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DraftKings Reports Third Quarter Results and Raises 2020 Revenue Guidance

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Reports Third Quarter Revenue of $133 million; Increases 2020 Pro Forma Revenue Guidance to $540 million to $560 million; Introduces 2021 Revenue Guidance of $750 million to $850 million

Boston, MA – November 13, 2020— DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) (“DraftKings” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2020. For the three months ended September 30, 2020, DraftKings reported revenue of $133 million, an increase of 98% compared to $67 million during the same period in 2019. After giving pro forma effect to the business combination with SBTech (Global) Limited and Diamond Eagle Acquisition Corp., as if it had occurred on January 1, 2019, revenue grew 42% compared to the three months ended September 30, 2019.

“The resumption of major sports such as the NBA, MLB and the NHL in the third quarter, as well as the start of the NFL season, generated tremendous customer engagement,” said Jason Robins, DraftKings’ co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board. “In addition to our year-over-year pro forma revenue growth of 42%, DraftKings recorded an increase in monthly unique payers of 64% to over 1 million, demonstrating the effectiveness of our data-driven sales and marketing approach. Our product offerings and scalable platform provide a distinctive and personalized experience for customers across the ten states where we operate mobile sports betting today, and we look forward to entering additional jurisdictions at the earliest opportunity.”

 

Return of Major Sports and Unique Sports Calendar Drive Growth and Attractive Customer Acquisition Opportunities

 

  • Monthly Unique Payers (“MUPs”) for our B2C segment increased by 64% compared to the third quarter of 2019. On average, more than a million monthly unique paying customers engaged with DraftKings each month during the third quarter. This improvement reflected continued growth of our core DFS product spurred by on-going product innovation, strong engagement from existing Sportsbook and iGaming players, and expansion of our player base in several new states.
  • Average Revenue Per Monthly Unique Payer (“ARPMUP”) for our B2C segment was $34 due to limited sports activity in July and atypical hold rates from NFL wagering through the third week of the season, which was partially offset by increased engagement with our iGaming product offering.
  • GAAP sales and marketing expense increased to $203 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase over the third quarter of 2019 was primarily due to being live in seven more states, including Illinois, for Week 1 of the NFL season this year versus Week 1 of 2019.  DraftKings experienced strong returns on its marketing spend due in part to pent-up demand, the unique sports calendar, and the stay-at-home nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increasing 2020 Revenue Guidance and Introducing 2021 Revenue Guidance

  • DraftKings is raising its fiscal year 2020 pro forma revenue guidance from a range of $500 to $540 million to a range of $540 to $560 million, which equates to year-over-year pro forma revenue growth of 25% to 30% in 2020, despite COVID-19’s impact on the major sports calendar. This guidance assumes that all announced sports calendars are maintained through the end of the year and that we continue to operate in states in which we are live today.
  • DraftKings is also introducing 2021 revenue guidance of $750 million to $850 million, which equates to 45% year-over-year growth based on the mid-points of the Company’s 2020 pro forma revenue guidance range and the Company’s 2021 revenue guidance range. This range is based on the same assumptions used for the Company’s 2020 guidance, in particular that all professional and college sports calendars that have been announced come to fruition, including the commencement of their 2020 to 2021 seasons, and that we continue to operate in states in which we are live today.
  • Detailed financial data and other information is available in DraftKings’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, being filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as in a slide presentation that can be accessed through the “Investors” section of the Company’s website at investors.draftkings.com.

DraftKings Grows Its Nation-Leading Mobile Sports Betting Footprint

 

During the third quarter, DraftKings launched mobile sports betting in Illinois and iGaming in West Virginia.

  • As a result of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s suspension of the in-person registration requirement, DraftKings was able to effectively acquire new Illinois customers to the platform as well as cross-sell from its existing product offerings. Illinois has quickly become the Company’s fastest-growing state as well as one of its largest states in terms of handle.
  • Following its successful launch in Tennessee, DraftKings is now live with mobile sports betting in 10 states, which is more than any other company in the industry. These 10 states together represent 20% of the U.S. population, a position that DraftKings has achieved just two and a half years after the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.
  • The Company continues to work with state officials on regulations and licensing in Michigan for sports betting and iGaming and in Virginia for sports betting and expects to launch in these states at the earliest practicable opportunity. Michigan and Virginia together account for 6% of the U.S. population and have already legalized these offerings.
  • Maryland (with 67% voter approval), South Dakota (with 58% voter approval) and 55 of 64 parishes in Louisiana (representing approximately 97% of the state’s population) recently passed referendums in favor of sports betting. These states together account for 3.5% of the U.S. population.
  • In addition, Ontario’s government recently presented its annual budget, which included language that would modify the long-standing statutory internet gaming framework in order to allow private operators to join the province in offering sports betting and iGaming products. Ontario’s population would make it the fifth largest U.S. state by population. DraftKings has offered its DFS product in Canada since 2012.

Commercial and Strategic Agreements

 

DraftKings announced several advantageous commercial and strategic agreements in the quarter that  are expected to provide the Company with access to unique and valuable content, intellectual property and marketing assets, including:

  • an expansion of a multi-year content and marketing relationship with the PGA TOUR to become the first Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR.
  • an exclusive multi-year extension to remain the Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner of Major League Baseball.
  • an exclusive multi-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, making DraftKings the Official Sports Betting Operator and Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the Cubs, including a plan to pursue a first-of-its-kind sportsbook at Wrigley Field.
  • a multi-year agreement with ESPN to collaborate in a variety of areas including becoming a co-exclusive sportsbook link-out provider and exclusive daily fantasy sports link-out provider.
  • an exclusive, multi-year agreement with the New York Giants, making DraftKings the official sports betting, gaming & casino and daily fantasy partner of the team.
  • an agreement with the Colorado Rockies to be named both the franchise’s Official Daily Sports Partner and the franchise’s first Official Sports Betting Partner.

 

Product and Technology

 

DraftKings unveiled several technology enhancements and new product features during the third quarter:

  • launched standalone casino app in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, offering users a more holistic product suite and dynamic gaming experience in a DraftKings-created casino app.
  • launched Best Ball, a new season-long DFS game variant, featuring snake drafts. The streamlined draft format enables the Company to engage with customers long before the traditional pre-NFL period. DraftKings will launch Best Ball versions for fantasy basketball and hockey in the near future.
  • introduced several new DraftKings-created games for online casino, including new versions of blackjack, roulette and baccarat.
  • made various improvements to the mobile and online Sportsbook to further differentiate the customer experience including the addition of dark mode and shifting of main navigation (online) to the left rail.

Environmental-Social-Governance Initiatives

 

DraftKings had several notable ESG-related highlights during the quarter, including:

  • strengthened our corporate governance foundation by appointing two new Board members, Jocelyn Moore and Valerie Mosley. The two directors each bring unique skills, experiences and ideas, and will play an important role in shaping the future of DraftKings and helping us achieve our long-term goals.
  • welcomed Michael Jordan as a special advisor to the Board. Jordan will provide strategic and creative input to the Board on brand strategy, product development, inclusion, equity and belonging, marketing activities and other key initiatives.
  • donated all of the Company’s daily fantasy sports revenue from the NBA and WNBA games on August 28 and 29, totaling approximately $340,000, to organizations promoting racial justice.
  • announced Election Day as an official DraftKings company holiday; employees at all DraftKings offices worldwide will now receive their respective election day as a holiday.
  • raised $20,000 through charity DFS contests in support of the Company’s Tech for Heroes initiative, which provides recent and returning veterans and their spouses with free, high-tech skills training in areas like front end web development and cybersecurity.

Webcast and Conference Call Details

 

DraftKings will host a conference call and audio webcast today at 8:30 a.m. EDT, during which management will discuss the Company’s third quarter results and provide commentary on business performance. A question and answer session will follow the prepared remarks.

The conference call may be accessed by dialing (833) 644-0686 for domestic callers or (918) 922-6762 for international callers. Once connected with the operator, please provide the conference ID of 2644858.

A live audio webcast of the earnings conference call may be accessed on the Company’s website at investors.draftkings.com, along with a copy of this press release, the Company’s Form 10-Q filing, and a slide presentation. The audio webcast and accompanying presentation will be available on the Company’s investor relations website until 11:59 p.m. EDT on December 14, 2020.

Compliance Updates

Gaming CEOs Optimistic on Industry Outlook, Report Evolving Industry Challenges

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Amidst an evolving economic landscape, gaming executives report a positive outlook on future industry business conditions while remaining satisfied with the current business environment, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Gaming Industry Outlook.

Nearly all gaming executives surveyed characterized the current business environment as good (44%) or satisfactory (50%), mirroring similar sentiment from Q3 2023. Meanwhile, executives are more optimistic about future conditions, with 32 percent of CEOs expecting business conditions to improve over the next six months, up from 20 percent in Q3 2023.

“Gaming’s record-setting growth over the last three years has set a new standard for industry success,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “However, as we enter a period of market normalization, continued investment and innovation in offering world-class, responsible entertainment experiences will be required to maintain industry momentum.”

Gaming Executive Panel

Gaming executives have become more positive in their views that overall balance sheet health will improve over the next 6 months (42% net positive), but they expect the pace of revenue growth (13% net negative) and new hiring (22% net negative) to slow. These expectations for decelerating growth have influenced expectations for increases in capital investment and gaming units in operation, with smaller net positive sentiments than before.

  • In contrast to past Outlooks, gaming equipment suppliers are slightly pessimistic about the sale of gaming units for replacement use and new or expansion use (both 13% net negative). However, they remain optimistic about the pace of capital investment (38% net positive).
  • Half of operator CEOs expect capital investments in hotels over the next year to be higher than normal, and compared to last fall, more also expect higher than normal levels of capital investment in meetings and conventions and table games (28%). Meanwhile, 44 percent of CEOs expect increases in food and beverage investment, down from 67 percent in Q3 2023.

These expectations are also informed by evolving macroeconomic challenges. Executives report that inflationary or interest rate concerns continue to be a major factor limiting operations (28%), but these have been overtaken by geo-political risk (34%) and uncertainty of the economic environment (34%) as the biggest limiting factors in the most recent Gaming Executive Panel.

Current Conditions Index
The Current Conditions Index of 102.8 for Q1 indicates solid annualized real economic growth in the industry of 2.8%. This includes gaming revenue, employment and employee wages and salaries. Notably, the Current Conditions Index shows gaming expanding faster than the overall U.S. economy which last week reported 1.6 percent GDP growth in Q1 2024.

Future Conditions Index

The Future Conditions Index stands at 102.2, indicating annualized industry economic activity, after controlling for underlying inflation, is expected to moderately increase over the next six months. This outlook reflects Oxford Economics’ forecast that the U.S. economy will slow during 2024 but avoid recession. Despite a projected economic slowdown, consumer survey results continue to indicate that more than one-third of adults expect to visit a casino during the next 12 months, consistent with prior quarter results.

About the Outlook

The AGA Gaming Industry Outlook is prepared biannually by Oxford Economics. It provides a timely measure of recent industry growth and future expectations. The Q1 2024 survey was conducted between March 28 – April 10, 2024. A total of 32 executives responded, including executives at the major international and domestic gaming companies, tribal gaming operators, single-unit casino operators, major gaming equipment suppliers, and major iGaming and/or sports betting operators.

 

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Gambling in the USA

Colorado Launches Illegal Gambling Awareness Campaign

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The Colorado Division of Gambling has launched a new illegal gambling awareness campaign.

The “Play Legit. Gamble Only Where Legal.” campaign aims to educate the public about the risks associated with illegal gambling and the importance of supporting regulated gaming venues.

The campaign emphasizes legal gambling options, including casinos in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek, as well as online sports betting and off-track betting.

“With many certified and legal gambling sites available, it’s never worth it to put yourself in danger. Together, let’s play by the rules and ensure that Colorado remains a safe and responsible gaming destination. By recognizing and preventing illegal gambling, we all win,” Chris Schroder, Director of the Colorado Division of Gaming, said.

In Colorado, gambling opportunities abound, but not all are legal. Illegal gambling operations not only fail to protect players but can also serve as a breeding ground for serious crimes, including fraud, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and burglary, posing a threat to public safety and community well-being. Participants in illegal gambling activities also compromise personal and financial information, putting individuals at risk of identity theft, unreliable payouts, and potential legal consequences, such as fines and imprisonment.

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Gambling in the USA

Mohegan Digital Launches New Online Casino Experience in Pennsylvania: Play.MoheganPAcasino.com

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Mohegan Digital Launches New Online Casino Experience in Pennsylvania: Play.MoheganPAcasino.com

 

Mohegan Digital, which is the iGaming division for Mohegan, fully launched a new online gaming experience in Pennsylvania. Play.MoheganPAcasino.com and associated mobile apps are now live and offering an advantageous sign-up bonus. Like all Mohegan Digital online gaming offerings, MoheganPAcasino.com has no shortage of thrilling slots, table games and more.

“This is an exciting moment for Mohegan Digital as we expand our very own online gaming brand to Pennsylvania, in close coordination with Mohegan Pennsylvania,” said Rich Roberts, president of Mohegan Digital. “Our growth with the MoheganSunCasino.com app in Connecticut and New Jersey continues to surpass expectations, as does our PlayFallsView app in Ontario, CA. To now have our fourth launch in the great state of Pennsylvania marks another great opportunity for Mohegan Digital!”

PA residents and visitors can now visit Play.MoheganPAcasino.com or download the MoheganPAcasino.com iPhone app on the App Store, or through Google Play for Androids users as well. Navigation to the new online casino experience is also available through MoheganPA.com.

Play.MoheganPAcasino.com offers players daily jackpots, along with more than 500 total games across Slots, Table Games and Live Dealer offerings. Some popular games at launch are Vegas Nights, BlackJack Diamond Series, Cash Machine, Wheel of Fortune PowerWedges, Cleopatra, Ultimate Fire Link, 88 Fortunes, Deal or No Deal Slingo, Live Dealer games, Baccarat and much more. By this summer, Mohegan Digital is expected to increase the total number of games to 700.

Additionally, Mohegan Pennsylvania’s popular Momentum program, which is a free to sign-up loyalty rewards program allowing members to earn perks, points, tournament invites and leveling up opportunities, will be synced in with online accounts later this spring as part of this exciting roll out of MoheganPAcasino.com. This means that whether guests are playing online or in person at the premier gaming destination in Pennsylvania (Mohegan PA), the benefits build in the same account.

“We’re dedicated to offering an unmatched online gaming platform in the fast-growing iGaming industry,” said Guy Greene VP of Marketing, Mohegan Digital. “Creating a fun, immersive and user-friendly experience, combined with reliability and great guest service are features that Mohegan Digital have become synonymous with, and we’re thrilled to bring it all to Pennsylvania.”

A rebrand of the on-site Sportsbook inside Mohegan Pennsylvania in Wilkes-Barre, PA, which is currently known as the Unibet Sportsbook, will also soon take place. Located near the entrance of Mohegan PA, this popular venue which offers plenty of prop bets, same game parlays, futures and much more, will soon be known as the Mohegan Pennsylvania Sportsbook. Guests can stay tuned to moheganPA.com for details, as this rebrand will also take place at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s off-track wagering locations in Lehigh Valley and Allentown.

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