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Better Collective increases organic revenue by 29 percent; strong growth across US assets and media partnerships

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Interim report January 1 – September 30, 2021

Highlights third quarter 2021

  • Group Revenue grew by 148% to 45,413 tEUR (Q3 2020: 18,298 tEUR). Organic revenue growth was 29%. September reached a new monthly revenue record of 20,285 tEUR, equal to 45% of the total quarterly revenue.
    • The quarter showed strong underlying growth on all major KPIs, however, revenue was impacted downwards by very low sports win margins in July and August. The sports win margins were negatively affected by larger operators accelerating marketing campaigns (free-bets, retention-bonuses etc.), as well as continued strong NDC performance, where new depositors receive sign-up bonuses.
    • The US business performed strongly with Q3 2021 revenue of >5x compared to Q3 2020 revenue. Revenue for September jumped to 8.9 mEUR (>10 mUSD) reflecting a strong start of the high season for US sports and the state of Arizona opening for online sports betting. Strong performance across all US assets including the newly acquired Action Network.
    • In Germany, a long-awaited new gambling regulation came into force from July 1. The market development has been in line with our expectations; for Better Collective, September revenue from the German market was on par with the monthly average in H1. Based on the current performance in Germany, revenue for the full year 2021 is expected to exceed prior years 2019 and 2020, respectively, with expected continued revenue growth in 2022.
    • Media partnerships continued with strong performance with almost 45,000 NDCs. More media partnerships are expected to be established in various countries.
  • Group EBITDA before special items increased 63% to 13,583 tEUR (Q3 2020: 8,326 tEUR). The EBITDA-margin before special items was 30% (Publishing 40% and Paid Media 9%).
  • Special Items in Q3 2021 amounted to a cost of 11,588 tEUR vs. an income of 44 tEUR in Q3 2020. It includes an 11,487 tEUR adjustment of the contingent liability related to the 2019 acquisition of Rical LLC, treated as a P/L item under IFRS.
  • EBITDA after special items amounted to 1,995 tEUR, a decrease of 6,375 tEUR vs. 8,370 tEUR in Q3 2020.
  • Cash Flow from operations before special items was 10,498 tEUR (Q3 2020: 8,359 tEUR), an increase of 26%. The cash conversion was 76%, and was impacted by a significant increase in revenue for September vs. June driving increased trade receivables from Q2 2021. End of Q3, capital reserves stood at 64.1 mEUR including cash of 35.4 mEUR and unused bank credit facilities of 28.7 mEUR.
  • New Depositing Customers (NDCs) were >200,000 in the quarter with an implied growth of 110% and a new quarterly record despite July and August being the low season for major sports.
  • Better Collective acquired Soccernews.nl and Voetbalwedden.net for total 5.9 mEUR upfront payments plus deferred and earn-out payments of up to 3.75 mEUR, to gain a leading position in the newly regulated Dutch online sports betting market.
  • Better Collective resolved on a directed share issue of 6.9 million shares, raising proceeds of 145 mEUR to maintain financial flexibility.
  • For the fourth consecutive year, Better Collective topped the prestigious EGR Global’s Power Affiliates 2021 ranking.

Financial highlights first nine months 2021

  • In the first nine months of 2021, revenue grew by 128% to 124,257 tEUR (YTD 2020: 54,472 tEUR).
  • In the first nine months of 2021, EBITDA before special items increased 64% to 39,439 tEUR (YTD 2020: 24,044 tEUR). The EBITDA-margin before special items was 32%.
  • Special Items amounted to a cost of 17,006 tEUR vs. an income of 252 tEUR YTD 2020. It includes an 11,487 tEUR adjustment of the contingent liability related to the 2019 acquisition of Rical LLC, treated as a P/L item under IFRS, in addition to 5,784 tEUR related to M&A transactions, primarily the acquisition of Action Network in May, 2021.
  • EBITDA after special items amounted to 22,433 tEUR YTD, a decrease of 1,863 tEUR vs. 24,296 tEUR YTD 2020.
  • Cash Flow from operations before special items was 37,670 tEUR (YTD 2020: 28,173 tEUR), an increase of 34%. The cash conversion rate before special items was 97%. End of Q3 2021, cash and unused credit facilities amounted to 64.1 mEUR.
  • New Depositing Customers exceeded 575,000 in the first nine months of 2021 (growth of 103%).
  • Better Collective acquired leading US sports betting media platform, Action Network, for 196 mEUR (240 mUSD), gaining market leadership within sports betting media in the US.
  • On May 26, 2021, the Board of Directors resolved on a directed share issue of 6.9 million shares, raising proceeds of 145 mEUR to maintain financial flexibility.

Significant events after the closure of the period

  • October revenue reached 16.8 mEUR, with organic growth of 17% and a total growth of 34% vs. last year. The growth is achieved despite an all time low sports win margin in October.
  • On November 4, the completion of the acquisition of the remaining 40% of Rotogrinders Network was announced. Since the initial share acquisition Rotogrinders has shown strong performance with expected 2021 revenue more than doubling since 2019, with a 47% compound annual growth rate. Expected 2021 EBITDA is 4.4x higher than 2019, growing at a 109% compound annual growth rate.
  • In the state of New York, nine operators were recently awarded sports betting licenses. Projected to become the single largest online betting market in the US, New York presents a big opportunity for Better Collective and for our operator partners now licensed. Betting is expected to commence in January 2022, in time for the Super Bowl.
  • Better Collective received an award for its efforts within compliance at the Vixio Global Regulatory Award. At the same show, Better Collective’s subsidiary, Mindway AI, received two awards for its efforts within responsible gambling.

Financial targets
The full-year financial targets for 2021 for the group remain unchanged. Growth in the Publishing business exceeds prior expectations whereas Paid Media sees lower growth than anticipated, which is reflected in an adjustment of the detailed segment targets.

Jesper Søgaard, Co-founder & CEO of Better Collective, commented:
Q3 was a great quarter closing with an all time high monthly revenue in September. This was partially the result of strong performance across all our US assets, including our recent acquisition, Action Network. September was also the beginning of the high season for US sports, which is expected to fully materialise in the Q4 results. “

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Conference call
A telephone conference will be held at 10.00 a.m. CET today by CEO Jesper Søgaard and CFO Flemming Pedersen. The presentation will simultaneously be webcasted, and both the telephone conference and the webcast offer an opportunity to ask questions.

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Spielbanken Bayern and Stakelogic Launch brand new Live-Casino Offering

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Spielbanken Bayern and Stakelogic Launch brand new Live-Casino Offering
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Pioneering the next chapter of regulated iGaming in Germany, Spielbanken Bayern and leading live-casino specialist Stakelogic have gone live with brand-new online live casino solutions.

On 28 May 2025, spielbanken-bayern-online.de rolled out a set of Automatic Roulettes. The launch marks the inaugural step in a phased roadmap that will soon see more Roulette and Blackjack.

Bavaria became Germany’s first state to introduce online live-casino games in April 2024. Since beginning 2025, Spielbanken Bayern has worked hand-in-hand with the Bavarian regulator and Stakelogic to craft a best-in-class solution that combines strict compliance with an engaging, secure, and reputable gaming offering.

Stephan van den Oetelaar, CEO at Stakelogic, added: “It is both an honour and a privilege to develop further with Spielbanken Bayern on Germany’s first legal online casino. The timeline was ambitious, but our combined teams delivered. In the coming months, we will continue to optimise and enrich the portfolio with additional premium content.”

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This landmark collaboration cements Spielbanken Bayern’s position as Germany’s online live-casino trail-blazer while underscoring Stakelogic’s reputation for marrying regulatory rigour with next-generation player experiences.

The post Spielbanken Bayern and Stakelogic Launch brand new Live-Casino Offering appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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DoubleDown Interactive Enters into Agreement to Acquire German Social Casino Operator WHOW Games

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DoubleDown Interactive, a leading gaming company delivering exceptional player experiences across multiple genres, announced that it has entered into a Share Purchase and Transfer Agreement with Azerion Tech Holding to acquire WHOW Games GmbH, a social casino developer headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

The initial consideration for 100% ownership interest in WHOW Games is €55 million (approximately $64.7 million). An additional earn-out payment of up to €10 million, payable to Azerion at €5 million annually, is contingent upon WHOW Games meeting certain performance targets during each of the first and second year following the closing date. The acquisition will be financed through DoubleDown’s cash reserves and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2025.

DoubleDown intends to leverage WHOW Games’ proven expertise in the Europe market and partner-driven business model alongside its own operational strength, marketing capabilities and extensive gaming content to pursue growth opportunities in Europe, particularly in Germany. According to research from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming LLC, the European social casino market grew in 2023 and 2024 as compared to the overall market which has entered a mature stage. WHOW Games offers a versatile portfolio of social casino apps with proprietary brands such as MyJackpot and Lounge777 as well as third-party labeled social casino offerings including Merkur24 through strategic licensing agreements with prominent global brick and mortar casino companies.

In Keuk Kim, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said: “This acquisition marks a significant step toward increasing our competitiveness in the growing German social casino market. Leveraging our combined operational expertise and enhanced scale, we aim to unlock valuable synergies. We are delighted to welcome the WHOW Games team to DoubleDown and look forward to working collaboratively on initiatives to drive growth across the business.”

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Giovanni Valerio Valeriota, Chief Executive Officer of WHOW Games, said: “We are excited to begin this new chapter as part of the DoubleDown family. Their deep expertise in gaming makes them a natural fit for WHOW Games, and we believe that this partnership will accelerate our growth and innovation. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Azerion, whose support and strategic guidance during our time together has been instrumental in shaping WHOW Games into the strong and dynamic company it is today.”

The post DoubleDown Interactive Enters into Agreement to Acquire German Social Casino Operator WHOW Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Swintt Joins Forces with TOPsport to Capitalize on Lithuanian Market

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Swintt Joins Forces with TOPsport to Capitalize on Lithuanian Market
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Swintt – the award-winning software provider behind recent slot sensations Big Max Pot Hunter and Big Fish – has announced it has formed a new partnership with established Lithuanian betting brand, TOPsport, that will see the studio further raise its profile in the country.

With the new deal now in place, Swintt is already live with 36 Premium releases on the TOPsport platform, with these giving players access to a roster of classically-themed games that combine the design elements of traditional land-based slots with exciting mechanics and bonus features.

Established in 2002, TOPsport is Lithuania’s first and largest gambling operator, boasting a strong bricks-and-mortar presence that includes 50 casino slot saloons spread across 26 towns in addition to its online enterprise. Given the brand’s rich land-based heritage, the SwinttPremium range seems to be ideally suited for its customers, who will enjoy the slots’ familiar look and feel.

Among the Premium options now available at TOPsport.lt, players will be particularly keen to try the acclaimed Extra Win X, which adds an innovative Bonus Wheel to the iconic fruit machine format, and Max The Winner, which features a unique gathering mechanic that sees the titular cartoon squirrel appear on the reels during the bonus feature to collect acorns and award prizes.

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With these just being two of the standout examples from the new collection of Swintt slots that are now available at TOPsport.lt, the brand will be able to further cement its reputation as the country’s leading operator while Swintt continues to reach more players in the Lithuanian market.

David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “With TOPsport being Lithuania’s oldest and most-trusted betting brand, we’re delighted to be able to introduce our Premium releases to players on the platform. With all of these games offering themes and features that are inspired by traditional land-based slot machines, we’re sure they’ll prove a popular addition to their line-up.”

Linas Dargenavičius, Chief Commercial Officer at TOPsport, said: “With a diverse library of over 3,000 slot titles, TOPsport offers the most extensive selection of online casino games in Lithuania. The addition of SwinttPremium titles further strengthens our portfolio, bringing in games that resonate with players familiar with classic land-based machines. Their engaging mechanics make them a valuable extension of the experience we aim to provide.”

The post Swintt Joins Forces with TOPsport to Capitalize on Lithuanian Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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