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SharpLink Gaming Announces Board and Audit Committee Changes

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Company Welcomes Sports, Entertainment and Media Icon,
Robert Gutkowski, to Board of Directors

SharpLink Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBET) (“SharpLink” or the “Company”) today announced recent changes to its Board of Directors (the “Board”) and Audit Committee.

On February 16, 2024, the Board accepted the resignation of Adrienne Anderson as a director, Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Compensation Committee, effective February 16, 2024. The resignation of Anderson was not the result of any disagreement with the Company, its management, the Board or any committee of the Board. The Board subsequently elected Leslie Bernhard, a current member of the Board, to serve as the new Chairperson of the Audit Committee, effective February 16, 2024.

In addition, the Board elected Robert Gutkowski as a new director and appointed him to serve as a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees, effective immediately.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Gutkowski has proven to be a significant asset builder in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Among his key achievements was the landmark New York Yankees-Madison Square Garden Network $486 million cable distribution deal. This transaction forever changed the sports economic landscape, increased the value of the MSG Network by nearly 2,000%, and enabled the Yankees to dominate Major League Baseball media during the past two decades. In addition, he was the original architect behind radio entrepreneur Bob Sillerman’s roll-up of regional, independent concert promoters, which created SFX Entertainment – the first nationwide, vertically-integrated, concert promotion company widely recognized for transforming the multi-billion dollar live music concert industry.

From October 2014 through the present, Gutkowski has led RMG Sports Ventures LLC, a company he founded to originate and advise private equity and other institutional capital on investments in sports, entertainment and media. He recently co-originated the acquisition of True Temper Sports (the largest producer of golf shafts in the world) for Lincolnshire Management and made a substantial investment alongside Lincolnshire in True Temper.

In December 1991, Gutkowski was named President of Madison Square Garden, where he was responsible for the operations of the New York Knicks basketball team; the New York Rangers hockey team – which won the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship; MSG Communications – including the MSG Network, the nation’s largest regional cable network; MSG Entertainment and the MSG Facilities Group, which operated The Garden Arena and The Paramount Theater. He originally joined Madison Square Garden in 1985 and over the next six years held various senior executive positions, including President of the MSG Network. Under his leadership, the subscriber base of the MSG Network – the oldest and largest regional sports network in the country – more than doubled to 5.1 million subscribers. The Yankees, together with the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, became the foundations of MSG Network’s year-round operation. In 1993 and 1994, the Garden was the most active building in the country in bookings and revenues and was named “Arena of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine.

In 1996, Gutkowski founded The Marquee Group, a worldwide sports and entertainment firm that managed, produced and marketed sports and entertainment events, as well as provided representation for athletes, entertainers and broadcasters. The Marquee Group, which became a public company in 1996, acquired many related companies, including Athletes and Artists, Sports Marketing and Television International, QBQ Entertainment, Tollin-Robbins Productions, Park Associates, Alphabet City Records, Cambridge Golf and ProServ, before being acquired by SFX Entertainment in 1999 for over $100 million.

Gutkowski is a graduate of Hofstra University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

Commenting on the Board changes, Rob Phythian, Chairman and CEO of SharpLink, stated, “There are no words to adequately express our appreciation to Adrienne for the sound and thoughtful guidance and support she has provided our leadership while serving as a director on the board of SharpLink Gaming, Ltd. since July 2021. I’m also very pleased to welcome new director Bob Gutkowski to our team. A true industry visionary renowned for his strategic brilliance, love of sports and big league deal-making success, Bob is an incredible addition to our Board and is a director whose experience will undoubtedly prove invaluable to SharpLink as we move our Company forward.”

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The Mirage Hotel & Casino to Begin Transformation into Hard Rock Las Vegas on July 17, 2024

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Hard Rock International (HRI) announced its plans to cease operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino as of July 17, 2024, to begin the transformation of the property into the highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas (HRHCLV).

Hard Rock will develop a new integrated resort featuring a nearly 700 ft. guitar-shaped hotel towering prominently in the center of the famous Las Vegas Strip.

“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage. We’d also like to thank the Unions, community leaders, local and state government organizations and the Gaming Commission for their support and fair negotiations over the past year. Also, we are grateful to MGM for assisting with our transition,” Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International, said.

“While we pause for the incredible transformation of this iconic property, I’d like to thank all team members at The Mirage for their incredible commitment and helping us provide memorable experiences for our guests. We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers in the Las Vegas community over the coming months. Connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority,” Joe Lupo, President of The Mirage, said.

HRHCLV is expected to double the current number of jobs at The Mirage for the Las Vegas community, while the renovation of the property will generate over 2500 construction jobs. Hard Rock will pay approximately $80 million in severance packages for eligible union and non-union employees remaining with the property through cessation of operations.

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Wynn Resorts Limited Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

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Wynn Resorts Limited has reported the financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024.

Operating revenues were $1.86 billion for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of $439.2 million from $1.42 billion for the first quarter of 2023. Net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited was $144.2 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited of $12.3 million for the first quarter of 2023. Diluted net income per share was $1.30 for the first quarter of 2024, compared to diluted net loss per share of $0.02 for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted Property EBITDAR was $646.5 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $429.7 million for the first quarter of 2023.

“The strong momentum we experienced in our business throughout 2023 continued to build during the first quarter with Adjusted Property EBITDAR reaching a new all-time record. The investments we have made in our properties, our team and our unique programming continue to extend our leadership position in each of our markets. On the development front, vertical construction on the hotel tower at Wynn Al Marjan Island is well underway, and we are confident the resort will be a ‘must see’ tourism destination in the UAE. We are excited about the outlook for the Company, and we believe we are well positioned to deliver continued long-term growth,” Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts Limited, said.

Consolidated Results

Operating revenues were $1.86 billion for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of $439.2 million from $1.42 billion for the first quarter of 2023. For the first quarter of 2024, operating revenues increased $217.5 million, $181.0 million, $49.8 million, and $1.5 million at Wynn Palace, Wynn Macau, our Las Vegas Operations, and Encore Boston Harbor, respectively, from the first quarter of 2023.

Net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited was $144.2 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited of $12.3 million for the first quarter of 2023. Diluted net income per share was $1.30 for the first quarter of 2024, compared to diluted net loss per share of $0.02 for the first quarter of 2023. Adjusted net income attributable to Wynn Resorts Limited was $176.8 million, or $1.59 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024, compared to adjusted net income attributable to Wynn Resorts, Limited of $33.3 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2023.

Adjusted Property EBITDAR was $646.5 million for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of $216.8 million compared to Adjusted Property EBITDAR of $429.7 million for the first quarter of 2023. For the first quarter of 2024, Adjusted Property EBITDAR increased $91.3 million, $92.4 million, and $14.7 million at Wynn Palace, Wynn Macau, and our Las Vegas Operations, respectively, and decreased $0.3 million at Encore Boston Harbor, from the first quarter of 2023.

Wynn Resorts Limited also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.25 per share, payable on May 31, 2024 to stockholders of record as of May 20, 2024.

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Bragg Gaming Group First Quarter Revenue Rises 4.2% to EUR 23.8 Million

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Bragg Gaming Group, a global B2B content-driven iGaming technology provider, reported record financial results for the first quarter of 2024.

Matevž Mazij, Chief Executive Officer for Bragg, commented: “We carried our strong momentum in 2023 into the first quarter, delivering robust growth that underscores the ongoing success of our efforts to transform Bragg into a content-focused iGaming solutions provider across expanding North American and European markets. Year-over-year revenue increased by 4.2% to EUR 23.8 million, largely propelled by organic growth from our current client base, the addition of new customers in multiple jurisdictions, and impressive results from our in-house Wild Streak Gaming casino games studio.

“Although gross profit and Adjusted EBITDA saw modest decreases in the first quarter stemming from the extension and renegotiation of our agreement with Entain Plc to provide our PAM platform to BetCity.nl through 2025, we maintain a strong belief in our ability to achieve long-term growth and profitability. Our proprietary and exclusive third-party content continues to gain ground with an increasing number of top-tier operators globally, and we introduced a total of 19 new exclusive titles worldwide in the first quarter of 2024.

“Additionally, as we continue to make encouraging progress on our strategic alternatives review process, it’s important to emphasize that we are operating the business as usual and remain laser-focused on capitalizing on growth opportunities.

“With that in mind and in response to the increasing demand and growth in the iGaming marketplace, subsequent to quarter end, we took two significant steps to further fuel our growth initiatives. First, we secured a USD 7.0 million investment through a promissory note, enhancing our balance sheet flexibility as we continue to execute our strategy and explore strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.

“Second, we bolstered our leadership team with the appointment of Neill Whyte as our new Chief Commercial Officer. With over 18 years of iGaming experience and a proven track record of driving growth through successful commercial partnerships, Neill’s expertise will be invaluable as we leverage our extensive content and product portfolio to expand in existing and new markets. This key hire is another testament to how we are scaling our organization for sustained growth and profitability.

“While the strategic review process progresses, we remain bullish on the opportunities ahead as the trend of iGaming regulation continues worldwide. We see exciting potential in newly regulating markets like Brazil, Peru and Finland, as well as untapped opportunities in regions like Africa that we are actively exploring.

“The strategic moves we have made have established Bragg as a vital content provider for premier international iGaming operators, reinforcing our base for reliable and lucrative growth. Equipped with the appropriate strategies, financial resources, and talent, we are well-prepared to maintain our business momentum while pursuing initiatives that foster cash flow growth and deliver increased value to our shareholders.”

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