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SPORTS DIRECT BRINGS THE ‘ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE DESTINATION’ TO BIRMINGHAM WITH NEW FLAGSHIP STORE

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Sports Direct is opening a brand-new flagship store, in the heart of Birmingham, bringing a modern, innovative, and sleek experience to the city, following over £10m worth of investment.

Located on New Street and spanning four floors, the supercharged store will be the ultimate lifestyle destination for customers. Home of USC, GAME, Evans Cycles and a Belong esports arena all under one roof, Sports Direct Birmingham will combine interactive experiences and unrivalled product choice for customers, helping to champion the legend in everybody.

USC will have a dedicated area in-store, giving trend-focused customers the chance to shop the most iconic premium lifestyle brands in one space, whilst GAME and Belong will offer the latest games consoles and accessories alongside an enhanced gaming and social experience in the city centre. Evans Cycles will also offer a market-leading selection of bikes, parts, accessories, and clothing, together with a fully equipped bike workshop service.

State of the art store innovations include a bra studio, featuring a unique multi-brand bra finder tool designed to help women find the right bra for their sport; specialised sporting areas including a permanent golf putting green, running gait analysis, and Jordan basketball performance challenge, as well as a My ID Customisation area where customers can have products customised with limited edition designs.

The launch of the store also coincides with Sports Direct’s spring running campaign, ‘Get Set’, which seeks to provide a fresh perspective on the meaning of ‘fast’. In-store technology will bring to life the stories of real runners across the UK, showing it’s more than just PBs and distances covered – it’s about making running accessible for all.

Michael Murray, Chief Executive of Frasers Group, continues to be at the forefront of the brand’s monumental transformation and has been leading the development of Sports Direct’s strategy.

Speaking of the opening, Michael says: “As Sports Direct continues to evolve and expand, we’re excited to be opening our second flagship store in Birmingham. As one of the largest cities in the UK, Birmingham follows our first flagship in London and brings with it a significant investment into the city, alongside an unrivalled offering of sports and fashion under one roof.

“Sports starts at Sports Direct; and as the leading destination for sports and lifestyle, we work collaboratively alongside our brand partners such as Nike for Sports Direct and CP Company for USC, to inspire our consumers with the best product choices and experiences through our flagship stores.”

Birmingham is the second flagship location to open, following the success of Sports Direct’s first flagship on London’s Oxford Street, which reopened after an impressive £10M refurbishment last year. The ‘flagship’ strategy is an all-new proposition for Sports Direct, bringing the best of sports to the consumer with an unrivalled product choice and world-class experiences through Sports Direct’s new design and brand vision.

Sports Direct’s parent company Frasers Group is committed to raising the bar for retail with investment and expansion plans already announced for this year, with Sports Direct’s Manchester flagship set to open later this year.

 

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AGCO calls on media platforms to step up the fight against unregulated online gambling sites

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has contacted more than a dozen traditional and digital media platforms, calling on them to stop promoting unregulated online gambling and sports betting sites like Bodog to Ontario residents.

Operated by Il Nido Inc., Bodog is an offshore operator actively targeting Ontarians by advertising on popular traditional and digital media platforms. Despite blocking players in Quebec and Nova Scotia from accessing their unregulated gambling and sports betting sites, Bodog continues to allow Ontarians to access these sites while advertising heavily on traditional and digital media platforms targeting Ontarians.

Under the Gaming Control Act, 1992, Bodog and other online gambling sites are required to register with the AGCO and sign an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario in order to operate in Ontario. Ontario’s regulated igaming framework requires operators to meet comprehensive requirements related to game integrity, player protection, anti-money laundering and information privacy. Bodog’s efforts to direct Ontarians to unregulated gambling undermine player protection and other safeguards which exist in the regulated market, as well as fair market principles.

By airing ads for Bodog and other unregulated operators, legitimate media platforms are providing a veneer of legitimacy to unregulated and high-risk sites and creating confusion for Ontarians. The AGCO is therefore calling on these platforms to take a stand against the promotion of unregulated online gambling sites and remove the ads. By doing so, broadcasters and digital media companies will help reduce the risks these sites pose to Ontarians and support the long-term sustainability of Ontario’s regulated igaming market – all key objectives of the AGCO.

The AGCO will continue to work with its partners – both in Ontario and internationally – to combat these unregulated sites and protect the public.

“The AGCO is committed to protecting Ontario players and ensuring they have the safest experience by playing on regulated igaming sites. By refusing to carry advertising from unregulated and high-risk operators like Bodog, media organizations can exemplify social responsibility and play an important role in protecting Ontarians and supporting Ontario’s regulated market.”  – Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO.

The post AGCO calls on media platforms to step up the fight against unregulated online gambling sites appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Compliance Updates

Spillemyndigheden: Streamer fined DKK 10,000 for illegally distributing games

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A streamer has accepted a fine of DKK 10,000 for using Twitch to distribute games to game providers without a license to offer games in Denmark.

Twitch is a platform where users share live content, such as gaming, unboxing and gambling.

The streamer has in several cases advertised game providers without a Danish license through his Twitch channels.

The Danish Gambling Authority discovered the violation in 2023 and reported the streamer to the police.

The police have assessed that the streamer has violated the law, and the streamer has been fined DKK 10,000, which was the amount recommended by the Danish Gambling Authority.

This is the second time that the Danish Gambling Authority has reported a streamer for distributing illegal games and has been successful in the case.

 

Source: spillemyndigheden.dk

The post Spillemyndigheden: Streamer fined DKK 10,000 for illegally distributing games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Charles Gillespie

Gambling.com Group Reports First Quarter Results Including Record Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA

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Gambling.com Group Limited (Nasdaq: GAMB) (“Gambling.com Group” or the “Company”), a fast-growing provider of marketing and sports data services for the global online gambling industry, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

Charles Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Gambling.com Group, commented, “We entered 2025 with our marketing business at all-time highs and with an expanded suite of sports data services having closed the acquisition of OddsJam and OpticOdds on January 1. Since the closing, we have made substantial progress on integrating these offerings into our overall business and the products are performing strongly as expected. With an enhanced sports data services platform, we now have meaningful recurring subscription revenue, which we expect to account for well over 20% of our 2025 revenue, bringing increased revenue visibility and a complimentary, high margin and high growth source of profit and cash flow.

“We are reiterating our full year 2025 guidance despite the unpredictable macro environment, as our services address critical problems for all our customers and our industry is typically insulated from the gyrations of the global economy. We continue to expect 2025 to be another year of record revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow as we leverage the skills and expertise of our talented team with a larger product offering to drive growth across all our reporting regions. Each day we are moving closer to our goal of generating $100 million in annual Adjusted EBITDA.”

Elias Mark, Chief Financial Officer of Gambling.com Group, added, “Our first quarter results include record quarterly revenue of $40.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $15.9 million, reflecting year-over-year growth of 39% and 56%, respectively. With the solid start to the year, we remain confident in our full year outlook with the midpoints of our guidance for revenue of $172 million and $68 million in Adjusted EBITDA, representing year on year growth of 35% and 40%, respectively.”

Financial Highlights Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 vs. Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
(USD in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31,

Change

2025

2024

%

Revenue

40,635

29,215

39

%

Net income for the period attributable to shareholders

11,236

7,299

54

%

Net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted

0.31

0.19

63

%

Net income margin

28

%

25

%

Adjusted net income for the period attributable to shareholders (1)

16,490

9,264

78

%

Adjusted net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted (1)

0.46

0.24

92

%

Adjusted EBITDA (1)

15,864

10,159

56

%

Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1)

39

%

35

%

Cash flows generated by operating activities

11,415

8,806

30

%

Free Cash Flow (1)

10,277

8,193

25

%

__________
(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.

First Quarter 2024 and Recent Business Highlights

  • Delivered more than 138,000 new depositing customers (“NDCs”)
  • Completed accretive acquisition of Odds Holdings, Inc. on January 1, 2025 for initial consideration of $70 million in cash and $10 million in ordinary shares
  • Expanded credit facility to $165 million with a new syndicate

Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Results Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2024

Revenue rose 39% year-over-year to a record $40.6 million. Revenue from marketing services increased 13% year over year to $30.7 million as the Company delivered more than 138,000 NDCs to clients, a 29% increase over the prior-year period. Revenue from sports data services increased 405% year-over-year to $9.9 million, primarily due to the contribution of OddsJam and OpticOdds following the acquisition on January 1. Recurring subscription revenue represented 24% of total 2025 first quarter revenue.

Gross profit increased 42% to $38.4 million, due to strong revenue growth while cost of sales was in line with the prior-year period reflecting lower cost of sales for media partnerships offset by the addition of cost of sales related to OddsJam and OpticOdds.

Total operating expenses increased 49% to $28.4 million, primarily as a result of increased people costs and higher amortization related to the acquisition of Freebets.com and related assets on April 1, 2024 and the acquisition of Odds Holdings on January 1, 2025.

Net income attributable to shareholders increased $3.9 million to $11.2 million and net income per share was $0.31 compared to $0.19 in the prior-year period. Adjusted net income rose 78% to $16.5 million and Adjusted net income per share increased 92% to $0.46.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 56% to a record $15.9 million, reflecting an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 39% as compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $10.2 million and an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 35% in the prior-year period.

Operating cash flow grew 30% to $11.4 million. Free cash flow increased 25% to $10.3 million, reflecting growth in Adjusted EBITDA partly offset by working capital movements.

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 1.10 throughout 2025.

Conference Call Details

Date/Time:

Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. ET

Webcast:

https://www.webcast-eqs.com/register/Gamb051525/en

U.S. Toll-Free Dial In:

877-407-0890

International Dial In:

1 201-389-0918

The post Gambling.com Group Reports First Quarter Results Including Record Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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