News
Inspired Reports Strong Fiscal Year 2018 Results
Reading Time: 18 minutes
– Fiscal 2018 Revenues Increase 15.4% Driven by Growth Across Business Segments
– Net Loss Narrows Significantly Year Over Year
– Fiscal 2018 Adjusted EBITDA[1] Increases 32.9% to $54.1 Million
– Revenues for Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2018 of $35.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $16.3 million
Inspired Entertainment, Inc. (“Inspired”) (NASDAQ: INSE) today reported financial results for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2018.
Fiscal 2018 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA increased 15.4% and 32.9% year over year, to $141.4 million and $54.1 million, respectively. Revenue growth was achieved across both business segments primarily driven by the continued rollout of terminals in Greece, new customer revenue in Interactive and Virtual Sports, and an increase in revenue from new channels offered to existing customers. Adjusted EBITDA margin2 increased to 39.5%, from 34.7% in the prior year, primarily as a result of a more profitable revenue mix, more effective business processes, and operating leverage in the cost structure.
Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 were $35.6 million and $16.3 million, respectively. Fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 had significant nil margin sales of $1.0 million and hardware sales to Colombia of $2.9 million. Excluding these sales, revenue and Adjusted EBITDA grew 14.0% and 37.2% for the quarter, respectively, illustrating the revenue momentum and operating leverage inherent in the recurring revenue business model.
Summary of Consolidated Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2018 Financial Results (unaudited) |
|||||||||||||
Year Ended |
Quarter Ended |
||||||||||||
September 30, |
Change |
September 30, |
Change |
||||||||||
2018 |
2017 |
(%) |
2018 |
2017 |
(%) |
||||||||
(In $ millions, except per share figures) |
|||||||||||||
GAAP Measures: |
|||||||||||||
Revenue |
$ 141.4 |
$ 122.5 |
15.4% |
$ 35.6 |
$ 35.1 |
1.4% |
|||||||
Net Operating Gain (Loss) |
$ (7.3) |
$ (11.9) |
NM2 |
$ (3.7) |
$ 0.2 |
NM2 |
|||||||
Net (loss) |
$ (20.6) |
$ (49.1) |
NM |
$ (11.9) |
$ (9.3) |
NM |
|||||||
Net (loss) per diluted share |
$ (0.99) |
$ (2.68) |
NM |
$ (0.57) |
$ (0.46) |
NM |
|||||||
Non-GAAP Measures: |
|||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA1 |
$ 54.1 |
$ 40.7 |
32.9% |
$ 16.3 |
$ 13.9 |
17.2% |
|||||||
1Reconciliation to GAAP shown below |
|||||||||||||
2Percentage change is not meaningful. |
|||||||||||||
“In all measures, we are pleased with our performance in fiscal year 2018. Both of our segments delivered revenue growth and we were able to increase our Adjusted EBITDA margin by 475 basis points, leading us to report Adjusted EBITDA of $54.1 million, up 32.9% from $40.7 million last year,” said Lorne Weil, Executive Chairman of Inspired.
Mr. Weil continued, “While we continue to focus on maintaining that growth, we are also intentionally targeting growth across our businesses in North America. I am optimistic that we can execute on this strategy much as we have done in Greece, where, in less than two years, we have grown the Virtual Sports business exponentially, recently adding another channel of content, and have become the largest supplier of terminals in the marketplace.”
Mr. Weil added, “We believe North America will ramp up and become a larger part of our business. We recently launched Virtual Sports for our first major US lottery customer and we received a warm reception and positive feedback on our products at the G2E tradeshow in Las Vegas. North American lottery and gaming operators are looking for innovative new products that have proven performance, and with Greece as an example, we believe our products will scale.”
Fiscal 2018 and Recent Highlights
Server Based Gaming (“SBG”)
- Installed Base Increased 15.6% Year Over Year – Overall installed base increased to 33,194 due to the continued terminal rollout in Greece and growth from new contract awards in the UK Licensed Betting Office (“LBO”) estate.
- Total OPAP Terminals Installed Increased to 5,500 – Inspired’s roll out into Greece continued during the period, with approximately 5,500 terminals installed as of September 30, 2018. During the period, 3,000 terminals were awarded, taking the Company’s contracted total to 8,360 terminals, which should be installed and live by the middle of 2019. The performance of Inspired’s Greek terminals continues to be strong compared to other suppliers.
- Strong Growth in Italy Estate – Inspired has increased its Customer Gross Win per unit per day in Italy by 14.0% (in Euros) compared to the same period last year, principally driven by new content releases.
- Sisal Contract Extension and Additional VLT Terminals in Italy – During the period, the Company signed a contract extension with Sisal for a further four years, which included the provision of 2,024 VLT terminals.
- Contract Extensions with Paddy Power and Betfred – Contract extensions included additional deployments of terminals, further increasing the size of the Company’s UK LBO estate.
- New Flex 4K Cabinet – The latest SBG cabinet went into trials in the UK LBO market in fiscal 2018.
- New Sabre Hydra electronic table game (“ETG”) cabinet – Completed the outright sale of over 150 Sabre Hydra terminals to three customers during fiscal 2018.
Virtual Sports
- First Major US Lottery Launched Virtual Sports – The Pennsylvania Lottery went live with Virtual Sports in August in over 9,000 venues, more than 1,600 of which have monitors that display Virtual sports via two dedicated channels.
- Additional Virtual Sports Operators – Number of Virtual Sports operators increased to 97 live worldwide (as of September 30, 2018), up 14.1% from the same time last year, including:
- Approximately 250 venues with Boylesports in Ireland
- Over 400 retail venues with Fortuna in Poland
- Both retail and online channels of Veikkaus, Finland’s National Lottery
- New Virtual Sports Channel with OPAP – OPAP has added an additional Virtual Sports channel for Inspired’s Football Matchday. This game is customized together with OPAP to provide a product specifically for Greek players and plays alongside Inspired’s Rush Football 2®, which has been offered since April 2017.
- Signed Contract to be Exclusive Virtual Sports Provider to Bet Stars – Inspired announced a worldwide exclusive contract to provide scheduled and on-demand Virtual Sports online to Bet Stars, part of The Stars Group, one of the world’s largest regulated online gaming operators.
- New Interactive Operators Live – By the end of the period, Inspired’s Interactive business was live with 27 customers, having launched content with 17 new mobile gaming customers during fiscal 2018.
- Virtual Sports Launched with Danske Spil – The Company reached an agreement with the Danish National Lottery, Danske Spil, to supply Virtual Sports to retail venues operated by Danske Spil across Denmark, which went live in November 2018.
- Collaboration with IWG to Provide First Instant Win Virtual Sports – Inspired and IWG, the award-winning supplier of online instant win games, have partnered together to deliver a new vertical for North American lotteries – instant win versions of certain Virtual Sports.
- Launch of New Virtual Grand National with Paddy Power – Inspired’s Virtual Grand National went live on a dedicated channel across Paddy Power’s UK and Ireland retail estates in over 620 stores.
- EGR B2B Award for Virtual Sports Provider of the Year – For the third consecutive year, Inspired received the coveted award.
- Virgo RGS Live in Italy with SNAI – We launched our Virgo RGS and premium omni-channel casino content in Italy with SNAI and will soon launch with Sisal, Eurobet and Betsson’s StarCasino.
Financial
- Refinancing – During the period, the Company announced the completion of an approximately $150 million refinancing of its borrowing facilities in a series of transactions.
- Change in Fiscal Year End – Inspired has changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to December 31. With this fiscal year change, the Company intends to file transitional financial information for the period from October 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.
“During the fiscal year, we were able to perform well across all segments and successfully strengthen our balance sheet, reduce our interest rate and add cash and undrawn capacity under our senior bank debt,” said Stewart Baker, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Inspired. “We believe this focus on strengthening our operations and our balance sheet in order to improve free cash flow will help us to deliver on our goals and strategic priorities.”
Management Outlook and Commentary
Recently it was announced that the reduction in the maximum FOBT betting stake mandated by the Triennial Review would be accelerated from October 2019 to April 2019. This does not change the Company’s estimate of the projected impact of the reduction in stake on our Adjusted EBITDA, after taking into account multiple moving pieces, of approximately $10 million to $11 million annually on a steady state basis. However, the acceleration in start date alters the timing of many of these pieces, including the benefits of the mitigation action to be taken by the Company’s LBO customers, and therefore Management is not comfortable providing calendar 2019 guidance at this time.
Overview of Consolidated Full Year Results
Total revenue for the year ended September 30, 2018 increased by $18.8 million year over year, or 15.4%, to $141.4 million on a reported basis. Favorable currency movements3 accounted for $7.8 million of the increase, which was partly offset by a $1.6 million decrease due to six fewer days in the 2018 period4. On a like-for-like5 basis, revenue increased by $12.6 million, or 10.4%.
SBG revenue increased by $9.9 million, or 11.3%, on a like-or-like basis, comprised of growth in service revenue of $15.1 million offset by a reduction in hardware sales of $5.2 million.
SBG service revenue increased by $15.1 million, or 20.7%, on a like-for-like basis, primarily due to Greece driving total incremental revenue of $14.3 million, which included $6.8 million of additional participation revenue, $2.3 million of other recurring revenue and $5.2 million of additional revenue from software license sales.
The decrease in SBG hardware revenue was driven by lower hardware sales into Greece and Colombia of $5.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively. This was partly offset by SBG terminal sales in the UK of $2.1 million and Electronic Table Games (“ETG”) sales of $1.3 million.
Virtual Sports revenue increased by $2.7 million, or 8.1%, on a like-for-like basis, to $37.8 million, driven by new customer revenue in Interactive and new Virtual Sports customers in Greece, Ireland, Finland and Poland, as well as an increase in revenue from existing customers, due in part to additional channels offered. Growth was negatively affected by $1.7 million due to a reduction in revenue from long-term Virtual Sports licenses that have now come to an end, $0.7 million due to a timing difference in the 2018 contract renewal of a major customer and $0.5 million due to the recognition of revenues previously unreported to us in 2017. Excluding these items, underlying Virtual Sports revenue increased by $5.4 million, or 20.8%, with Virtual Sports land-based and online customers accounting for $4.2 million of the increase and $1.2 million from Interactive.
Cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization, which includes machine cost of sales, consumables, content royalties and connectivity costs, increased by $4.1 million, or 15.4%, on a reported basis, to $30.8 million. On a like-for-like basis, cost of sales increased by $2.5 million, or 9.6%.
Cost of service increased by $5.7 million, or 36.9%, on a like-for-like basis, mainly due to an increase in Greece SBG service costs of $3.5 million and an increase to service UK SBG terminals of $2.1 million.
Cost of hardware decreased by $3.2 million, or 29.6%, on a like-for-like basis, due to lower nil margin hardware sales in Greece and lower hardware sales in Colombia. This was partly offset by higher nil margin sales of the Flex 4k product terminal and other hardware sales in the UK, ETG and Italian markets.
SG&A expenses increased by $1.8 million, or 3.1%, on a reported basis, to $60.1 million. On a like-for-like basis, SG&A expenses decreased by $0.7 million, or 1.3%. This decrease was driven by staff related cost savings of $4.4 million, offset by additional public company costs of $1.8 million due to the prior period containing only nine months of post-Business Combination transaction expenses, as well as a decrease in labor capitalization of $1.1 million due to the mix of projects and incremental group restructuring costs of $0.5 million.
During the period, the Company incurred an impairment expense, considered to be outside the normal course of business, of $7.7 million, following a review of key strategic areas whereas the carrying value of these assets were deemed to be in excess of their current fair value. Of the total impairment, $4.9 million was related to intangible fixed assets, $0.6 million to accrued income, $1.9 million to prepayments and $0.3 million to trade and other debtors.
Depreciation and amortization increased by $8.0 million, or 23.7%, on a reported basis, to $41.8 million. On a like-for-like basis, depreciation and amortization increased by $6.2 million, or 18.6%. This increase was driven by additional machine and machine related depreciation on SBG of $1.7 million and additional amortization in connection with new platforms and games going live on SBG ($4.5 million) and Virtual Sports ($0.4 million). This increase was partly offset by a reduction of non-market specific depreciation and amortization of $0.4 million.
On a reported basis, net operating result improved from a loss of $11.9 million in 2017 to a loss of $7.3 million in 2018. On a like-for-like basis, net operating loss improved by $4.7 million, mainly due to an increase in revenue and reduction in transaction expenses, partly offset by higher cost of sales, depreciation and amortization, impairment expense and stock-based compensation.
Adjusted EBITDA, which the Company considers an important underlying business performance measure, increased by 32.9% year over year to $54.1 million before adjusting for foreign currency impact. After adjusting for foreign currency impact, Adjusted EBITDA increased 26.0%. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Our definition of the measure and its reconciliation to net loss are provided later in this release.
Operating Segment Review
Server Based Gaming
Server Based Gaming Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
(unaudited) |
Twelve-Month Period Ended |
Variance |
||||||||||||||
September 30, |
2018 vs 2017 |
|||||||||||||||
2018 |
2017 |
% |
||||||||||||||
End of period installed base (# of |
33,194 |
28,715 |
4,479 |
15.6 |
% |
|||||||||||
Average installed base (# of terminals) |
31,198 |
27,666 |
3,532 |
12.8 |
% |
|||||||||||
Customer Gross Win per unit per day 1 |
£112.91 |
£116.83 |
(£3.92) |
(3.4) |
% |
|||||||||||
Customer Net Win per unit per day 1 |
£80.58 |
£84.18 |
(£3.60) |
(4.3) |
% |
|||||||||||
Inspired Blended Participation Rate |
6.1 |
% |
6.0 |
% |
0.1 |
% |
1 Includes all SBG terminals in which the Company takes a participation revenue share across all territories. |
In the period ended September 30, 2018, SBG revenue increased $14.5 million, to $103.6 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, SBG revenue increased by $9.9 million, or 11.3%.
SBG service revenue increased by $19.1 million, or 25.8%, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, SBG service revenue increased by $15.1 million, or 20.7%, to $93.2 million, primarily due to an increase in Greece of $14.3 million, which included additional participation revenue of $6.8 million, other recurring revenue of $2.3 million, and $5.2 million of additional revenue from software license sales.
UK LBO Customer Gross Win per unit per day grew by 1.3%. These gains were offset by revised terms agreed on SBG contract renewals with three major UK LBO customers. The contract renewals allowed us to continue to generate revenue without the obligation to make further capital investment.
SBG hardware revenue decreased by $4.6 million to $10.5 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, SBG hardware revenue decreased by $5.2 million, principally due to higher terminal sales in 2017 into Greece and Colombia totaling $5.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively. This was partly offset by higher sales in 2018 in the UK of $2.1 million and ETG sales of $1.3 million.
SBG cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization) increased by $3.6 million to $26.2 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, cost of sales increased by $2.3 million. This was principally due to an increase in service costs of $5.5 million due to Greek SBG service costs of $3.5 million as well as additional UK machine consumable costs of $1.3 million and other cost of service in the UK of $0.8 million. This was partly offset by lower hardware costs of $3.2 million due to lower hardware sales in Greece and Colombia mitigating the higher hardware costs in the UK and ETG markets.
SBG SG&A expenses increased by $0.1 million to $15.7 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, SBG SG&A decreased $0.5 million driven by staff related cost savings.
During the period, an impairment expense considered to be outside the normal course of business amounted to $4.7 million, on a reported basis, due to the review of key strategic areas by the Office of the Executive Chairman.
In the year ended September 30, 2018, SBG operating profit decreased by $1.8 million to $22.7 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, SBG operating profit decreased by $2.8 million. This was primarily due to the impairment expense and additional depreciation and amortization, offset by an increase in revenue.
Virtual Sports
Virtual Sports Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
(unaudited) |
Twelve-Month Period ended |
Variance |
|||||||
September 30, |
2018 vs 2017 |
||||||||
Virtuals |
2018 |
2017 |
% |
||||||
End of Period # Live Customers |
97 |
85 |
12 |
14.1 % |
|||||
Average # Live Customers |
91 |
81 |
9 |
11.6 % |
|||||
Total revenue (£’000) |
£27,944 |
£26,312 |
£1,632 |
6.2 % |
|||||
Total revenue (£’000) – Retail |
£17,171 |
£16,357 |
£814 |
5.0 % |
|||||
Total revenue (£’000) – Scheduled Online |
£8,048 |
£8,159 |
(£111) |
(1.4) % |
|||||
Total revenue (£’000) – Interactive |
£2,725 |
£1,796 |
£928 |
51.7 % |
|||||
Average revenue per customer per day (£) |
£846 |
£875 |
(£29) |
(3.3) % |
|||||
Virtual Sports revenue increased $4.3 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, Virtual Sports revenue increased by $2.7 million, or 8.1% to $37.8 million.
Recurring revenue from Virtual Sports land-based and online increased $4.2 million in fiscal 2018, due to new customer revenue in Finland of $0.5 million as well as continued growth in Greece, UK, Ireland, Poland and Italy of $1.8 million, $0.9 million, $0.4 million, $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively. Interactive revenue increase by $1.2 million driven by further penetration into the mobile marketplace, where the number of our customers increased from 10 to 27. This growth was negatively affected by $1.7 million due to a reduction in revenue from long-term Virtual Sports licenses that have now come to an end, $0.7 million due to a timing difference in the 2018 contract renewal of a major customer and $0.5 million due to the recognition of revenues previously unreported to us in 2017.
Virtual Sports cost of service increased by $0.5 million to $4.6 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, cost of service increased by $0.3 million, due to additional third-party costs payable on new recurring contracts.
Virtual Sports SG&A expenses increased by $1.3 million on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis, Virtual Sports SG&A increased $1.0 million, which was primarily due to lower labor capitalization driven by project mix.
An impairment expense in the period due to the review of key strategic areas by the Office of the Executive Chairman amounted to $3.0 million, on a reported basis.
Virtual Sports operating profit decreased by $1.2 million to $16.0 million, on a reported basis. On a like-for-like basis this represented a decrease of $2.0 million. This was primarily due to the Impairment expense and additional SG&A, offset by an increase in revenue.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We use certain non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, to analyze our operating performance. We use these financial measures to manage our business on a day-to-day basis and we believe that they are the most relevant measures of our performance. We believe that these measures are also commonly used in our industry to measure performance. For these reasons, we believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide expanded insight into our business, in addition to standard U.S. GAAP financial measures. There are no specific rules or regulations for defining and using non-GAAP financial measures, and as a result the measures we use may not be comparable to measures used by other companies, even if they have similar labels. The presentation of non-GAAP financial information should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. You should consider our non-GAAP financial measures in conjunction with our U.S. GAAP financial measures.
We define our non-GAAP financial measures as follows:
Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net loss excluding depreciation and amortization, interest expense, interest income and income tax expense, and other additional specified exclusions and adjustments. Such additional excluded amounts include stock-based compensation, U.S. GAAP charges where the associated liability is expected to be settled in stock, and changes in the value of earnout liabilities and income and expenditure in relation to legacy portions of the business (being those portions where trading no longer occurs) including closed defined benefit pension schemes. Additional adjustments are made for items considered outside the normal course of business, including (1) restructuring costs, which include charges attributable to employee severance, management changes, restructuring and integration (2) merger and acquisition costs and (3) gains or losses not in the ordinary course of business.
We believe Adjusted EBITDA, when considered along with other performance measures, is a particularly useful performance measure, because it focuses on certain operating drivers of the business, including sales growth, operating costs, selling and administrative expense and other operating income and expense. We believe Adjusted EBITDA can provide a more complete understanding of our operating results and the trends to which we are subject, and an enhanced overall understanding of our financial performance and prospects for the future. Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of liquidity or cash flows from operations or a measure comparable to net income or loss, because it does not take into account certain aspects of our operating performance (for example, it excludes non-recurring gains and losses which are not deemed to be a normal part of underlying business activities). Our use of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to the use by other companies of similarly termed measures. Management compensates for these limitations by using Adjusted EBITDA as only one of several measures for evaluating our operating performance. In addition, capital expenditures, which affect depreciation and amortization, interest expense, and income tax benefit (expense), are evaluated separately by management.
Adjusted Revenue (Revenue Excluding Nil Margin Hardware Sales) is defined as revenue excluding hardware sales that are sold at nil margin with the intention of securing longer term recurring revenue streams. For the years ending September 24, 2016 and earlier, this measure also removed analogue sales, on the basis that such sales were no longer considered part of our core business.
Constant Currency. Currency impacts shown have been calculated as the current-period average GBP: USD rate less the equivalent average rate in the prior period, multiplied by the current period amount in our functional currency (GBP). The remaining difference, referred to as constant currency, is calculated as the difference in our functional currency, multiplied by the prior-period average GBP: USD rate, as a proxy for constant currency movement.
Currency Movement represents the difference between the results in our reporting currency (USD) and the results on a Constant Currency basis.
Days Movement represents values relating to the additional six days in the 2017 half year as compared to the 2018 half year using specific information where available and otherwise applying a straight-line method that reflects pro-rated values.
Like-for-Like Variance represents the difference between the results in our reporting currency calculated under GAAP and the results after adjusting for Currency Movement and Days Movement impacts.
Reconciliations from net loss, as shown in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss included elsewhere in this release, to Adjusted EBITDA are shown below.
Conference Call and Webcast
Inspired management will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. UK on Monday, December 10, 2018 to discuss the financial results and general business trends.
Telephone: The dial-in number to access the call live is 1-877-870-4263 (US) or 1-412-317-0790 (International). Participants should ask to be joined into the Inspired Entertainment call.
Webcast: A live audio-only webcast of the call can be accessed through the “Events and Presentations” page of the Company’s website at www.inseinc.com under the Investors link. Please follow the registration prompts.
Replay of the call: A telephone replay of the call will be available one hour after the conclusion of the call until December 17, 2018 by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (US) or 1-412-317-0088 (International), via replay access code 10126707. A replay of the webcast will also be available on the Company’s website at www.inseinc.com.
About Inspired Entertainment, Inc.
Inspired is a global games technology company, supplying Virtual Sports, Mobile Gaming and Server Based Gaming systems with associated terminals and digital content to regulated lottery, betting and gaming operators around the world. Inspired currently operates approximately 30,000 digital gaming terminals and supplies its Virtual Sports products through more than 40,000 retail channels and over 100 websites, in approximately 35 gaming jurisdictions worldwide. Inspired employs more than 650 employees in the UK and elsewhere, developing and operating digital games and networks. Additional information can be found at www.inseinc.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “estimate”, “plan”, “outlook”, and “project” and other similar expressions that indicate future events or trends or are not statements of historical matters. These statements are based on our management’s current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside of our control and all of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that any matters covered by our forward-looking statements will develop as predicted, expected or implied. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements can be found in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our current reports on Form 8-K, which are available, free of charge, on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on our site at www.inseinc.com.
Contact:
For Investors
Aimee Remey
[email protected]
+1 646 620-6737
For Press and Sales
[email protected]
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS |
||||||||
(in thousands, except share data) |
||||||||
September 30, |
||||||||
2018 |
2017 |
|||||||
Assets |
||||||||
Current assets |
||||||||
Cash |
$ |
22,451 |
$ |
20,028 |
||||
Accounts receivable, net |
14,302 |
20,469 |
||||||
Inventory, net |
5,210 |
5,011 |
||||||
Fair value of hedging instrument |
747 |
— |
||||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
15,842 |
17,692 |
||||||
Total current assets |
58,552 |
63,200 |
||||||
Property and equipment, net |
45,707 |
43,485 |
||||||
Software development costs, net |
39,998 |
46,433 |
||||||
Other acquired intangible assets subject to amortization, net |
5,723 |
9,240 |
||||||
Goodwill |
45,818 |
47,076 |
||||||
Other assets |
12,114 |
9,589 |
||||||
Total assets |
$ |
207,912 |
$ |
219,023 |
||||
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit |
||||||||
Current liabilities |
||||||||
Accounts payable |
$ |
14,400 |
$ |
20,407 |
||||
Accrued expenses |
14,354 |
18,119 |
||||||
Earnout liability |
8,021 |
— |
||||||
Corporate tax and other current taxes payable |
2,047 |
3,134 |
||||||
Deferred revenue, current |
9,194 |
7,209 |
||||||
Other current liabilities |
3,851 |
4,420 |
||||||
Current portion of long-term debt |
— |
7,369 |
||||||
Current portion of capital lease obligations |
474 |
562 |
||||||
Total current liabilities |
52,341 |
61,220 |
||||||
Long-term debt |
131,225 |
115,396 |
||||||
Capital lease obligations, net of current portion |
69 |
532 |
||||||
Deferred revenue, net of current portion |
23,946 |
20,144 |
||||||
Earnout liability, net of current portion |
— |
16,728 |
||||||
Derivative liability |
7,764 |
964 |
||||||
Other long-term liabilities |
5,034 |
6,368 |
||||||
Total liabilities |
220,379 |
221,352 |
||||||
Stockholders’ deficit |
||||||||
Preferred stock; $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized |
— |
— |
||||||
Series A Junior Participating Preferred stock; $0.0001 par value; 49,000 shares designated; no |
||||||||
Common stock; $0.0001 par value; 49,000,000 shares authorized; 20,860,591 shares and |
2 |
2 |
||||||
Additional paid in capital |
328,452 |
323,429 |
||||||
Accumulated other comprehensive income |
58,580 |
53,145 |
||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(399,501) |
(378,905) |
||||||
Total stockholders’ deficit |
(12,467) |
(2,329) |
||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit |
$ |
207,912 |
$ |
219,023 |
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS |
||||||||
(in thousands, except share data) |
||||||||
(Unaudited) |
||||||||
For the Period Ended |
||||||||
2018 |
2017 |
|||||||
Revenue: |
||||||||
Service |
$ |
130,924 |
$ |
107,496 |
||||
Hardware |
10,457 |
15,048 |
||||||
Total revenue |
141,381 |
122,544 |
||||||
Cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization: |
||||||||
Cost of service |
(22,601) |
(15,845) |
||||||
Cost of hardware |
(8,179) |
(10,839) |
||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
(60,114) |
(58,301) |
||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
(7,424) |
(4,235) |
||||||
Impairment expense |
(7,679) |
— |
||||||
Acquisition related transaction expenses |
(864) |
(11,411) |
||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(41,832) |
(33,810) |
||||||
Net operating loss |
(7,312) |
(11,897) |
||||||
Other income (expense) |
||||||||
Interest income |
205 |
55 |
||||||
Interest expense |
(20,648) |
(29,358) |
||||||
Change in fair value of earnout liability |
8,707 |
(7,127) |
||||||
Change in fair value of derivative liability |
(5,500) |
(385) |
||||||
Other income (costs) |
4,134 |
(218) |
||||||
Total other expense, net |
(13,102) |
(37,033) |
||||||
Net loss before income taxes |
(20,414) |
(48,930) |
||||||
Income tax expense |
(182) |
(184) |
||||||
Net loss |
(20,596) |
(49,114) |
||||||
Other comprehensive income: |
||||||||
Foreign currency translation gain |
273 |
18,697 |
||||||
Change in fair value of hedging instrument |
261 |
— |
||||||
Reclassification of gain on hedging instrument to comprehensive income |
(308) |
— |
||||||
Actuarial gains on pension plan |
5,209 |
1,343 |
||||||
Other comprehensive income |
5,435 |
20,040 |
||||||
Comprehensive loss |
$ |
(15,161) |
$ |
(29,074) |
||||
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted |
$ |
(0.99) |
$ |
(2.68) |
||||
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period – basic |
20,754,549 |
18,296,480 |
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share data) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common stock |
Additional |
Accumulated |
Accumulated |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||
Shares |
Amount |
capital |
income |
deficit |
deficit |
|||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of |
11,801,369 |
$ |
1 |
$ |
614 |
$ |
33,105 |
$ |
(329,791) |
$ |
(296,071) |
|||||||||||||
Foreign currency |
— |
— |
— |
18,697 |
— |
18,697 |
||||||||||||||||||
Actuarial gains on |
— |
— |
— |
1,343 |
— |
1,343 |
||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued in |
8,412,097 |
1 |
326,237 |
— |
— |
326,238 |
||||||||||||||||||
Earnout liability |
— |
— |
(9,575) |
— |
— |
(9,575) |
||||||||||||||||||
Sale of common stock |
164,536 |
— |
1,645 |
— |
— |
1,645 |
||||||||||||||||||
Stock-based |
24,600 |
— |
4,508 |
— |
— |
4,508 |
||||||||||||||||||
Net loss |
— |
— |
— |
— |
(49,114) |
(49,114) |
||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of |
20,402,602 |
2 |
323,429 |
53,145 |
(378,905) |
(2,329) |
||||||||||||||||||
Foreign currency |
— |
— |
— |
273 |
— |
273 |
||||||||||||||||||
Actuarial gains on |
— |
— |
— |
5,209 |
— |
5,209 |
||||||||||||||||||
Change in fair value of |
— |
— |
— |
261 |
— |
261 |
||||||||||||||||||
Reclassification of gain |
— |
— |
— |
(308) |
— |
(308) |
||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued on |
50 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
1 |
||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued upon net |
457,939 |
— |
(1,043) |
— |
— |
(1,043) |
||||||||||||||||||
Reclassification of RSUs |
— |
— |
2,848 |
— |
— |
2,848 |
||||||||||||||||||
Reclassification of RSUs |
— |
— |
(1,482) |
— |
— |
(1,482) |
||||||||||||||||||
Stock-based |
— |
— |
4,699 |
— |
— |
4,699 |
||||||||||||||||||
Net loss |
— |
— |
— |
— |
(20,596) |
(20,596) |
||||||||||||||||||
Balance as of |
20,860,591 |
$ |
2 |
$ |
328,452 |
$ |
58,580 |
$ |
(399,501) |
$ |
(12,467) |
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS |
||||||||
(in thousands) (Unaudited) |
||||||||
For the Period Ended |
||||||||
2018 |
2017 |
|||||||
Cash flows from operating activities |
||||||||
Net loss |
$ |
(20,596) |
$ |
(49,114) |
||||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: |
||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
41,832 |
33,810 |
||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
7,115 |
4,235 |
||||||
Impairment expense |
7,679 |
— |
||||||
Change in fair value of derivative liability |
5,500 |
385 |
||||||
Change in fair value of earnout liability |
(8,707) |
7,127 |
||||||
Foreign currency translation on senior bank debt |
(3,355) |
— |
||||||
Initial classification of fair value of derivative liability |
— |
845 |
||||||
Non-cash interest expense relating to PIK loan notes |
— |
9,179 |
||||||
Non-cash interest expense relating to senior debt |
6,752 |
6,846 |
||||||
Non-cash interest expense relating to financing fee amortization |
— |
1,188 |
||||||
Changes in assets and liabilities: |
||||||||
Accounts receivable |
5,340 |
(4,566) |
||||||
Inventory |
(448) |
2,737 |
||||||
Prepaid expenses and other assets |
1,207 |
(5,952) |
||||||
Corporate tax and other current taxes payable |
(1,869) |
(1,809) |
||||||
Accounts payable |
(4,054) |
10,497 |
||||||
Other current liabilities |
(69) |
61 |
||||||
Deferred revenues and customer prepayment |
6,498 |
6,831 |
||||||
Accrued expenses |
(2,809) |
(611) |
||||||
Other long-term liabilities |
(5,800) |
(3,438) |
||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
34,216 |
18,251 |
||||||
Cash flows from investing activities |
||||||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
(24,837) |
(15,117) |
||||||
Purchases of capital software |
(18,096) |
(20,268) |
||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(42,933) |
(35,385) |
||||||
Cash flows from financing activities |
||||||||
Proceeds from issuance of revolver and long-term debt |
140,000 |
— |
||||||
Repayments of finance leases |
(544) |
(557) |
||||||
Repayments of revolver and long-term debt |
(123,734) |
(3,197) |
||||||
Payment of financing costs |
(4,569) |
— |
||||||
Cash received in connection with Merger |
— |
36,664 |
||||||
Proceeds from sale of common stock |
— |
1,645 |
||||||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
11,153 |
34,555 |
||||||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash |
(13) |
1,121 |
||||||
Net increase in cash |
2,423 |
18,542 |
||||||
Cash, beginning of period |
20,028 |
1,486 |
||||||
Cash, end of period |
$ |
22,451 |
$ |
20,028 |
||||
Supplemental cash flow disclosures |
||||||||
Cash paid during the period for interest |
$ |
16,723 |
$ |
10,503 |
||||
Cash paid during the period for income taxes |
$ |
7 |
$ |
356 |
||||
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities |
||||||||
Additional paid in capital from net settlement of RSUs |
$ |
(1,043) |
$ |
— |
||||
Additional paid in capital reclassified to derivative liability |
$ |
(1,482) |
$ |
— |
||||
Additional paid in capital reclassified from derivative liability |
$ |
2,848 |
$ |
— |
||||
Derivative liability reclassified to accrued expenses |
$ |
126 |
$ |
— |
||||
Fair value adjustment of PIK shareholder loans |
$ |
— |
$ |
174,990 |
||||
Property and equipment acquired through capital lease |
$ |
— |
$ |
1,208 |
||||
Senior debt exit premium |
$ |
4,200 |
$ |
— |
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
|||||||||||||||
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS |
|||||||||||||||
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES |
|||||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
(Unaudited) |
|||||||||||||||
For the Twelve-Month Period ended |
|||||||||||||||
September 30, |
September 30, |
Adjusted Sept 30, |
|||||||||||||
(In thousands) |
2018 |
2017 |
2017 |
||||||||||||
Net loss |
($20,596) |
($49,114) |
($48,196) |
||||||||||||
Items Relating to Legacy Activities: |
|||||||||||||||
Pension charges |
527 |
631 |
620 |
||||||||||||
(Credit)/Costs relating to former operations |
16 |
(65) |
(57) |
||||||||||||
Litigation Settlement |
260 |
– |
– |
||||||||||||
Items outside the normal course of business: |
|||||||||||||||
Costs of group restructure |
2,786 |
2,447 |
2,447 |
||||||||||||
Italian tax related costs |
– |
220 |
220 |
||||||||||||
Transaction fees |
864 |
11,411 |
11,411 |
||||||||||||
Legal dispute |
– |
(107) |
(107) |
||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
7,424 |
4,235 |
4,235 |
||||||||||||
Impairment expense |
7,679 |
– |
– |
||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
41,832 |
33,810 |
33,312 |
||||||||||||
Total other expense, net |
13,102 |
37,033 |
36,147 |
||||||||||||
Income tax |
182 |
184 |
184 |
||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA |
$54,076 |
$40,686 |
$40,217 |
||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA |
£40,151 |
£31,875 |
£31,508 |
||||||||||||
Exchange Rate – $ to £ |
1.35 |
1.28 |
1.28 |
||||||||||||
For the Twelve-Month Period ended |
|||||||||||||||
September |
September |
Adjusted |
|||||||||||||
(In thousands) |
2018 |
2017 |
2017 |
||||||||||||
Net revenues |
$141,381 |
$122,544 |
$120,982 |
||||||||||||
Less Nil Margin Sales |
(4,021) |
(5,320) |
(5,320) |
||||||||||||
Adjusted Revenue |
$137,360 |
$117,224 |
$115,662 |
||||||||||||
Adjusted Revenue |
£101,760 |
£91,839 |
£90,616 |
||||||||||||
Exchange Rate – $ to £ |
1.35 |
1.28 |
1.28 |
INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC. SEGMENT PERFORMANCE |
||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited) |
||||||||||||||||
Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2018 |
||||||||||||||||
Server Based |
Virtual |
Corporate |
Total |
|||||||||||||
Revenue: |
||||||||||||||||
Service |
$ |
93,161 |
$ |
37,763 |
$ |
— |
$ |
130,924 |
||||||||
Hardware |
10,457 |
— |
— |
10,457 |
||||||||||||
Total revenue |
103,618 |
37,763 |
— |
141,381 |
||||||||||||
Cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization: |
||||||||||||||||
Cost of service |
(17,975) |
(4,626) |
— |
(22,601) |
||||||||||||
Cost of hardware |
(8,179) |
— |
— |
(8,179) |
||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
(15,693) |
(7,503) |
(36,918) |
(60,114) |
||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
(261) |
(305) |
(6,858) |
(7,424) |
||||||||||||
Impairment expense |
(4,715) |
(2,964) |
— |
(7,679) |
||||||||||||
Acquisition related transaction expenses |
— |
— |
(864) |
(864) |
||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(34,142) |
(6,338) |
(1,352) |
(41,832) |
||||||||||||
Segment operating income (loss) |
22,653 |
16,027 |
(45,992) |
(7,312) |
||||||||||||
Net operating loss |
(7,312) |
|||||||||||||||
Total assets at September 30, 2018 |
$ |
103,378 |
$ |
69,545 |
$ |
34,989 |
$ |
207,912 |
||||||||
Total goodwill at September 30, 2018 |
$ |
— |
$ |
45,818 |
$ |
— |
$ |
45,818 |
||||||||
Total capital expenditures for the period ended September |
$ |
35,262 |
$ |
6,798 |
$ |
202 |
$ |
42,262 |
||||||||
Twelve Months Ended September 30, 2017 |
||||||||||||||||
Server Based |
Virtual |
Corporate |
Total |
|||||||||||||
Revenue: |
||||||||||||||||
Service |
$ |
74,072 |
$ |
33,424 |
$ |
— |
$ |
107,496 |
||||||||
Hardware |
15,048 |
— |
— |
15,048 |
||||||||||||
Total revenue |
89,120 |
33,424 |
— |
122,544 |
||||||||||||
Cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization: |
||||||||||||||||
Cost of service |
(11,688) |
(4,157) |
— |
(15,845) |
||||||||||||
Cost of hardware |
(10,839) |
— |
— |
(10,839) |
||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
(15,569) |
(6,168) |
(36,564) |
(58,301) |
||||||||||||
Stock-based compensation expense |
(231) |
(261) |
(3,743) |
(4,235) |
||||||||||||
Acquisition related transaction expenses |
— |
— |
(11,411) |
(11,411) |
||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(26,367) |
(5,587) |
(1,856) |
(33,810) |
||||||||||||
Segment operating income (loss) |
24,426 |
17,251 |
(53,574) |
(11,897) |
||||||||||||
Net operating loss |
$ |
(11,897) |
||||||||||||||
Total assets at September 30, 2017 |
$ |
113,692 |
$ |
75,975 |
$ |
29,356 |
$ |
219,023 |
||||||||
Total goodwill at September 30, 2017 |
$ |
— |
$ |
47,076 |
$ |
— |
$ |
47,076 |
||||||||
Total capital expenditures for the period ended September |
$ |
22,921 |
$ |
7,039 |
$ |
2,768 |
$ |
32,728 |
1 Reconciliation to GAAP shown below. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for definition.
2 Calculated as Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of Adjusted Revenue. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for definition.
3 Currency movement is a non-GAAP financial measure. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for definition.
4 Days Movement is a non-GAAP financial measure. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for definition.
5 Adjusted for Currency Movement and Days Movement impacts. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for definition.
Source: Inspired Entertainment, Inc.
Source: European Gaming Media
Latest News
Innovations Redefining iGaming: What Operators Need to Know
The iGaming industry is advancing at breakneck speed, driven by technological innovation and evolving player expectations. Itai Zak, Executive Director of iGaming at Digicode, emphasizes the importance of bridging client aspirations with customized business solutions. Key trends shaping the future of iGaming include live dealer games, blockchain integration, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), enhanced personalization, and shifting regulatory environments. Let’s delve into how these trends influence the industry, presenting new opportunities while paving the way for future growth.
A Closer Look at Emerging Trends
- Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games are revolutionizing the online gaming experience, blending the best aspects of land-based casinos with the convenience of virtual gaming. Players can now engage with real-life dealers via high-definition video streams, enhancing the social component of online gambling. This bridge between physical and virtual casinos introduces interactive features like live chat and immersive gameplay. Industry leaders like Evolution Gaming and NetEnt are setting new standards in player engagement with innovative game formats and top-tier studio setups, redefining the realism and appeal of live gaming.
- Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Integration
Blockchain technology is transforming iGaming by offering unparalleled transparency and security. With blockchain’s ability to enable provably fair gaming, players can verify that each round is fair via an immutable ledger. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum facilitate faster, more secure transactions, catering to tech-savvy players who value privacy. Platforms like Bitcasino.io are leading the way, leveraging blockchain to ensure fairness and seamless payments. However, the rise of blockchain also attracts regulatory attention, requiring operators to balance innovation with compliance as governments navigate this new technology.
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI and ML are instrumental in enhancing player experience and operational efficiency. AI algorithms analyze player behavior in real-time, offering personalized game recommendations and promotions. Additionally, AI-powered chatbots provide instant customer support, improving user satisfaction. AI-driven predictive analytics also help operators fine-tune marketing strategies based on player preferences. Companies like Bet365 are already using these technologies to stay ahead of the competition, offering more personalized and efficient gaming experiences.
- Richer Personalization and Engagement
Personalization has become crucial for iGaming operators looking to boost player satisfaction and retention. By leveraging data analytics, companies can offer tailored game recommendations, dynamic bonuses, and individualized promotional offers. This level of engagement enhances the player experience and strengthens loyalty. Industry pioneers like DraftKings and FanDuel push the envelope by offering highly customized features, such as personalized fantasy sports leagues and bespoke betting options.
- Regulatory Changes and Market Expansion
The constantly evolving regulatory landscape offers both challenges and opportunities for iGaming operators. As more regions legalize various forms of online gambling, companies gain access to new markets. With their large populations and increasing internet penetration, emerging markets like Brazil and Nigeria represent lucrative opportunities. However, navigating the diverse regulations in these markets requires agility and strict compliance with local laws to succeed.
- Enhanced Payment Solutions
With digital transactions becoming the norm, the demand for fast, secure, and flexible payment methods is skyrocketing. From digital wallets to instant banking and cryptocurrencies, players expect payment solutions that offer convenience and security. This growing demand is driving innovation in payment processing, giving operators more opportunities to streamline the transaction process while building trust with users.
Future Implications
The Expanding Role of AI and Blockchain
AI and blockchain are not just current trends, but they are poised to play an even more significant role in iGaming’s future. As AI technology evolves, more sophisticated algorithms will emerge, enabling real-time adaptation to player behavior and preferences. Blockchain’s application may extend beyond transparency and security, transforming game mechanics and player interactions potentially redefining how games are designed and played.
Shifting Player Preferences
Player expectations will continue to evolve toward immersive, interactive experiences. As Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) become more mainstream, they will significantly influence the future of iGaming. Players will demand more engaging, lifelike environments, pushing the industry to create innovative game formats and features that offer deeper immersion and entertainment value.
Regulatory Developments
The regulatory environment will continue to evolve, and iGaming operators must stay agile to navigate future changes. New regulations may increasingly emphasize responsible gaming and player protection, influencing platform design and operational practices. A more harmonized regulatory framework across jurisdictions could provide stability while requiring operators to prioritize compliance.
Integrating Emerging Technologies
Technologies like 5G and edge computing are set to revolutionize iGaming by enabling faster, more reliable connectivity. This will allow for more complex game designs and real-time player interactions, opening new avenues for innovative gaming experiences. As these technologies mature, operators will have greater opportunities to differentiate their offerings. The potential of these emerging technologies to revolutionize iGaming is truly exciting and promising for the industry’s future.
Final Thoughts
The iGaming industry is on the cusp of significant transformations, driven by technological advancements and shifting player demands. Innovations like live dealer games, blockchain integration, AI, ML, and enhanced personalization are just the beginning. As the industry evolves, staying ahead of these trends will be critical for operators looking to thrive in an increasingly dynamic environment.
At Digicode, we are constantly exploring new technologies and refining our solutions to meet the evolving needs of our clients. Our focus on adaptability and foresight ensures that our clients are not just keeping pace with the industry—they’re leading it.
The post Innovations Redefining iGaming: What Operators Need to Know appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
What makes Turbo Games’ provably fair games so special?
A partnership between game developer Turbo Games and iGaming solution provider and aggregator Slotegrator began in November 2022 via the APIgrator game integration solution. Since then, the collaboration has been developing successfully — and now it’s time to analyze what made it successful.
Turbo Games has noticed how the new technologies spreading throughout the industry can work for the good of brand transparency and player loyalty: “We can already see how blockchain technology has made it possible to make betting checks more accessible to players. All you need is a blockchain-hash and a decoder service. We think we will continue to move in this direction. Many traditional online casinos do not offer the possibility to check the bet. Sooner or later we all have to come to this. Perhaps the development of artificial intelligence will help here, because we are already seeing its involvement in all spheres of human life.”
Turbo Games specializes in provably fair games. Provable fairness is a concept where players can verify their wins or losses using blockchain technology — the outcome of the game is dictated by a smart contract and is absolutely random, barring the possibility of any human involvement. Using cryptographic hashing algorithms, the gambling site and the player’s device both generate seeds (random strings of numbers). Players receive a key that allows them to check the results; if the results are the same as the game round they witnessed, it proves that there was no foul play.
According to statistics from Turbo Games, the audience for provably fair games is mostly between 18 and 25 years old. However, there are also players aged 35-40 who prefer traditional games but would like to try something new, and have turned their attention to provably fair games.
There are good odds that the technology of provably fair games will become more popular, if not even commonplace, because it gives players a feeling of transparency and proves that the business is trustworthy without the need to search through dozens of reviews. Whereas many innovations in iGaming simply add entertainment, provable fairness addresses security concerns and reassures players that they’re not being exploited, which is invaluable.
Provably fair games are beneficial for both players and online casinos. Vadim Potapenko, Head of Sales at Turbo Games, comments: “It often happens that the users are not satisfied with the result, because gambling is not only about big wins, but also possible losses. By allowing them to check the fairness of a bet, we make life easier for platforms and players. Of course, this allows us to communicate with partners and users that we work honestly and that’s why they should trust our games.”
Ayvar Gabidullin, Business Development Manager at Slotegrator, adds that “this type of game is now becoming more and more popular and has great potential for both players and game providers in the future. On the part of the player, the advantage is that the player can always be sure that his game is fair and he can independently check any of his bets. And for the game provider, this also simplifies the process of implementing casino games, since now it will not be necessary to obtain the appropriate certificates from independent laboratories before launching new games, they can immediately enter the market with these games and where anyone can check the result and make sure that that there is no cheating with players. Many game providers are starting to look towards this type of game. And as far as I see, many operators are starting to think about adding these games.”
What do players in 2023 need? The iGaming industry is all about reputation and trust. Players have a huge number of platforms to choose from, making them pickier and pickier. There’s an abundance of forums where players leave reviews, so if players view a brand as untrustworthy, there are plenty of places they can share their opinion. Provable fairness not only stops that from happening, it provides evidence to the contrary, giving players something else to talk about.
Slotegrator also recommends investing time and effort into localization and creating an effective and detailed marketing strategy — before trying provably fair technology players need to get to the platform, and there is no acquisition without marketing.
ABOUT SLOTEGRATOR
Since 2012, Slotegrator has been one of the iGaming industry’s leading software and business solution providers for online casino and sportsbook operators.
The company’s main focus is software development and support for online casino platforms, as well as the integration of game content and payment systems.
The company works with licensed game developers and offers a vast portfolio of casino content: slots, live casino games, poker, virtual sports, table games, lotteries, casual games, and data feeds for betting.
Slotegrator also provides consulting services in gambling license acquisition and business incorporation.
More information: https://slotegrator.pro/
ABOUT TURBO GAMES
Turbo Games — a provably fair games provider that belongs to Turbo Stars company — has an ambitious goal to establish widespread recognition throughout the iGaming world. Even though it is young, the company consists of professionals who have been working on the brand for over five years and are even planning to introduce a new brand for a wider audience soon.
Turbo Games also works in Europe, India, and South Africa, where the company sees the most potential and expects the same “hype” as in Brazil.
The portfolio of Turbo Games consists of 21 titles, including well-known games like Mines, Crash X, DoubleRoll, Hi-Lo, and Plinko. The studio releases a game every month. However, not all games are developed from scratch. Wicket Blast and Spin Strike, the last two releases, are based on cricket and the Indian Premier League. Crash X remains the most popular fast game in the Turbo Games portfolio, and the studio reports that crash games enjoy stable levels of popularity. Overall, the main focus of the brand is provably fair games.
More information: https://turbogames.io/
Baltics
Games Factory Talents has teamed up with Nordic Game to bring you Nordic Game Talents.
Looking to take your career to the next level in the games industry? Then, Nordic Game Talents is the place to be! Games Factory Talents has teamed up with Nordic Game to bring you Nordic Game Talents.
From Oct 27-29, the online and interactive event is dedicated to recruitment and career building in the creative & games industry within the Nordic region. The event empowers participants to be part of a bigger community and motivates them to explore new paths in achieving their career goals.
Hiring creative & games studios – Supercell, Funcom, Panzerdog, Tactile Games, Gamecan, Fingersoft, Dazzle Rocks, Redhill Games to name a few from the Nordic region will be participating in the event. These studios will share information on their latest projects, work culture and what it takes to be part of their team. The individual games associations from Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Estonia will share insights through live sessions on the booming games industry in their respective countries. Career development topics pertinent to job seekers like – How to have a successful first interview, Creative Portfolio reviews will also be discussed.
Experienced game industry professionals and individuals beginning their careers from around the world are welcome to join the event. One-to-one interviews with the hiring studios can be scheduled through the event platform. A great opportunity to get to know the studios and network with game professionals from around the world.
Participating in the event
As a job seeker attending Nordic Game Talents, take a few minutes to fill out a simple registration form. After filling the registration form you will receive a link to the online event platform – PINE, to join the event on 27th October. Participants joining Nordic Game Talents will also receive a free-of-charge pass to the Nordic Game Conference.
To view the complete agenda, please click here and to learn more about the event please visit Games Job Fair
About Games Factory Talents
A Helsinki-based talent attraction agency dedicated to the games & creative industry. Our services include direct recruitment, organizing game job fairs and managing a community of game industry professionals through our GameDev Talent Board.
To learn more about Games Factory Talents visit – Games Factory Talents
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