Affiliate Industry
Better Collective Acquires American Sports Media Company Playmaker HQ
On the journey toward becoming the leading digital sports media group, Better Collective significantly expands its efforts within social media and sports content production by acquiring Playmaker HQ for a total consideration of up to 54 mUSD, 15 mUSD of which will be upfront.
Playmaker HQ is a leading sports and entertainment media platform headquartered in South Florida, US. The sports media group specializes in providing original entertainment and sports content with exclusive athlete collaborations and creator talent mainly targeting the US market.
Currently, Playmaker HQ distributes more than two thousand monthly pieces of sports content mainly on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube. The group has more than 20 million followers across these platforms, increasing from seven million in 2020. Monthly, the content reaches over 500 million users. Playmaker has partnered with a wide variety of top brands including leaders in the sports apparel and fast moving consumer goods industries. Furthermore, the company has won several awards including Hashtag Sports’ “Top Snapchat Show” as well as four film festival awards.
Highlighted Acquisitional Synergies
- Adding to Better Collective’s legacy audience of sports betting enthusiasts, the group gains access to a new and large audience of highly engaged generalist sports fans which subsequently increases the value offering to Better Collective’s existing partners.
- Playmaker HQ holds extensive sponsorship sales know-how that will increase Better Collective’s ability to monetize audiences outside its core sports betting audience.
- Currently, Playmaker HQ is only active in North America, and expects to be able to scale content and know-how internationally across the group’s global presence.
Transaction Details
Playmaker HQ is experiencing rapid growth, and is targeting full year revenue of >10 mUSD in 2023 with an EBITDA-margin of 20-25%. Given the rapid growth the deal has been constructed with an earn-out component to ensure the growth continues.
Better Collective will pay up to 54 mUSD on a cash and debt free basis, including an upfront cash consideration of 15 mUSD, 1 mUSD in deferred payments, and up to 38 mUSD in performance-based earnout payments over a three year period.
In order to reach the full earn-out payment, Playmaker HQ will have to generate >75 mUSD in accumulating revenues and >25 mUSD in accumulating operational earnings (EBITDA) during the first three years post acquisition.
The acquisition will be conducted as an asset purchase meaning that Better Collective expectedly will benefit from certain tax deductions related to the acquisition price. The transaction will be funded by cash, with optionality to pay some of the earn out in Better Collective shares.
Marc Pedersen, CEO Better Collective North America, said: “We have been following Playmaker HQ for some time, and are excited to announce the transaction today. Playmaker HQ offers access to millions of sports fans in the US, the majority of which are new in the Better Collective user base. We are excited to help enhance these fans’ sports betting experience, while also being able to utilize Playmaker HQ’s know-how to scale the product and revenue stream across Better Collective’s global portfolio.”
Brandon Harris, CEO Playmaker HQ, said: “Joining forces with Better Collective marks a significant milestone for Playmaker HQ. We cannot wait to make plays with Better Collective’s world class team who will help us create amazing content, experiences and opportunities, reaching an even wider audience of sports fans globally. I know our creators are going to do amazing things with the support of Better Collective’s team and resources. We are just scratching the surface, and we are so excited to align with Better Collective to help achieve OUR vision of building the world’s leading sports media group.”
Casino Guru has been shortlisted for the inaugural SBC Awards Europe 2025, joining a competitive field of contestants in the “Casino Affiliate of the Year” category. SBC Awards Europe 2025 is the first edition in what will be a recurring event, celebrating excellence at the SBC Summit Malta, which was rebranded from CasinoBeats Summit.
The event ceremony is due to take place on Thursday, June 12, at the Hilton Malta and will reunite 300 industry guests. Casino Guru is honored to have been distinguished by making the shortlist and competing against other industry leaders such as Gentoo Media, Gambling.com Group, and Brian Christopher’s Flip the Switch.
Casino Guru is more than an affiliate, with a distinguished track record for favoring player safety and empowering consumers to make the right choices about the casinos they play at.
With a review database that exceeds 8,296 casinos, 17,414 bonuses, and 20,194 casino games, Casino Guru is constantly growing as the Internet’s largest and most reliable database for anything that has to do with iGaming.
Commenting on Casino Guru’s shortlisting in the ‘Casino Affiliate of the Year’ category at the SBC Awards Europe 2025, Daniela Sliva, Public Relations and Creative Projects Director, said:
Being shortlisted for the inaugural SBC Awards Europe is a testament to Casino Guru’s impact and recognition as a trusted voice in the industry. Through continuous efforts to educate both industry professionals and players, we have consistently promoted the core values that should define the entire iGaming industry – transparency, fairness, and openness. Casino Guru is proud to be considered for the Casino Affiliate of the Year award, a reflection of our unwavering commitment to player protection and ethical industry standards.
Casino Guru is an outlier with groundbreaking initiatives, including the Complaint Resolution Center, which returned more than $40,000,000 to players by February 2025, making it an unmatched industry specialist.
Casino Guru is one of the few industry companies – and possibly the only one – to actively champion industry-wide improvement of casino standards through its unique Safety Index reviewing methodology.
Each of the more than 8,296 casinos in the Casino Guru database is reviewed manually and scrutinized for the fairness of their terms and conditions.
Ratings are fluid and are continuously subjected to reassessment to ensure that players looking for recommendations will get the most up-to-date and reliable information.
Casino Guru has spearheaded sustainable efforts in responsible gambling through the launch of the Gamtegrity platform and has worked with sector leaders to advance the importance of safe & positive play.
Casino Guru continues to set industry standards by taking a truly player-centric approach, one that challenges industry practices and upholds transparency, fairness, and openness as core principles of play.
The post Casino Guru shortlisted for prestigious SBC Awards Europe 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Tech-driven affiliate and media company Already Media has acquired Live Casino Comparer for an undisclosed sum.
Live Casino Comparer is a well-established review portal focused on the live dealer niche. It was founded in 2014, and its team brings more than 30 years of casino experience to every review it publishes.
The site’s founder, Neil Walker, will stay on both as an advisor and an active part of the content team, helping to scale Live Casino Comparer’s output across both the B2C and B2B verticals.
Already Media will also rebuild the site’s platform and has plans to enter into new geos and content formats.
The deal was brokered by Corfai, the specialist M&A advisory founded by Ben Robinson.
Alina Famenok, CEO at Already Media, said: “This is another landmark for Already Media, as we continue to acquire brands that expand our reach and can benefit from our technology. We’re excited to get to work alongside Neil to take Live Casino Comparer to new heights. Huge thanks to Ben and the Corfai team for helping us close this deal in just two weeks, which is surely the fastest M&A deal in iGaming history.”
Neil Walker, founder at Live Casino Comparer, added: “I couldn’t be more excited to begin this new chapter for Live Casino Comparer as part of the Already Media team. They bring the technical and operational firepower to scale globally, while keeping the spirit of honest, expert-driven reviews at the core.”
The acquisition aligns with Already Media’s strategy of acquiring trusted affiliate brands and elevating them through its technology-led approach.
Last year, the company acquired PokerListings, and has since migrated it to a new platform, entered new regions and developed a vibrant community around the brand.
The post Already Media acquires Live Casino Comparer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Boomerang is a contender for Sportsbook Operator of the Year and Bonus Offer of the Year
Boomerang, a rapidly growing global brand behind the annual Golden Boomerang Awards, has been shortlisted for the AffPapa Awards 2025 in 2 categories: Boomerang Bet on Sportsbook Operator of the Year and Boomerang Partners on Bonus Offer of the Year.
Inclusion in the Sportsbook Operator of the Year nomination is a testament to Boomerang’s success in the online betting industry. Over 2024-2025, the brand has achieved great results: the betting segment has grown fivefold (5x), and the number of sports betting offers surged more than 6 times. Six new brands were added to Boomerang’s portfolio in 2024, contributing to an almost 1.5-fold increase in end-users. In addition, Boomerang is the Official Regional Betting Partner of AC Milan, one of the world’s most famous and titled football clubs.
The Bonus Offer of the Year nomination confirms the high level and detailed elaboration of Boomerang’s bonus policy. Its portfolio includes more than 15 brands, each operating in strict compliance with the Terms and Conditions, including Bonus rules. Boomerang ensures fairness, transparency, and visibility of key bonus information for partners and users. It regularly collects feedback to improve its bonus policy and make it consistent with the expectations of its audience.
Boomerang actively develops community and works on building long-term trusting relationships with partners. This is demonstrated, among other things, by the second annual tournament for affiliate teams – Golden Boomerang Awards 2025. It will run until May 11. The top 30 teams on the leaderboard will be invited to Milan. There, the best of the best will be named, and 11 awards will be presented, including the main one – the Grand Prix.
The voting phase of the AffPapa Awards has started and will run until May 11. Users can choose their favorites in the nominations and influence the final results. Vote on the AffPapa Awards 2025 website. The award ceremony will take place on May 28 in Malaga during the AffPapa – iGaming Club Conference Malaga 2025.
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand offering a wide range of services. Boomerang is the Official Regional Betting Partner of AC Milan and collaborates with women’s football star and influencer Alisha Lehmann. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards 2024, the first annual global affiliate tournament. Boomerang Partners’ betting segment surged 5x, and gambling — 2x in 2024. Its affiliate program demonstrated a 120% increase in partners, and the number of sports betting offers surged more than 6 times. Six new products were launched by Boomerang in 2024, which contributed to an almost 1.5-fold increase in product users.
Boomerang’s portfolio contains 15+ gambling brands, including sportsbooks. They cover over 35 GEOs and offer a wide range of betting options with favorable odds. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.
The post Voting is open: Boomerang nominated in 2 categories at the AffPapa Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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