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Better Collective reports record-breaking Q4 and full year of 2022

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Interim report October 1 – December 31, 2022.

Regulatory release no. 06/2023

Flash Highlights Q4 2022

  • Revenue: 86.1 mEUR; growth of 63% YOY, organic growth 44%
  • Recurring revenue: 41.3 mEUR; growth of 94% YOY
  • Revenue share income: 30.2 mEUR; growth of 81% YOY
  • EBITDA before special items: 35.2 mEUR; growth of 115% YOY; margin 41%
  • New Depositing Customers: All time high with >580.000; growth 117% of which 78% were sent on revenue share contracts
  • January trading update: Record breaking month with revenue of >37 mEUR; >40% YOY growth

Flash Highlights 2022

  • Revenue: 269.3 mEUR; growth of 52% YOY, organic growth 34%
  • Recurring revenue: 123.3 mEUR; growth of 54% YOY
  • Revenue share income: 96.4m EUR; growth of 42% YOY
  • EBITDA before special items: 85.1 mEUR; growth of 53% YOY; margin 32%
  • New Depositing Customers: All time high at >1.680.000; growth 96% of which 76% were sent on revenue share contracts
  • Earnings per share (EPS) increased >150% YOY

Highlights Q4 2022

  • Financial targets for 2022 were 20-30% organic revenue growth, operational earnings of approximately 85 mEUR and net debt to EBITDA <3. On February 6, a guidance upgrade was released as 34% organic revenue growth was achieved, with 85.1 mEUR in EBITDA before special items and a net debt to EBITDA <3.
  • Q4 Group revenue grew by 63% to 86.1 mEUR with recurring revenues growing 94% to 41.3 mEUR; organic revenue growth was 44%.
    • Europe & ROW revenue grew 59% to 52.2 mEUR driven by an extraordinary strong performance with the men’s soccer World Cup where >300.000 NDCs were sent from the tournament alone and saw a good underlying business performance from Paid Media and media partnerships.
    • US revenue grew 71% to 33.9 mEUR driven by a busy sports calendar and a successful Maryland state launch.
  • The sports win margin continued to bounce back as the impacted European markets normalized as well as the sports wagering continued at all-time highs.
  • Q4 Group EBITDA before special items grew 115% YOY to 35.2 mEUR.
    • Europe & ROW delivered 20.7 mEUR in EBITDA before special items, which equals growth of 149% YOY and a margin of 40%.
    • The US delivered 14.5 mEUR, in EBITDA before special items implying 81% growth and a margin of 43%.
  • Cash flow from operations before special items was 21.0 mEUR an increase of 55%. The cash conversion before special items was 58% due to the extraordinarily high revenue in the quarter. During the quarter >11 mEUR were paid in taxes, of which 10.7 mEUR were paid in Denmark. By the end of 2022, capital reserves stood at 76 mEUR of which cash of 31 mEUR and unused bank credit facilities of 44 mEUR.
  • New depositing customers broke all time high records with >580,000 in the quarter; growth of 117%. NDCs sent on revenue share contracts were 78%. During 2022 the Group delivered 1.7 million NDCs.
  • Initiation of a share buyback program for up to 5 mEUR. The purpose of the buyback program was to cover future payments relating to completed acquisitions and LTI programs.
  • Petra Zackrisson was appointed as SVP of Growth and joined the management team.

Significant events after the closure of the period

  • The positive momentum from 2022 continued into January 2023, which posted record breaking monthly revenue of >37 mEUR, >40% YOY growth. The main driver was the Ohio state launch, and the growth comes on top of a strong comparison from last year where New York state launched.
  • New media partnerships with Goal.com and Wirtualna Polska. Globally, Better Collective has several large partnerships like the ones with The Telegraph and The New York Post, as well as many smaller partnerships.
  • On January 20, 2023, the share buyback program of 5 mEUR was completed with 394,645 shares accumulated under the program. In total Better Collective owns 1.1% of all outstanding shares.
  • The board has decided to initiate a new share buyback program of 10 mEUR. The purpose of the buyback program is to cover future payments relating to completed acquisitions and LTI programs.
  • A smaller asset deal for a sports media in an emerging market was completed for 4.3 mUSD with an upfront payment of 3 mUSD.
  • Better Collective announced a share acquisition in Catena Media equaling 6,093,381 shares and a position of 8.5%.
  • Esport community, HLTV, successfully hosted its annual HLTV Award Show 2022 in Stockholm for Counter Strike:Global Offensive.
  • The board of directors implemented a 2023 Long Term Incentive (LTI) Plan for key employees in the Better Collective Group. Grants under the 2023 LTI will be in the form of performance share units and/or share options that are vesting after three years.
  • The Better Collective HQ in Copenhagen will move ‘around the corner’ to a new and bigger office space. The leasing agreement runs for five years and has total rent obligation of approximately 12 mEUR during that period.
  • The two founders of Better Collective, Jesper Søgaard and Christian Kirk Rasmussen were awarded with a lifetime achievement award at the iGB Affiliate Awards.

Financial targets 2023
The board of directors has decided on new financial targets for the Better Collective Group for 2023:

  • Revenue in the range of 290-300 mEUR.
  • EBITDA before special items of 90-100 mEUR.
  • Net debt to EBITDA before special items of <2.

Better Collective invests in growing organically and will take one-off costs for 2023 investments to establish a stronger presence in LATAM and other emerging markets where regulation is or is expected to facilitate operations. An investment in the buildup of a proprietary technology platform for display advertising (“Adtech Platform”) will be made. The initiatives imply estimated 10 mEUR in added costs in 2023 in addition to the existing cost base. The Group will continue to push for revenue share in the US, and notes that the 2023 calendar is not as condensed as 2022’s with state launches and a men’s soccer World Cup. The above considerations have been built into the 2023 targets, and do not include impact from M&A activities.

CEO Letter
Q4 was a record-breaking quarter during which we benefited from our strong diversification, while we also cemented the synergies that can be achieved when combining efforts across the group.

Record breaking performance
During the year, it has been exciting to see how efforts to become the Leading Digital Sports Media Group are starting to materialize. Our sport communities have proved to be attractive “go-to-places” for millions of sports fans while also being strategically attractive for our business partners. Furthermore, I am humbled by the spirit of our employees, who delivered an amazing performance – a performance that resulted in an upgrade of our financial targets, which we set out in the beginning of 2022.

The Group delivered strongly both in terms of revenue growth as well as operational earnings. This performance was accomplished on the back of moving several US contracts from upfront payments (CPA) to revenue share, why implicitly the Group could have delivered an EBITDA of 100 mEUR, implying 80% growth. Undeniably, the ability to drive high profitable growth remains very important for Better Collective’s future ambitions.

Outstanding performance during the men’s soccer World Cup
The men’s soccer World Cup was a strong driver for us, during which we saw extremely high activity that exceeded our expectations. We started preparing for the World Cup many months ahead, which we benefited from across geographies. In the previous CEO letter, I expressed my excitement about having delivered + 1.1 million NDCs from Q1 to Q3. Therefore, I am even more proud to announce that with Q4 we brought this close to 1,7 million NDCs for 2022. Of the approximately 1.7 m NDCs, 76% were sent on revenue share contracts and out of Q4’s 580,000 NDCs, around 300,000 were delivered during the men’s World Cup. To put it into perspective, the 300,000 is more than the last four men’s World Cups and four men’s European Championships combined. When comparing to the men’s World Cup 2018, our key figures have increased tenfold; a true testament to how far we have come in just four years.

During the past decade, we have worked closely with our main business partners – mostly on revenue share contracts, from which Better Collective solely benefits if we manage to create long-term value for our partners. Consequently, we have accumulated a large “snowball” of revenue share accounts, which really came into play during the men’s World Cup, as our revenue share income broke all records with 30 mEUR for the quarter. This record was also made possible as the sports win margin continued to normalize. It is worth noting that sending 300,000 NDCs during the men’s World Cup has had a short-term dampening effect on our performance because many NDCs were sent on revenue share contracts. However, as stated many times over, this move brings a long-term benefit and builds for the future. Given this effect, it is even more outstanding that we still managed to surpass our organic revenue target.

2022 US revenue exceeded 100 mUSD
In connection with the 2021 acquisition of Action Network, the leading US sports betting media, we estimated that we could exceed 100 mUSD in US revenue by the end of 2022. At the time of acquisition, it was very ambitious as Action Network was a newer established business with many market uncertainties ahead – but as you may know Better Collective is built on ambition and strong visions. During Q4, our US business grew revenue 71% YOY to a record high 34 mEUR bringing total 2022 US revenues above the 100 mUSD mark. This is reached even with us having moved 15 mUSD – up from the estimated >10 mUSD in Q3 – from upfront payment (CPA) based contracts to revenue share.

2022 US revenue grew 102% YOY and it is worth mentioning that this growth comes on top of the 370% growth from 2020-2021. I am proud to see great results have been delivered in the US, despite having to navigate the Group through the changing climate, where sportsbooks shifted focus from growth to profitability. The performance was driven by all our US-based sports media as well as the launch of New York and Maryland, combined with a strong Paid Media performance. Let me comment further on our Paid Media business, as it really has taken off.

Amazing Paid Media performance
In 2020, we made a strategic investment into Paid Media by acquiring the Atemi Group, which specializes within the paid advertising space of the major search engines and social media platforms. This acquisition has turned out to be a great financial investment for Better Collective and brings synergies on multiple levels.

Firstly, Paid Media brings flexibility and scalability when entering new markets and during special sporting events like the recent men’s World Cup.

Secondly, this business provides deep insights into the improvement on our organic rankings in major search engines, insights into which keywords provide the best value as well as click through and conversion rate benchmarks.

Thirdly, we invest heavily in business intelligence as Paid Media comes with deep insights into the return on investment, as well as insights into market potential prior to making an investment, which is crucial for our decision-making process and long-term strategy planning.

Lastly, after acquiring Atemi, efforts were put into moving many of our CPA contracts to revenue share in our Paid Media business, which has turned out to be a very important investment. The move had a short-term dampening effect throughout 2021, where profitability slowed as we built for the future. We have now created a self-accelerating effect of stable revenue share income, which expectedly will grow larger over time. Consequently, the Paid Media business will have a larger pool of revenue to tap into when investing in advertising – which will continue to accelerate the revenue share “snowball” we are accumulating and grow the margin long-term.

Paid Media delivered strong growth of 94%, and with operations on a global scale, we have invested heavily in specific geographies during Q4, where we foresee that the return on investment will be the highest. Due to the massive topline growth, the Q4 Paid Media margin ended at all-time-high of 23%. The Paid Media performance is another indicator of the strength of having a large “revenue share ball” building up. The main contributors to the all-time-high Paid Media margin were the large pool of revenue share income that continues to fill, and solid CPA income in the US. As the US continues to move towards revenue share, we expect a lower CPA income to be mitigated by a larger revenue share “snow-ball”.
Despite having an extremely successful World Cup in terms of securing many NDCs, the tournament had a short-term dampening effect on the Group as well as the Paid Media margin due to extraordinarily high numbers of NDCs sent on revenue share contracts. Therefore, it is arguably even more impressive that we delivered a 23% Paid Media margin, while reaching our 85 mEUR Group EBITDA target. When we acquired the Atemi Group, the Paid Media business was in its mere infancy, and it now has been raised into its youth. We still have plenty of schooling to do to bring it to maturity – but we are ready for the journey! We will dive more into these developments at our Capital Markets Day on March 23, 2023.

Looking ahead
After the overwhelmingly good start to January, I look forward even more to 2023. January was boosted by the Ohio launch – giving us our best month ever – with revenues of >37 mEUR – implying growth of >40%, despite tough comparisons to the New York launch in January 2022, where we doubled the revenue from 2021. This year will expectedly have fewer large single events than 2022, with the main ones being the summer women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and the launch of sports betting in Massachusetts. We will continue our growth efforts in LATAM and keep an eye out for new market opportunities. We remain largely unaffected by the macroeconomic environment but will persistently monitor developments. Lastly, we will keep focusing on gearing our business for the future, which – among others – includes investing in a new AdTech platform and moving more US revenue to revenue share contracts – all of which is included in our 2023 guidance. I would like to round off another great year by thanking all my dedicated colleagues and partners – without you we would not be where we are today.

Jesper Søgaard
Co-Founder & CEO

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Inspired Partners with Jogo de Ouro in Brazil

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Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading provider of B2B gaming content, systems, and solutions, is excited to announce a new partnership with Jogo de Ouro, a Brazilian-based sportsbook and casino operator, to bring Inspired’s acclaimed slot titles to its players.

This partnership signals a major step forward in Inspired’s growth strategy, as the market expands during its new era of regulation. With this launch, Jogo de Ouro’s players in Brazil will now have access to Inspired’s rapidly expanding catalogue of online slot content, including hit titles such as Golden Winner™ (Campeão de Ouro), Big Piggy Bank™ (Super Confrinho da Sorte), Big Fishing Fortune™ (Super Pescaria da Fortuna), alongside global fan favourites like Gold Cash Free Spins™ (Grana de Ouro Giros Gratis), Cops ‘n’ Robbers Big Money™ (Policia e Ladrao Muita Grana), and more.

Jogo de Ouro will feature regular content releases from Inspired, giving its players access to a variety of new experiences, including proven, high-performing global hits. The portfolio blends iconic classics, innovative features, and seasonal favourites, all designed with high-impact mechanics that drive both engagement and retention. The partnership with Jogo de Ouro broadens Inspired’s global footprint and brings proven content to one of the most promising iGaming markets, in the world.

Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Jogo de Ouro to bring our diverse games portfolio to Brazilian audiences. From player-favourite classics to fun seasonal titles, our games are crafted for engagement and have proven performance. This collaboration will deliver exceptional entertainment experiences to Jogo de Ouro’s players.”

Flavio Sukar, CEO at Jogo de Ouro, added: “This partnership positions Jogo de Ouro at the forefront of Brazilian iGaming, delivering top-tier casino content to our players. We’re proud to partner with Inspired, and we look forward to bringing their high-quality games and regular new releases to audiences across the country.”

The post Inspired Partners with Jogo de Ouro in Brazil appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Week 29/2025 slot games releases

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

Spinomenal has rolled out the latest addition to its iconic Demi Gods Series: Demi Gods VI Hold & Hit. In this new release, players are transported to a mystical realm surrounded by ominous mountains and swirling mists. The adventure unfolds within a 5×3 reel frame, where electric anticipation crackles around each spin. Atlas, Selene, Helios, and Hera are once again the main protagonists on a mission through ancient Greece in the hunt for glory.

Spinomenal releases Demi Gods VI Hold & Hit

Million Games is thrilled to announce the launch of Fortune Fairies, an enchanting new video slot that takes players into a mystical forest filled with magic, rewards, and a jackpot. This 5×3, high volatility slot invites players into a world, where ethereal fairies, shimmering orbs, and hidden treasures await. Designed for players who love immersive storytelling and rewarding gameplay, Fortune Fairies features two captivating bonus rounds.

Million Games Unveils Fortune Fairies – A Magical Slot Adventure with Enchanting Rewards

GAMOMAT, one of the leading independent German software developers for slot games, has released Roman Legion Flaming Link, the latest addition to join the line-up of its hugely successful Flaming Link series. This imperious 5×3 slot marches players straight to the heart of the Roman Empire, where legionnaires must vie for victory.

GAMOMAT releases Roman Legion Flaming Link

PG Soft has unveiled its fantasy-fueled video slot, Dragon’s Treasure Quest. The game is presented within a  5-reel, 3-row frame and features expanding reels and multipliers. Players must track down hidden treasures while navigating through legendary lore to find Wilds and Scatters, represented by a dragon eye and treasure chest respectively.

PG Soft releases fantasy-fueled Dragon’s Treasure Quest

BC.GAME is adding a dark twist to its slot lineup with the launch of Symbiote, a high-volatility crypto slot developed by Croco Gaming. Inspire by the cult comic Venom, the game invites players into a battle for control — where fusing with an alien parasite brings incredible power, but always at a cost. Symbiote draws heavy visual influence from comic book aesthetics, particularly from the Venom universe.

Get ready to don your sombrero and put your piñata smashing arm to the test in Piñateros – the brand-new Premium release from popular software provider, Swintt, where collecting six or more flaming chilis can unlock fiery rewards or one of four red-hot local jackpots. Boasting a colourful collection of symbols that serves up sugar, spice and all things nice, this exciting 5×3 reel, 50-payline slot includes fresh fruits, thirst-quenching beverages and Mexican musical instruments among its unique icons, with expanding wilds helping to create further wins.

Swintt turn up the heat with new Piñateros slot

 

Saddle up, slot fans! TaDa Gaming’s latest release, Bounty Frenzy, is here to ignite the reels with wild west energy, gold-studded features and nonstop action. Packed with cascading wins, dynamic multipliers and transforming Gold Frame Wilds, this medium-volatility slot delivers thrilling gameplay with a 5000x max win potential.

The chaos-loving Joker returns in Cashin’ Joker, a vibrant 3-reel slot from Play’n GO that doesn’t play by the rules. As numbers tumble onto the reels and transform into powerful multipliers, players are thrust into a fast-paced experience full of surprises and dramatic shifts in momentum. Every time the Joker symbol appears, the game shifts into another gear.

Cashin’ Joker multiplies mayhem on the reels

Red Rake Gaming has released Super 60 Stars, the latest addition to its acclaimed Super series, now available to all partner operators. This new release retains the fast-paced gameplay and wide variety of features that have made the series one of the most popular in the iGaming industry, while also introducing an exclusive new addition that adds even more excitement to the game. The new feature in Super 60 Stars is the “Super 60 Stars” symbol, which can appear anywhere on the reels and trigger the brand-new “Super 60 Gold X” minigame.

The post Week 29/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Legends Charity Game in Lisbon to raise millions for charity

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International stars of the football world are coming together in Lisbon this September for the Legends Charity Game in order to raise funds for communities suffering from the effects of war and local tensions around the world.

Timed to coincide with the SBC Summit in Lisbon, the Legends Charity Game on Monday 15 September is a highly anticipated match between Portugal Legends vs. World Legends, featuring some of the biggest names in the history of football. The Legends will compete in front of 60,000 Fans, and in front of millions of people that will watch the game online / on TV.

With strong support from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), the match will see Portuguese legends playing against footballing royalty from the Rest of the World in an event that aims to raise over €1,000,000 for selected charities in the support of communities and families experiencing extreme hardship.

Luis Figo, who won trophies across Europe as well as the Ballon d’Or in 2000, will be captaining the Portugal Legends side. He comments: “It’s always a pleasure to come back to my country and play football, especially when wearing the national team colours! Hope to see a full stadium in my hometown Lisbon for this amazing Legends Charity Game and raise funds for important charity causes.”

Joining Figo from the triumphant Euro 2016 winning squad are Ricardo Quaresma, Eliseu and Ricardo Carvalho. Champions League winners Fábio Coentrão, Maniche, Hugo Almeida, Vitor Baia, José Bosingwa and Deco will also play on the night as well as other famous Portuguese legends include Beto, Jorge Andrade, Dani, Tiago Mendes, Hélder Postiga, Nuno Gomes and Simão. They will be managed by another Champions League winner – Costinha.

They will be facing stiff competition from the World Legends squad that includes legends such as: Peter Schmeichel (Denmark), Cafu (Brazil), Javier Zanetti (Argentina), Diego Lugano (Uruguay), Leonardo Bonucci (Italy), Gaizka Mendieta (Spain), Youri Djorkaeff (France), Christian Karambeu (France), Marek Hamsik (Slovakia), Giorgos Karagounis (Greece), Krassimir Balakov (Bulgaria), Gheorghe Hagi (Romania), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands) Henrik Larsson (Sweden), Shota Arveladze (Georgia), Javier Saviola (Argentina), and Ronaldinho (Brazil).

The match will be played in front of 60,000 fans at either Estádio da Luz (Benfica Stadium) or José Alvalade Stadium (Sporting Lisbon Stadium), which will be part of a big and exciting reveal in August when the Champions League schedule is released.

The Legends Charity Game aims to raise over €1,000,000 for a number of good causes based both abroad and in Portugal as the Football Family aims to give back to the families of the world. Funds will be raised for both international and national charities who help families and communities in need.

One of the international organisations that The Legends Charity Game will be raising funds for is the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS). Every day, the Ukrainian Red Cross teams provide evacuation support, psychosocial and first aid, provide essential humanitarian relief, support temporary shelters, help with housing restoration, and spread awareness about unexploded ordnance risks. Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers and staff work in all regions of the country to support those who need it most.

Maksym Dotsenko, Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross, comments: “The war in Ukraine continues, and unfortunately, millions of people still need support every day. We have no right to stop. Initiatives like the Legends Charity Game are not just about the funds raised. They are about compassion, and the understanding that the world stands by us. They are about solidarity that transforms into real help for those going through the toughest times. We are grateful to everyone who takes part.”

The Lisbon-based Cáritas Portuguesa, which offers critical support to marginalised communities fighting issues such as poverty and inadequate emergency relief, is also a charitable partner for the Legends Charity Game.

SBC Founder & CEO Rasmus Sojmark explains: “We are taking our charitable endeavours up a notch this year with the spectacular football match in order to raise a lot of money for some very worthy causes. By tying the match in with the SBC Summit in Lisbon the same week, we have found a way for the communities around football and business to help other communities that are facing unimaginable hardships.”

Tickets  are available to purchase via the official website www.legendscharitygame.com. See Tickets will handle ticket management of the event.

Sponsorships and Hospitality are still available in support of the event and the charities. Some of the sponsors already confirmed include iGP, Soft2Bet, Sportingtech, Vegas Legends, Spribe, SmartSoft and Alea.

Sport Global Charitable Foundation is a restricted fund under the auspices of Prism the Gift Fund (UK registered charity with charity number 1099682). All of the profits from the Legends Charity Game will support the Sport Global Charitable Foundation’s beneficiary charities across a range of causes including the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and Caritas Portugal.

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