Global iGaming Payments

Stablecoins now drive the most significant transformation in payments in decades. With a market capitalization exceeding $300 billion, stablecoins now function as real-world settlement infrastructure rather than speculative assets. For iGaming businesses that operate across borders, stablecoins deliver instant payouts, low transaction costs, and continuous global liquidity.

Governments also continue to formalize regulatory frameworks. Initiatives such as the GENIUS Bill in the United States signal that stablecoins will soon function as foundational financial infrastructure for both traditional commerce and emerging agent-driven economies.

Yet most existing stablecoin fiat gateways still copy legacy banking structures. They custodian funds, over-monitor transactions, delay settlements, and restrict high-risk industries such as iGaming. Operators continue to face frozen balances, withheld profits, and sudden account closures.

Instead of decentralizing commerce, centralized processors reintroduce single points of failure. They strip merchants of privacy, predictability, and true ownership of funds.

PayRam removes these bottlenecks by allowing iGaming operators to deploy and operate their own self-hosted stablecoin payment nodes. This sovereign infrastructure restores payment autonomy, protects funds from blacklisting, enables private deposits, and eliminates third-party revenue risk.

Permissionless Commerce Underpinned By Privacy

PayRam embodies a mission to decentralize the global payments ecosystem. Its founder, Siddharth Menon, who previously co-founded WazirX, India’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, helped bring crypto to more than 15 million users. Today, he’s channeling that experience into building a decentralized PayFi layer engineered for privacy, autonomy, and self-custody.

“The future of payments is decentralized stablecoin payments. As the world moves beyond custodial systems, PayRam is building the foundation for permissionless commerce, where every merchant, creator, or platform can host and own their own payment infrastructure,” said Siddharth Menon, Founder of PayRam. “Just as Uniswap reimagined trading through decentralization, PayRam is reimagining how money moves across the internet.”

iGaming Operators Go Live in Minutes and Expand Into Underserved Regions

PayRam removes all onboarding friction. Operators need no approvals, no vetting, and no centralized onboarding process. Any business can deploy PayRam, configure it, and begin processing private stablecoin payments within 10 minutes.

This instant deployment allows operators to enter underserved and payment-restricted regions, unlock new player bases, and launch real-money gaming operations without waiting on banks, payment processors, or jurisdictional approvals.

PayRam is built as a merchant-first ecosystem, offering advanced accounting analytics, scalable APIs, and automated payments orchestration tools. It also arrives with integrated growth tools like referral and payout systems. Merchants and individuals can issue payment requests, share unique payment links, and monitor transactions through programmable APIs, all operated on infrastructure that users self-host and fully control. The built-in SmartSweep feature uses a family of smart contracts to move funds securely and periodically, eliminating the need to store private keys on servers.

PayRam supports stablecoin and cryptocurrency payments across major networks including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Base, and Tron, with integrations for Polygon, BNB Smart Chain, Solana, Ripple, Monero, and TON next in line.

“We’ve used several crypto payment providers over the years, including BTCPay Server, NOWPayments, and others, but PayRam stands out as truly open and built for the modern internet economy. It gives us full control over our payments and funds, along with stablecoin support, privacy, multi-chain flexibility, and faster global settlements,” said an iGaming operator using PayRam.

PayRam Prepares to Support Agentic Betting With Privacy and Automation

Agentic betting represents the next evolution of iGaming, where autonomous software agents will place bets, execute strategies, manage bankrolls, and settle wagers in real time without human intervention. These systems already power algorithmic trading in financial markets, and iGaming infrastructure now begins to move in the same direction.

Most existing betting and payment infrastructure cannot support this shift. Centralized processors expose transaction logic, restrict automated flows, and introduce settlement delays that break agent-driven wagering models at scale.

PayRam is actively adopting the foundational standards and infrastructure required to support agentic betting in the future. The platform is positioning itself as a privacy-first, decentralized payment layer that will allow autonomous betting systems to operate with:

  • Private stablecoin deposits
  • Real-time settlement logic
  • Automated treasury and bankroll flows
  • Programmable payout execution
  • Full self-custody and non-custodial risk isolation

By preparing to adopt open standards such as x402 and ERC-8004, PayRam aims to support interoperable and intelligent payment flows between autonomous betting systems, sportsbooks, and gaming platforms when the agentic wagering ecosystem reaches production maturity.

Through this approach, PayRam is building the foundation for a future where payments are private, programmable, and permissionless.

About PayRam

PayRam is the world’s first self-hosted private stablecoin processor, giving merchants and individuals complete control over their payments stack. Built for the next era of permissionless commerce, it merges stablecoin payments with self-hosted infrastructure to enable borderless, censorship-resistant transactions.

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Week 49/2025 slot games releases

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

BGaming gets in the festive spirit with a Christmas take on its acclaimed casual hit, Aviamasters, with Aviamasters X-Mas. Santa and his sleigh replace the plane from the original title, with players watching as he flies through the air, collecting festive multipliers before hopefully landing on an ice floe to collect his prizes.

Stakelogic is spreading festive cheer this December with the release of Big Sugar Bonanza Xmas, a delicious sequel of the candy-coated hit, Big Sugar Bonanza. Launching on 1st December 2025, the new game transforms the Fluffkins’ sugary kingdom into a winter wonderland of treats and turbo-charged multipliers.

 

Million Games is bringing festive mayhem to the iGaming world with the launch of Rudolph’s Gone Rogue, a fast-paced Christmas slot where Santa’s most famous reindeer takes centre stage in a runaway holiday adventure. In this 5×3, 20-payline slot, Rudolph bolts into the night sky, dragging the rest of the herd with him and leaving a trail of chaos in his wake.

Spinomenal has unwrapped its new title Majestic Santa, signalling the start of the festive season. Spinomenal’s festive-inspired treat is a 5×3 slot that is bursting with Christmas imagery including red stockings, gingerbread men, and glistening golden bells.

Evoplay has launched Mega Greatest Catch: Blue Marlin, bringing the fearless fisherman Harry back to sea for his most exciting adventure yet. The latest instalment transports players to bright turquoise waters, where random scatters can trigger free spins, wilds appear unexpectedly, and the scatter respin feature offers a welcome second chance to enter the round.

Looking to unwrap longer sessions, stronger engagement and bigger revenues this Christmas? ICONIC21, in-demand iGaming content provider, just launched Sweet Royale Xmas ahead of the holiday season. Sweet Royale is one of the provider’s most popular slots to date and now returns in a Christmas edition decked with boughs of candy to allow operators to leverage the rise in slotting activity during the festive period.

Meet Nolimit City’s latest Crazy Ex-Girlfriend…the kind ex who would “accidentally” like your 2014 selfie at 3am and has a little voodoo doll named after you. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has mapped out your every move and runs through a 2-4-4-4-4-2 layout across 6 reels.

 

It’s the most magical time of the year, but don’t expect a peaceful Christmas with the release of Realistic Games’ latest blockbuster slot, Wreckmas. The new 5×3, feature-packed slot brings toppled trees, tangled tinsel and chaotic carols to a family Christmas, along with the chance to hit a 5,000x max win.

Players can jingle their way to jackpot joy in Christmas MegapotsTM from Big Time Gaming. This festive slot brings Big Time Gaming’s legendary Megapots mechanic to life with seasonal sparkle, giving players the chance to unwrap Mini, Midi or Mega Jackpots with each spin.

Players are being commanded to raise the sails and brace themselves for a high seas adventure like no other in Captain WinBreaker, the latest swashbuckling slot from Northern Lights Gaming. This pirate-themed slot sees players take the helm of a ship bound for treasures and untold riches.

Amusnet has released 20 Burning Hot Buy Bonus, a sizzling twist on the classic fruit slot. Set across 5 reels and 3 lines, this game combines familiar symbols with modern mechanics for fast-paced spins, vibrant visuals and nonstop excitement.

SlotMatrix is embracing the holiday season with Santa’s Golden Christmas, a sparkling new slot packed with festive cheer, golden prizes, and heart-warming holiday magic. Set in a winter wonderland, the game brings players closer to the jolly gift-giver.

Inspired Entertainment, Inc. is thrilled to announce the exclusive launch of its brand-new, bespoke slot game, Spin O’Reely Grand Chance, in collaboration with long time partners bet365. Expanding bet365’s popular exclusive Irish-themed Spin O’Reely game series, the game will initially be available to players in the UK, Ontario, and New Jersey, with more markets to follow soon.

 

Play’n GO pits sun god Ra against serpent deity Apophis in Ra’s Reckoning, a mythic grid slot inspired by the celestial battles of ancient Egypt. Ra’s Reckoning brings players face to face with an age-old mythic struggle – the eternal duel between light and chaos. 

Playson has unleashed a whirlwind of excitement with Tornado Power: Hold and Win, introducing a new Tornado Feature and enhanced payouts. The 3×4, 10 payline slot features immersive visuals with old-school charm, as the untamed gameplay is further enhanced by a new Tornado Feature

ELA Games announces the release of its latest title, Joker Jam, a bold visual addition to the studio’s growing portfolio of strategic yet aesthetic games. Set under the neon glow of a vibrant city, Joker Jam reimagines the classic Vegas aesthetic into a thrilling experience.

Just Slots has announced the exclusive launch of its newest title, Dynamo’s Show, available on Gamdom and Stake. A full network release will follow on 11 December 2025. This vibrant new slot transforms the classic Hold & Collect experience into a full theatrical performance

Spinomenal is celebrating  the holiday season by inviting players for a festive journey with The North Star Express – Hold & Hit 3×3. Unfolding against a wintry backdrop, North Star Express arrives to present a fun, festive adventure as players race through snowy forests.

Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has rolled out the red carpet to the Frozen Barrel Tavern to celebrate the festive season. Players are warmly welcomed into a cosy winter tavern that radiates holiday cheer and buzzes with Christmas chatter.

 

The post Week 49/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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