888 Holdings Plc Announces Q3 2023 Trading Update

888, one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies with internationally renowned brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, announced an update confirming its trading during the three months ended 30 September 2023 (Q3 2023).

Highlights

• Group: performance in line with 28th September 2023 trading update with revenue of £405.0m, down 10% year on year. Trends and drivers of year-over-year performance are consistent with that update with significant and ongoing improvements being made to the sustainability and quality of the mix of the business impacting performance in the short-term.
• UK&I Online: continued strong customer engagement with average monthly actives +17%. Revenue -10% driven by ongoing impact of safer gambling changes and refined marketing approach, coupled with lower-than-expected betting net win margin from customer friendly sports results in September, particularly UK football.
• Retail: strong underlying performance driven by improved product offering through investment in SSBTs and gaming cabinets, partly offset by customer friendly sports results meaning revenue was +1% year-over-year.
• International: average monthly actives -2% and revenue -19% with an ongoing significant impact from compliance changes in dotcom markets, particularly the Middle East, with a slower recovery in revenue and customer activity than initially anticipated.
• Synergy delivery on track and significant cost savings being delivered that have helped to partly mitigate the impact of regulatory and compliance changes.
• Section8 in-house games successfully integrated into William Hill online and the initial integration of William Hill’s proprietary global trading platform into 888’s in-house platform, with certain sports now being traded across the group from one trading engine.
• Prioritising the safety and wellbeing of the Group’s more than 500 colleagues in Israel and their families following the outbreak of war post Period end. Activated business continuity plans, which are working well with no significant impact on business operations expected.
• No change to expectations of Q4 revenue being down mid-single digit and FY23 Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 18-19%.

Per Widerström, CEO of 888, said: “I am very excited to have joined the 888 Group as the new CEO. I have already been struck by the strength of the Group’s assets and its clear potential, as well as the ambition of our team.

“I am happy to note that despite the regulatory challenges the Group has faced this year, the hard work by the team is already showing signs of results meaning that we head towards the end of the year with positive momentum, and well placed to grow in the coming years.

“This is a business with a very strong foundation for profitable growth. But there are clearly also several areas for improvement which we will focus on to unlock our full potential and drive value creation. I am looking forward to working closely with our fantastic people in the Group, the talented executive team and the Board to ensure we are in the best possible position to deliver our plans and maximise value creation.”