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Viaplay announced as IHF’s exclusive streaming partner
Viaplay Group and the International Handball Federation (IHF) have agreed a landmark partnership that makes the Viaplay streaming service home to the IHF’s hugely popular competitions in 10 European countries until 2031.
Fans will be able to stream more than 40 IHF events live and exclusively on Viaplay over the coming years, including all upcoming IHF Women’s and Men’s World Championships. The deal brokered by SPORTFIVE covers Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, the Netherlands, the Baltic countries, and the UK – a footprint spanning many of the world’s leading handball nations.
The agreement secures the IHF Men’s World Championships for the next nine years: 2023 (Poland and Sweden), 2025 (Croatia, Denmark and Norway), 2027, 2029 and 2031, and the IHF Women’s World Championships in 2023 (Denmark, Norway and Sweden), 2025 (Germany and the Netherlands), 2027, 2029 and 2031.
The partnership will see a wide range of matches, including all games featuring teams from Viaplay markets, shown with local commentators and premium studio programming.
In addition, Viaplay now holds the rights to several games: the next four IHF Women’s Junior (U20) World Championships and IHF Women’s Youth (U18) World Championships; the next five IHF Men’s Junior (U21) World Championships and IHF Men’s Youth (U19) World Championships; the IHF Men’s & Women’s Beach Handball World Championships in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030; and the annual IHF Beach Handball Global Tour.
The partnership was brokered by SPORTFIVE, long-time partner and exclusive marketer of the global media rights as well as the marketing rights for all IHF World Championships until 2031. The Viaplay Group had previously acquired the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish rights to the IHF Men’s and Women’s World Championships in 2023 and 2025 under a separate agreement.
Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group Chief Sports Officer: “This milestone deal ensures Viaplay will deliver the world’s best handball to many of the sport’s biggest markets throughout this decade and beyond. Denmark are the reigning men’s world champions and four-time winners Norway are undisputed queens of the women’s game. Numerous upcoming IHF tournaments will also be home events for millions of our viewers, which will increase local interest even further. These are key rights that are now secured for the long term on Viaplay.”
Dr. Hassan Moustafa, president of IHF says, “we are delighted to announce that the IHF have joined forces and partnered up with Viaplay Group. Thanks to our partnership with the official IHF TV and Marketing Rights Partner Sportfive, we were able to realise this agreement, which allows us to spread the enthusiasm for handball events to more countries and people and, equally importantly, with guaranteed quality and for the long term.”
“Viaplay is both one of the fastest growing streaming companies in the world, and a company that is truly dedicated to handball. With this long-term partnership, the IHF Senior, Youth and Beach Handball World Championships get a reliable partner that will broadcast the world’s best handball competitions in some of the most important handball territories, as well in emerging European handball markets, and provide a professional and high-profile platform for the sport. We are proud to have brokered this outstanding partnership”, Karsten Mahlmann adds, Vice President Media at SPORTFIVE.
ACR Poker
ACR POKER’S LIGHTNING PKOS DELIVER FAST-PACED TOURNAMENT POKER ACTION AND BIG WINS IN JUST 45 MINUTES
Poker players looking for lightning-fast tournament poker action are heading to ACR Poker. The popular global poker site is bringing the heat with Lightning PKOs—a rapid progressive knockout tournament format that delivers high-speed play and big knockout prizes in tournaments that last just 45 minutes.
“If you’re a family man like me, finding time to play tournaments can be a challenge,” said ACR Pro and poker legend Chris Moneymaker. “ACR Poker’s Lightning PKOs are perfect for time-starved players who love fast-paced poker action and big knockout rewards without the long grind. Whether you’re playing on mobile or desktop, there’s 45-minute tournaments running around the clock, making it easy to find a game and join the excitement anytime.”
Running 24/7, Lightning PKOs give players the flexibility to jump into the action at any time. With buy-ins ranging from $0.11 up to $31.50, these tournaments cater to every bankroll while providing the chance to play for instant knockout bounties. With 20 minutes of late registration, players can join on the fly without missing out.
Unlike traditional poker tournaments that can last for hours, Lightning PKOs keep the action moving, with every tournament wrapping up in just 45 minutes. Players start with 10 big blinds and every knockout results in an instant cash prize. With more players joining daily, the prize pools continue to grow, offering even greater rewards in every tournament.
Lightning PKOs are now available as part of ACR Poker’s recently revamped tournament schedule, giving players the chance to jump in and play anytime, anywhere.
In addition to the high-energy Lightning PKOs, players can experience even more action at ACR Poker throughout March and April. The Online Super Series runs until Monday, March 31st, featuring $25 million in guarantees and a $35,000 Leaderboard Contest. Players can also jump into the $12 million guaranteed Dual Venom tournaments starting Sunday, April 13th and secure their $2,650 seat for as little as $0 through the Venom Vault and Venom Fever Satellites.
The post ACR POKER’S LIGHTNING PKOS DELIVER FAST-PACED TOURNAMENT POKER ACTION AND BIG WINS IN JUST 45 MINUTES appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator is strengthening the sweepstakes and social casino sector by offering a vast array of free-to-play content. The solution provides operators with uninterrupted operations and dedicated technical support.
Recent forecasts indicate that the free-to-play gaming market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5% from 2023 to 2032, generating over 350 billion dollars by 2032.
With over 27,800 games from more than 280 providers, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator effectively responds to the growing global demand for this type of entertainment. By continuously seeking new ways to help operators offer immersive gambling experiences without real-money wagering, the platform delivers the same advantages to sweepstakes and social casino operators as it does to traditional gambling projects, including:
- A vast portfolio with free-to-play and sweepstakes-ready titles
- Instant access to games through a single API integration, ensuring swift deployment of new content and minimising downtime
- Stable performance with 99.999% uptime and 24/7 technical support, ensuring a smooth experience for both operators and players
Many global sweepstakes and social casino operators have partnered with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator to expand their audiences and strengthen player engagement. Besides benefiting from access to the extensive gaming portfolio, these projects get a flexible and reliable solution that can adapt to the evolving regulatory landscape around social and sweepstakes gaming.
Alena Bekus, Deputy Head of the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, shared: “We see a real shift toward alternative gaming experiences where players can enjoy casino-style entertainment without risking losing money. That’s exactly where our solution fits perfectly. With our proven uptime record and seamless integration of thousands of games, we are helping our clients grow globally and stand out in the market.”
The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator has a strong reputation among operators of all sizes, from established brands to emerging newcomers. Operators have reported high satisfaction with the platform’s stability, ease of integration, and variety of content. According to recent Kantar research, 51% of SOFTSWISS’ partners rated the product a perfect 10 or 9, highlighting its role as a trusted all-in-one solution.
The SOFTSWISS team will be available to discuss sweepstakes, social casino segments and partnerships at SiGMA Americas in São Paulo, Brazil, from 7 to 10 April.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 27,800 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator Supports Sweepstakes and Social Casino Boom appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Charles Gillespie Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Gambling.com Group
Gambling.com Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results
2025 Guidance Mid-points Imply 35% and 40% Year-Over-Year Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Growth
Gambling.com Group Limited, a fast-growing provider of digital marketing services for the global online gambling industry, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2024.
Charles Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Gambling.com Group, commented, “Our record fourth quarter and full-year results were driven by our team’s prioritization of iGaming across the markets where we operate. Our team delivered outstanding performance in the quarter, especially when compared to the launch driven results in the prior-year period. We anticipate growth and continued market share gains in our performance marketing business across all geographic regions in 2025, including North America. The consolidation of Odds Holdings, Inc. from January 1st marks the start of the Company’s next phase of growth as we layer on sports data solutions to our existing, high-growth, high-margin business. Our competitive positioning is strong across the globe.”
“We capped an active and productive year during which we set the stage for continued strong growth in 2025 and beyond,” said Mr. Gillespie. “In 2024, we extended our record of delivering full-year revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow growth with those metrics improving 17%, 33%, and 81%, respectively, year-over-year. In addition, we strengthened our product and market positioning organically as well as through the complementary, accretive acquisitions of Freebets.com and Odds Holdings. With the biggest and most talented team we have ever had and an enhanced product offering, we are making great progress towards our goal of reaching $100 million in annual Adjusted EBITDA.”
Elias Mark, Chief Financial Officer of Gambling.com Group, added, “Fourth quarter revenue and Adjusted EBITDA increased 9% and 39% year-over-year, respectively, and over 80% of Adjusted EBITDA converted to free cash flow, reflecting the continued success of our strategies to optimize the returns from our global portfolio of owned and operated assets. As expected, we generated strong online casino growth across all our geographical regions, while our North American business continued to be resilient against challenging comparables. As reflected in our full-year guidance, we expect to generate significant year-over-year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth in 2025, and we are well-positioned to carry this operating momentum forward.”
Financial Highlights Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 vs. Three Months Ended December 31, 2023
(USD in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)
|
|
Three Months Ended December 31, |
|
Change |
|||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
% |
|||
|
Revenue |
35,308 |
|
|
32,530 |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
Net income for the period attributable to shareholders |
7,933 |
|
|
6,372 |
|
|
24 |
% |
|
Net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted |
0.23 |
|
|
0.16 |
|
|
44 |
% |
|
Net income margin |
22 |
% |
|
20 |
% |
|
|
|
|
Adjusted net income for the period attributable to shareholders (1) |
12,172 |
|
|
8,622 |
|
|
41 |
% |
|
Adjusted net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted (1) |
0.35 |
|
|
0.22 |
|
|
59 |
% |
|
Adjusted EBITDA (1) |
14,736 |
|
|
10,569 |
|
|
39 |
% |
|
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1) |
42 |
% |
|
32 |
% |
|
|
|
|
Cash flows generated by operating activities |
13,698 |
|
|
7,140 |
|
|
92 |
% |
|
Free Cash Flow (1) |
13,162 |
|
|
6,511 |
|
|
102 |
% |
|
__________ |
|
(1) Represents a non-IFRS measure. See “Supplemental Information – Non-IFRS Financial Measures” and the tables at the end of this release for reconciliations to the comparable IFRS numbers. |
Fourth Quarter 2024 and Recent Business Highlights
- Delivered more than 145,000 new depositing customers (“NDCs”)
- Repurchased 486,312 shares at an average price of $9.80 per share
- Won Casino Affiliate of the Year at the 2024 EGR Operator Awards
- Completed accretive acquisition of Odds Holdings, Inc. on January 1, 2025 for initial consideration of $70 million in cash and $10 million in shares
- Expanded credit facility to $165 million with a new syndicate
Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 Results Compared to Three Months Ended December 31, 2023
Revenue rose 9% year-over-year to a record $35.3 million. The Company delivered more than 145,000 NDCs to clients, a 9% year-over-year decrease reflecting a challenging comparison primarily due to ESPNBet’s launch in 17 markets in the 2023 fourth quarter period.
Gross profit increased 21% to $33.1 million, due to strong revenue growth and a $2.9 million year-over-year decrease in cost of sales related to the Company’s media partnerships.
Total operating expenses increased 21% to $23.3 million, primarily as a result of increased people costs and higher amortization related to the acquisition of Freebets.com and related assets.
Net income attributable to shareholders increased $1.6 million to $7.9 million and net income per share was $0.23 compared to $0.16 in the prior year period. Adjusted net income rose 41% to $12.2 million and adjusted net income per share increased 59% to $0.35.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 39% to a record $14.7 million, reflecting an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 42% as compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $10.6 million and an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 32% in the prior-year period.
Operating cash flow of $13.7 million compared to $7.1 million in the prior-year period. Free cash flow grew 102% to $13.2 million reflecting growth in net income and Adjusted EBITDA and positive working capital movements in the quarter.
2025 Outlook
Gambling.com Group today reiterated the 2025 full-year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance originally provided on February 19, 2025. The Company expects full year revenue of $170 million to $174 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $67 million to $69 million. The midpoints of the new full year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance ranges represent year-over-year growth of 35% and 40%, respectively, and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 39.5%.
The Company’s guidance assumes:
- Incremental Adjusted EBITDA contributions of approximately $14.5 million related to the acquisition of Odds Holdings, Inc. that was completed on January 1, 2025.
- No additional North American markets coming online over the balance of 2025. While online sports betting is expected to begin in Missouri in the second half of 2025, the Company’s guidance policy excludes any benefits from new state launches until such time as a definitive start date is announced by the appropriate regulatory body.
- An average EUR/USD exchange rate of 1.07 throughout 2025.
Financial Highlights Full Year Ended December 31, 2024 vs. Full Year Ended December 31, 2023
(USD in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)
|
|
Year ended December 31, |
|
Change |
|||||
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
% |
|||
|
Revenue |
127,182 |
|
|
108,652 |
|
|
17 |
% |
|
Net income for the period attributable to shareholders |
30,679 |
|
|
18,260 |
|
|
68 |
% |
|
Net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted |
0.84 |
|
|
0.47 |
|
|
79 |
% |
|
Net income margin |
24 |
% |
|
17 |
% |
|
|
|
|
Adjusted net income for the period attributable to shareholders (1) |
42,120 |
|
|
32,207 |
|
|
31 |
% |
|
Adjusted net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted (1) |
1.16 |
|
|
0.84 |
|
|
38 |
% |
|
Adjusted EBITDA (1) |
48,691 |
|
|
36,715 |
|
|
33 |
% |
|
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1) |
38 |
% |
|
34 |
% |
|
|
|
|
Cash flows generated by operating activities |
37,638 |
|
|
17,910 |
|
|
110 |
% |
|
Free Cash Flow (1) |
41,582 |
|
|
23,000 |
|
|
81 |
% |
|
__________ |
|
(1) Represents a non-IFRS measure. See “Supplemental Information – Non-IFRS Financial Measures” and the tables at the end of this release for reconciliations to the comparable IFRS numbers. |
The post Gambling.com Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
ACR POKER’S LIGHTNING PKOS DELIVER FAST-PACED TOURNAMENT POKER ACTION AND BIG WINS IN JUST 45 MINUTES
SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator Supports Sweepstakes and Social Casino Boom
Gambling.com Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results
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