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City Bet Club predicts 2022 UK operator earnings to fall short

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City Bet Club, the expert tipster service founded by leading industry veterans, predicts that UK operator Q4 2022 earnings reports are likely to make disappointing reading.

In a ‘triple punch’ for operator brands, the compounded issues of a steep decline in World Cup turnover compared to Russia 2018, an overhaul of the winter sporting calendar to accommodate the Qatar tournament, and “intrusive” affordability checks are expected to have a significant impact on turnover and consequentially, reported earnings.

By analysing financial performance, the World Cup is expected to have netted a strong margin-win for operators due to shock results, making it one of the most “bookie-friendly” in history.

However, early-stage punter losses in the Group Stage, which continued throughout the tournament will have heavily affected overall turnover.

In particular, City Bet Club’s analysis of January 2023’s trading and financial updates issued so far by major UK brands reflect this, noting that Bet365’s announcement this month is a key indicator of market health.

With Bet365’s operating profit down by 88% for the financial year due to significant investment in overseas jurisdictions, it is seen as a strong indication that major operators no longer view the UK as a growth market.

This view is supported further with Kindred’s trading update, owner of UK flagship brand Unibet. It highlights an unexpectedly low sports margin in the last quarter – despite the “bookie-friendly” World Cup results. This likely alludes to overstretched marketing and promotional spend, eroding gross win and margin.

The third major indicator that World Cup turnover has fallen short of expectations is via 888/William Hill’s trading update; especially with like-for-like gross win performance compared to Russia 2018.

In choosing to highlight the metric of ‘Player User Days’, by comparing customer engagement performance of the delayed Euro 2020 with Qatar 2022, City Bet Club believes that the data does not bode well.

This is especially due to the World Cup having 25% more matches as well as the lack of a heavy summer horse racing program to compete with, suggesting the like-for-like comparison indicates an uplift of only 22% to be disappointing.

Compounding the overall issue for UK-facing bookmakers further is the third punch, that of affordability checks, pointing to a far wider structural issue in the industry.

As highlighted by leading commentators in the Racing Post, major betting exchanges and high-profile professional gamblers, the issue of “intrusive” affordability checks are a major factor in reduced betting activity for UK operators.

The effect on horse racing’s income from the levy is directly related to bookmaker profits. Not only is this seen by City Bet Club as a serious issue for bookmakers, but also for UK racing.

As further confirmation of this view, Arena Racing Company has estimated that digital betting turnover on UK racing has declined by £800m in 2022, with an estimated £40m loss in income from bookmakers.

Commenting on the situation, David Brown, Co-founder of City Bet Club and one of the UK’s most experienced trading directors, believes that this has created a bleak outlook for the UK. He added:

I’ve been in the industry since 1976, and with 47 years in the game, this is by far the most pessimistic outlook for the health of the UK betting market that I’ve seen.

“While the World Cup may have seen record margins, word on the street is that turnover is significantly down compared to Russia 2018. Given that punters suffered many setbacks early in the Group Stage, the industry saw reduced recycling of customer money as bookie-friendly results continued throughout the tournament.

“Traditionally a major football tournament and robust Christmas period, with a full program of racing, would normally put the big brands in very positive territory. Currently – the silence says it all, and we’re yet to see comparisons of like-for-like turnover to the 2018 World Cup, which may infer all is not well.

“Last but not least is the uncertainty around the government white paper on gambling, which is yet to go public. This has the potential to add even more challenges to the operation of the UK betting market. It will no doubt be a key decider on how the industry proceeds from here.”

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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Sportradar Announces Close of Acquisition of IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights

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Acquisition to Accelerate Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, and Free Cash Flow Growth and will be Accretive to Adjusted EBITDA Margins and Free Cash Flow Conversion  

Sportradar Group AG today announced it has completed its acquisition of IMG ARENA and its global sports betting rights portfolio from Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. and OB Global Holdings, LLC. The closing marks a milestone in Sportradar’s growth strategy, further strengthening and differentiating its position as a leading technology and content provider in the most bet upon global sports, including soccer, tennis and basketball.

The acquired portfolio encompasses strategic relationships with more than 70 rightsholders, delivering approximately 38,000 official data events and 29,000 streaming events across 14 global sports on six continents.  With this, Sportradar sports coverage totals more than 1 million matches annually.

The acquisition enhances the Company’s content distribution and will further fuel product development. Sportradar expects to seamlessly integrate and monetize these rights across its highly scalable technology platform and client network.

Given the unique transaction structure, the acquisition is expected to be accretive to Sportradar’s adjusted EBITDA margins and free cash flow conversion while accelerating the Company’s robust revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow growth.  Sportradar is not required to provide any financial consideration as part of the acquisition. Instead, the deal includes total financial consideration to Sportradar of $225 million comprised of approximately $122 million in cash prepayments by the seller to certain sports rightsholders and approximately $103 million to Sportradar.  The payments to Sportradar, which are subject to customary purchase price adjustments, will be made over a two-year period.

Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar, stated: “We are pleased to complete the acquisition of IMG ARENA. This marks a significant milestone for Sportradar expanding our access to premium sports content that strengthens and complements our already robust global portfolio and capabilities. With this, we are uniquely positioned to deliver even more immersive, data rich experiences to our clients, partners and fans around the world while accelerating innovation at scale across the global sports ecosystem.”

The post Sportradar Announces Close of Acquisition of IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Slotegrator & Gamblers Connect enter a new partnership

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Gamblers Connect, a leading iGaming media & affiliate website connecting operators, providers, and players across the global industry, is proud to announce its latest strategic partnership with one of the most respected names in iGaming technology, Slotegrator.

Founded in 2012, Slotegrator has become a cornerstone of the iGaming B2B landscape, empowering hundreds of successful online casinos and sportsbooks with a complete suite of advanced software solutions. From its Turnkey Casino Platform and APIgrator Game Integration module to its Telegram Casino and Moneygrator payment gateway, Slotegrator has continuously set the standard for innovation, flexibility, and compliance.

This partnership marks a major step in Gamblers Connect’s evolution from a trusted affiliate platform into a full-scale media and B2B hub, one that not only connects audiences with the world’s top operators but also shines a light on the technological engines driving the industry forward.

Through this collaboration, Gamblers Connect will highlight Slotegrator’s market-leading solutions across its media channels, showcasing  how their technology simplifies market entry, accelerates growth, and ensures regulatory compliance in emerging and established jurisdictions alike.

Slotegrator’s expertise in areas such as crypto casino infrastructure, white-label platforms, and licensing advisory perfectly aligns with Gamblers Connect’s mission to connect the entire ecosystem, from software innovators to decision-makers seeking trusted, efficient, and future-ready solutions.

Together, the two companies will continue to emphasise values that have defined their success: responsibility, transparency, and innovation.

Ataur Rosul Abeer, Sales Supervisor at Slotegrator, commented: “We’re excited to collaborate with top-tier partners to showcase our latest innovations and deliver even more engaging experiences to the global iGaming community.”

Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder & CEO of Gamblers Connect, added: “Partnering with Slotegrator represents more than just a collaboration, it’s a strategic alignment of vision. Both our teams share the same goal of improving and Connecting the iGaming industry through quality, integrity, and technology. We’re proud to stand alongside such a respected name as we continue expanding Gamblers Connect’s media and B2B reach worldwide.”

The post Slotegrator & Gamblers Connect enter a new partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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QTech Games maintains its gold standard with KingMidas Games

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Emerging-markets leader broadens its eclectic gaming suite with fresh content from an emerging force in the sector

QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has continued to build the momentum in its premium pipeline, thanks to its latest deal with prominent igaming supplier KingMidas Games in a move set to power the studio’s aggressive international expansion strategy.

Through this partnership, more than 100 KingMidas Games titles—spanning its signature Classics, Next-Gen, Slots, and other top-performing genres—are now available to new operator partners via QTech’s definitive aggregator platform for emerging markets.

KingMidas Games is becoming known for its “next-generation content” which serves as a cornerstone of its gaming suite. Its diverse portfolio includes Cards, Chips, Classics, Dice, IP Content, Lottery, Roulette, Slots, and Virtual Experiences – and is defined by radical thinking and engaging game mechanics, as exemplified by high-speed go-kart races, animal obstacle courses, or survival-style gameplay.

This deal organically widens KingMidas Games’ international footprint, unlocking untapped jurisdictions for diversified growth from Asia to Africa and Eastern Europe to Latin America, where the supplier has made strong recent strides together with QTech Games.

Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “We’re committed to rolling out first-class content that drives revenue for our partners. So, this deal with KingMidas Games extends our impressive sequential pipeline into 2025. Operators are always looking for fresh and engaging titles that truly stand out, and KingMidas Games is thriving against the backdrop of a homogenised marketplace. Like us, KingMidas is dedicated to delivering experiences that combine creativity, tech, and cultural relevance to meet evolving localised player expectations and drive new revenue streams for our growing group of worldwide operators.”

Sean Auret, Global Head of KingMidas Games, added: “We are thrilled to further collaborate with QTech, one of the industry’s leading aggregators renowned for connecting high-quality content with dynamic markets. This partnership amplifies KingMidas Games’ reach across key emerging territories and marks another exciting step in our mission to deliver next-generation gaming experiences to a truly global audience.”

The post QTech Games maintains its gold standard with KingMidas Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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