The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. He’s back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, there’s more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.
Connect with us
The Fire Joker has returned, his blazing grin wider than ever. He’s back in control of the reels, where classic fruits and symbols light up under his fiery touch. But this time, there’s more than just mischief in the air. The heat has intensified, the stakes are higher, and this scorching slot is cranked up to a full 100.

Gambling in the USA

Gambling.com Group Reports 2021 Financial Results

Published

on

Gambling.com Group Set to Join Russell 3000® Index

 

Gambling.com Group Limited, a leading provider of digital marketing services for the global online gambling industry, today announced its operating and financial results for the year and the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021.

2021 Financial Highlights

  • North American revenue grew 89% to $7.5 million compared to $4.0 million for the prior year
  • Revenue of $42.3 million grew 51% compared to $28.0 million for the prior year
  • Net income of $12.5 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $15.2 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, for the prior year
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $18.4 million increased 26% compared to $14.6 million for the prior year, representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 43%1
  • Free cash flow of $8.4 million decreased 22% compared to $10.8 million for the prior year1

Fourth Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights

  • North American revenue grew 56% to $2.2 million compared to $1.4 million in the same period for the prior year
  • Revenue of $10.3 million remained consistent to $10.3 million in the same period for the prior year
  • Net income of $0.9 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $8.5 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, in the same period for the prior year
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $2.3 million decreased 63% compared to $6.1 million in the same period for the prior year, representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 22%1
  • Free cash flow of $(1.8 million) compared to $3.5 million for the prior year1

Business Highlights

  • Completed successful public listing of ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market in July 2021 under the ticker symbol “GAMB”
  • Named the 2021 EGR Affiliate of the Year and 2021 SBC North America Casino Affiliate of the Year
  • Delivered 117,000 new depositing customers in 2021 compared to 104,000 in 2020
  • Launched several new U.S.- facing websites during 2021 and acquired an incredibly strong portfolio of U.S. specific domain names
  • Announced the acquisition of RotoWire.com – a leader in U.S online fantasy sports – in December 2021 to leverage RotoWire’s high-quality traffic and drive substantial incremental sports betting affiliate revenue in the U.S., the acquisition was completed on January 1, 2022
  • Announced media partnership with McClatchy in January 2022 to monetize the McClatchy portfolio of digital media assets through sports betting in 29 markets across 14 states
  • Successfully entered the New York and Louisiana markets in January 2022
  • Announced acquisition of BonusFinder.com in February 2022 to better position the Group for the upcoming market launch in Ontario and further strengthening the Group’s North American presence

“We grew our revenue in 2021 by 51% compared to the prior year, delivered an EBITDA margin of 43% and generated over $8 million of free cash flow as many other industry players struggled to find a path to sustainable profitability,” said Charles Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Gambling.com Group. “As we look towards 2022, we are encouraged by the strongest start to a year we have seen in our 15-year history. Helped by launches in New York and Louisiana, January was our best-single month performance ever – even before consolidating financial results from our recent acquisitions. Just in January, we have seen the total addressable market in North America expand by leaps and bounds and there is a clear path to additional state launches this year, along with the impending launch of Ontario next month. As B2C operators in the U.S. seek a path to sustainable profitability and evaluate their marketing spend going forward, we believe that the affiliate model is ideally positioned to provide operators with more effective, higher ROI investments where they can clearly attribute the source, profitability and lifetime value of a referred player. We view this shift as greatly benefitting the value of our performance marketing revenue model, and we are confident that these tailwinds support what we expect to be another year of record performance for the Group.”

2022 Outlook

Based on currently available information, the Group estimates that, for the full year 2022:

  • Total revenue will be in the range of $71 million and $76 million; and
  • Adjusted EBITDA will be in the range $22 million and $27 million1

Elias Mark, Chief Financial Officer of Gambling.com Group, added, “Our expectation for another year of record revenue and Adjusted EBITDA is supported primarily by our premier domain portfolio and our growing presence in the U.S. achieved through continuous investments in U.S-facing assets. Organic growth in North America is complemented by our recent acquisitions of RotoWire.com and BonusFinder.com as well as our initiatives to further our leadership in the more established markets that we currently serve. As we have stated, our Adjusted EBITDA margin may deviate from target in the short-term as we strategically invest to strengthen our U.S. footprint, which is reflected in our 2022 outlook. Nonetheless, our profitability metrics remain among the very best in the industry, and our free cash flow generation more than covers our organic growth initiatives and the acquisition of domain names and other assets. We entered 2022 on strong financial footing and are off to the best start to a year in the Company history led by strong growth in North America. We grew total revenue profitably by 51% in 2021 and we look forward to accelerate that rate of profitable growth in 2022.”

2021 – 2023 Financial Targets

Total Revenue Growth

> Average 40%

Adjusted EBITDA Margin1

> Average 40%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Leverage2

< Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA 2.5x3

1 Adjusted figures represent non-IFRS information. See “Non-IFRS Financial Measures” and the tables at the end of this release for an explanation of the adjustments and reconciliations to the comparable IFRS numbers.

2 Leverage is defined as Net Debt as a proportion of Adjusted EBITDA.

3 Net Debt is defined as Borrowings less Cash and Cash Equivalents.

 

2021 vs. 2020 Financial Highlights

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD, except for
share and per share data)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME DATA

Revenue

42,323

27,980

14,343

51

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

%

Operating expenses

(30,931

)

(16,849

)

(14,082

)

84

%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Operating profit

11,392

11,131

261

2

%

Income before tax

12,164

10,752

1,412

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

13

%

Net income for the period attributable to the
equity holders

12,453

15,151

(2,698

)

(18

)%

Net income per share attributable to ordinary
shareholders, basic

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

0.40

0.55

(0.15

)

(27

)%

Net income per share attributable to ordinary
shareholders, diluted

0.37

0.49

(0.12

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

)

(24

)%

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD, except Adjusted EBITDA Margin, unaudited)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES

Adjusted EBITDA

18,356

14,608

3,748

26

%

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

43

%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

52

%

n/m

n/m

Free Cash Flow

8,423

10,804

(2,381

)

(22

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

)%

n/m = not meaningful

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

Amount

%

(in thousands, unaudited)

OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

New Depositing Customers (1)

117

104

13

13

%

  1. We define New Depositing Customers, or NDCs, as unique referral of a player from our system to one of our customers that satisfied an agreed metric (typically making a deposit above a minimum threshold) with the customer, thereby triggering the right to a commission for us.

Revenue

Total revenue increased 51% to $42.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $28.0 million for the prior year. On a constant currency basis, revenue increased $13.4 million, or 46%. Revenue growth was organic. The increase was driven by both growth in NDCs and improved monetization of NDCs that we attribute to a combination of technology improvements and changes in product and market mix. NDCs increased 13% to 117,000 compared to 104,000 in the prior year.

Our revenue disaggregated by market is as follows:

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD)

U.K. and Ireland

21,391

16,189

5,202

32

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

%

Other Europe

10,800

5,252

5,548

106

%

North America

7,484

3,959

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

3,525

89

%

Rest of the world

2,648

2,580

68

3

%

Total revenues

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

42,323

27,980

14,343

51

%

Revenue increases were primarily driven by growth in revenue from the U.K. and Ireland, Other Europe, and North America.

Our revenue disaggregated by monetization is as follows:

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD)

Hybrid commission

15,616

14,738

878

6

%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Revenue share commission

3,596

3,308

288

9

%

CPA commission

18,591

9,047

9,544

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

105

%

Other revenue

4,520

887

3,633

410

%

Total revenues

42,323

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

27,980

14,343

51

%

Revenue increases were driven primarily by additional Cost Per Acquisition, or CPA, commission and Other revenue. The increase in Other revenue was driven by bonuses related to achieving certain operator NDC performance targets and fixed fees.

Our revenue disaggregated by product type from which it is derived is as follows:

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

$

%

(in thousands USD)

Casino

35,632

24,135

11,497

48

%

Sports

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

6,188

3,210

2,978

93

%

Other

503

635

(132

)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(21

)%

Total revenues

42,323

27,980

14,343

51

%

Revenue increases were driven by growth in revenue from casino and sports products.

Operating Expenses

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD)

Sales and marketing expenses

14,067

8,103

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

5,964

74

%

Technology expenses

3,947

2,503

1,444

58

%

General and administrative expenses

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

13,014

5,956

7,058

119

%

Movements in credit losses allowance and write offs

(97

)

287

(384

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

)

(134

)%

Total operating expenses

30,931

16,849

14,082

84

%

Total operating expenses increased by $14.1 million to $30.9 million compared to $16.8 million in the prior year. On a constant currency basis, operating expenses increased by $13.5 million, or 77%. The increase was driven primarily by increased headcount across Sales and Marketing, Technology, and General and Administrative functions as we invest in the Company’s organic growth initiatives as well as increased administrative expenses associated with operating as a public company.

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Sales and Marketing expenses totaled $14.1 million compared to $8.1 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased wages and salary expenses associated with increased headcount.

Technology expenses totaled $4.0 million compared to $2.5 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased wages and salary expenses associated with increased headcount partially offset by capitalized development costs.

General and Administrative expenses totaled $13.0 million compared to $6.0 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased wages and salary expenses associated with increased headcount, professional services, and insurance expenses.

Earnings

Adjusted EBITDA increased by 26% to $18.4 million compared to $14.6 million in the prior year representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 43%. The increase was driven primarily by increased revenue partly offset by increased operating expenses.

Operating profit remained relatively constant at $11.4 million compared to $11.1 million in 2020. Operating profit in 2021 was affected by non-recurring costs related to the public offering and future acquisitions by $2.6 million, and share based payments costs by $ 2.0 million ($0.7 million and $0.4 million, respectively, in 2020).

Net income totaled $12.5 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, compared to net income of $15.2 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, in the prior year. Net income in 2020 was positively affected by the recognition of deferred tax assets of $5.4 million and gain from bonds’ redemption of $1.4 million ($1.8 million and zero, respectively, in 2021).

Free Cash-flow

Total cash generated from operations of $14.0 million increased 28% compared to $10.9 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased adjusted EBITDA. Free cash flow totaled $8.4 million compared to $10.8 million in the prior year. The decline was the result of increased cash flow generated from operations offset by increased capital expenditures consisting primarily of the acquisition of domain names and capitalized development costs.

Balance Sheet

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

AS OF
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands, USD)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL
POSITION DATA

Cash and cash equivalents

51,047

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

8,225

42,822

521

%

Working capital (2)

46,714

10,059

36,655

364

%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Total assets

91,025

45,383

45,642

101

%

Total borrowings

5,944

5,960

(16

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

)

(0

)%

Total liabilities

11,116

11,171

(55

)

(0

)%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Total equity

79,909

34,212

45,697

134

%

  1. Working capital is defined as total current assets minus total current liabilities.

n/m = not meaningful

Cash balances as of December 31, 2021 totaled $51.0 million, an increase of $42.8 million compared to $8.2 million as of December 31, 2020. Working capital as of December 31, 2021 totaled $46.7 million, an increase of $36.6 million compared to $10.1 million as of December 31, 2020.

Total assets as of December 31, 2021 were $91.0 million compared to $45.4 million as of December 31, 2020. Total borrowings, including accrued interest, remained constant at $5.9 million as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. Total liabilities decreased slightly as of December 31, 2021 to $11.1 million compared to $11.2 million as of December 31, 2020.

Total equity as of December 31, 2021 was $79.9 million compared to $34.2 million as of December 31, 2020.

The increases in working capital, total assets, and total equity were driven primarily by the net proceeds received from the IPO and operating profit and net income generated by the Company.

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Fourth Quarter 2021 vs. Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD, except for
share and per share data,
unaudited)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME DATA

Revenue

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

10,291

10,267

24

0

%

Operating expenses

(9,668

)

(5,897

)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(3,771

)

64

%

Operating profit

623

4,370

(3,747

)

(86

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

)%

Income before tax

1,311

3,489

(2,178

)

(62

)%

Net income for the period attributable to the
equity holders

867

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

8,541

(7,674

)

(90

)%

Net income per share attributable to ordinary
shareholders, basic

0.03

0.39

(0.36

)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(92

)%

Net income per share attributable to ordinary
shareholders, diluted

0.02

0.35

(0.33

)

(94

)%

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD,
unaudited)

NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES

Adjusted EBITDA

2,272

6,115

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(3,843

)

(63

)%

Adjusted EBITDA Margin

22

%

60

%

n/m

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(38

)%

Free Cash Flow

(1,811

)

3,533

(5,344

)

(151

)%

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

n/m = not meaningful

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

Amount

%

(in thousands, unaudited)

OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

New Depositing Customers (1)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

28

35

(7

)

(20

)%

  1. We define New Depositing Customers, or NDCs, as unique referral of a player from our system to one of our customers that satisfied an agreed metric (typically making a deposit above a minimum threshold) with the customer, thereby triggering the right to a commission for us.

Revenue

Total revenue in the fourth quarter remained relatively constant at $10.3 million. On a constant currency basis, revenue remained relatively constant. NDCs decreased 20% to 28,000 compared to 35,000 in the prior year. We attribute the improved monetization of NDCs to a combination of technology improvements and changes in product and market mix.

Our revenue disaggregated by market is as follows:

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD, unaudited)

U.K. and Ireland

5,226

5,780

(554

)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(10

)%

Other Europe

2,260

2,299

(39

)

(2

)%

North America

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

2,154

1,383

771

56

%

Rest of the world

651

805

(154

)

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(19

)%

Total revenues

10,291

10,267

24

0

%

Changes in revenue were driven by strong organic growth in our North American markets, offset by a decline in the U.K. and Ireland and, to a lesser extent, Other Europe and Rest of the world. U.K. and Ireland revenue was negatively affected by higher than usual volatility in organic search traffic. In the comparable period, U.K. and Ireland revenue was positively affected by increased demand coinciding with restrictive Covid-19 measures. Other Europe was negatively affected by regulatory changes in Germany implemented in July 2021 partly offset by growth in revenue from other European markets.

Our revenue disaggregated by monetization is as follows:

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD, unaudited)

Hybrid commission

2,935

5,557

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

(2,622

)

(47

)%

Revenue share commission

744

1,004

(260

)

(26

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

)%

CPA commission

5,202

3,271

1,931

59

%

Other revenue

1,410

435

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

975

224

%

Total revenues

10,291

10,267

24

0

%

Revenue from CPA commission and Other revenue increased whereas revenue from hybrid and revenue share commission decreased. The changes in monetization were primarily a result of changes in market mix with a higher proportion of revenue from the U.S compared to the previous year. The increase in Other revenue was driven primarily by bonuses related to achieving certain operator NDC performance targets and fixed fees.

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Our revenue disaggregated by product type from which it is derived is as follows:

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

$

%

(in thousands USD, unaudited)

Casino

8,466

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

8,846

(380

)

(4

)%

Sports

1,769

1,160

609

53

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

%

Other

56

261

(205

)

(79

)%

Total revenues

10,291

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

10,267

24

0

%

Revenue increases were driven by growth in revenue from sports products offset by a decrease in casino and other revenue.

Operating Expenses

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,

CHANGE

2021

2020

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

$

%

(in thousands USD, unaudited)

Sales and marketing expenses

4,632

2,442

2,190

90

%

Technology expenses

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

1,190

798

392

49

%

General and administrative expenses

3,877

2,609

1,268

49

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

%

Movements in credit losses allowance and write offs

(31

)

48

(79

)

(165

)%

Total operating expenses

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

9,668

5,897

3,771

64

%

Total operating expenses increased by $3.8 million to $9.7 million compared to $5.9 million in the prior year. On a constant currency basis, operating expenses increased by $3.6 million, or 58%. The increase was driven primarily by headcount across Sales and Marketing, Technology, and General and Administrative functions as we invest in the Company’s organic growth initiatives as well as increased administrative expenses associated with operating as a public company.

Sales and Marketing expenses totaled $4.6 million compared to $2.4 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased wages and salary expenses associated with increased headcount.

Technology expenses totaled $1.2 million compared to $0.8 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased wages and salary expenses associated with increased headcount partially offset by capitalized development costs.

General and Administrative expenses totaled $3.9 million compared to $2.6 million in the prior year. The increase was driven primarily by increased wages and salary expenses associated with increased headcount, professional services, and insurance expenses.

Earnings

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 63% to $2.3 million compared to $6.1 million in the prior year representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 22%. The decrease was driven by increased operating expenses.

Operating profit in the fourth quarter decreased 86% to $0.6 million compared to $4.4 million in 2020. The decrease was driven primarily by a decrease in Adjusted EBITDA and an increase in share-based payments expense.

Net income in the fourth quarter totaled $0.9 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to net income of $8.5 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, in the prior year. Net income in the forth quarter 2021 was positively affected by a USD/Euro foreign currency exchange gain of $1.1 million (zero in 2020). While net income in the fourth quarter of 2020 was positively affected by the recognition of deferred tax assets of $5.4 million (deferred tax asset reduction of $0.2 million in 2021).

Gambling in the USA

GAMING INDUSTRY’S TOP CEOs BILL HORNBUCKLE, PETER JACKSON & JASON ROBINS TO KEYNOTE G2E 2025

Published

on

 

Main Stage Also Features Tribal Innovation Discussion Oct. 6;  Global Gaming Women to Present Mental Health Dialogue Oct. 8

The Global Gaming Expo, presented by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and organized by RX, announces its highly anticipated main stage programming for G2E 2025. Over three days, G2E will feature conversations with some of the most influential voices in gaming and offer diverse perspectives on the future of the industry. G2E 2025 takes place Oct. 6-9 at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas and marks the event’s 25th year.

“We are honored to welcome a distinguished lineup of key industry leaders to the G2E main stage,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “As we mark 25 years of G2E, we’re proud to continue to be a catalyst for gaming’s growth, and our programming reflects the ideas and leadership shaping the industry’s future.”

Progress or Pressure: How Tribes Can Harness Innovation on Their Terms

Monday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

Indian Gaming Association (IGA) Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. will open the main stage by underscoring the central contributions of tribal operators to the U.S. gaming landscape and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Bringing together leading tribal voices, the program will explore how tribes embrace innovation on their own terms—balancing growth with sovereignty and long-term success. Panelists will address how emerging technologies, evolving business models, and the rise of illegal, unregulated markets are reshaping the competitive environment. The dialogue will highlight both the opportunities to harness new tools for sustainable growth and the pressures of protecting the industry’s integrity in a rapidly changing landscape.

Moderated by IGA’s Executive Director Jason Giles, the conversation will feature:

  • Rodney Butler, Chairman, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
  • James Siva, Chairman, California Nations Indian Gaming Association

Additional participants may be announced in the coming days.

Inside the C-Suite: Gaming’s Future in Focus on Stage

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 8:45 a.m. Doors open at 8:15 a.m.

AGA President and CEO Bill Miller will open G2E 2025’s keynote session, welcoming global gaming professionals and underscoring the strength and momentum of legal gaming upon the opening of the industry’s biggest gathering of the year.

Following Miller’s remarks, Hope King, founder of Macro Talk, on-air contributor to Yahoo Finance, and events host and moderator for Axios, will lead an impactful series of one-on-one conversations with top global gaming CEOs. Discussions will address key trends and challenges shaping the industry—including investor expectations, domestic and international expansion, and intensifying competition in regulated and unregulated markets. Featuring:

  • Bill Hornbuckle – CEO & President, MGM Resorts International
  • Peter Jackson – CEO, Flutter Entertainment
  • Jason Robins – CEO, DraftKings

The session will conclude at 10 a.m., immediately followed by the opening of the expo floor.

Breaking the Stigma: An Honest Dialogue on Mental Health

Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. Doors open at 8:45 a.m.

Multi-sport athlete and mental health advocate Kendall Toole will share her personal journey in a conversation moderated by Global Gaming Women (GGW) Sip & Social Chair Meghan Speranzo. Presented by GGW, the session will foster an open dialogue on mental health, designed to reframe how attendees think about wellness and inspire stronger voices across the gaming industry and beyond. This conversation will be open to all badge holders. Ahead of the discussion, GGW will host their Sip & Social event from 8 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. in the same room. For more information on this separate networking event, visit globalgamingwomen.org/event-6325670.

Presented by the AGA and organized by RX, G2E’s full education lineup features more than 100 sessions. G2E 2025 runs from October 6-9 (Education: October 6-9 | Expo Hall: October 7-9) at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas.

Since 2001, G2E has served as the premier global event for the legal, regulated gaming industry, fostering innovation and driving growth across casinos, hospitality, technology, iGaming, sports betting, and more. The event will welcome over 25,000 industry professionals from more than 120 countries, regions, and territories, and nearly 400 exhibitors showcasing the latest global gaming technologies.

For more information, visit globalgamingexpo.com.

 

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform
Continue Reading

Gambling in the USA

Scientific Games Introduces GlowMark, All-New Fluorescent Marking System for Lottery Extended Play Scratch Games

Published

on

 

Vibrant Neon Marking System Enhances the Play Experience for Popular Crossword and Bingo Games 

Scientific Games has created an all-new fluorescent marking system for lottery extended play scratch games such as crossword and bingo, adding a vibrant neon glow to the play experience. Recognizing the expanding popularity of extended play games, which have seen significant growth in recent years, the company’s metro Atlanta-based scratch game designers, game programmers, chemists and production experts developed GlowMark to give players a bright fluorescent surprise when they scratch the game. The innovation is available to U.S. and international lotteries.

2025-Cision-500x625px-GlowMark.png

Scientific Games, the world’s largest creator, producer and manager of lottery games, offers more than 100 strategic product enhancements for its world-leading lottery instant products. The new GlowMark marking system reveals a contrasting neon fluorescent color when the player scratches the play area, a vibrant departure from the typical white reveal area found in most games.

SG Analytics indicate extended play lottery games have grown by 32% in the past five years (2019-2024). Today, they represent 18.3% of U.S. lottery retail sales. What was once a niche product is now offered by 44 U.S. lotteries, with retail sales topping $11.5 billion last year.

Scratch games featuring fluorescent inks also grew in popularity, representing more than 12% of games in the market by fiscal year 2025. Additionally, $10 scratch games with fluorescent inks outperformed other $10 games by nearly 9% in fiscal year 2025.

“Our Innovation and Discovery teams developed this innovation by using fluorescents to enhance the scratch game experience and are now thrilled to debut GlowMark, our newest advancement in extended play marking systems,” said Danielle Hodges, Senior Director, Global Product Innovation & Development for Scientific Games. “GlowMark gives games a strong, visually appealing contrast between the marked and unmarked areas of the game, adding excitement with glowing neon colors.”

Extended play scratch games produced at Scientific Games’ metro Atlanta global headquarters, as well as production facilities in Canada and the UK, can feature GlowMark. The company’s products represent 70% of lottery instant game global retail sales.

Innovating products and solutions that move the global lottery industry forward since 1973, Scientific Games provides retail and digital games, technology, analytics and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries worldwide.

GlowMark™ is a trademark of Scientific Games, LLC. © 2025 Scientific Games, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform

 

Continue Reading

Gambling in the USA

Resorts World Las Vegas Appoints Respected Industry Leaders Lou Dorn as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary; Elizabeth Tranchina as General Counsel

Published

on

 

Resorts World Las Vegas announces the appointments of Lou Dorn as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, and Elizabeth Tranchina as General Counsel. Together, they bring proven leadership across the gaming and hospitality industries and will oversee legal, regulatory, governance, and risk-related functions for the resort, helping to drive operational excellence and support long-term growth.

“Lou brings an exceptional depth of experience in gaming law and regulatory compliance that will be instrumental as we continue to grow and evolve,” said Jim Murren, Chairman of Resorts World Las Vegas. “His leadership will help ensure our operations remain forward-thinking, responsible and built on a strong legal foundation.”

Dorn’s distinguished career spans both public service and private-sector leadership. He comes to Resorts World from Bally’s Corporation, where he served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel – North America and oversaw legal operations for 19 casino and resort properties across the U.S., including online gaming and sports wagering platforms. Prior to that, he held executive legal roles at Monarch Casino & Resort, SLS Las Vegas, Aliante Casino and Hotel and the Las Vegas Hilton, where he led legal strategy, compliance programs and regulatory affairs.

Earlier in his career, Dorn served as Chief of the Corporate Securities Division for the Nevada Gaming Control Board and as Deputy Attorney General for the State of Nevada. In these roles, he helped shape and enforce gaming regulations and compliance for the state, gaining a comprehensive understanding of both Nevada gaming law and federal securities law.

“Joining Resorts World Las Vegas at such a dynamic time in its growth is an exciting opportunity,” said Dorn. “Having spent my career navigating the complexities of gaming law and regulatory compliance, I look forward to supporting the resort’s continued success by ensuring we operate with the highest standards of legal integrity and strategic governance.”

Resorts World Las Vegas also welcomes Elizabeth Tranchina as General Counsel. A seasoned legal counsel with more than 20 years of legal and regulatory compliance experience in the gaming and hospitality industry, Tranchina began her legal career as an Assistant Attorney General in the Gaming Division for the Louisiana Department of Justice. She most recently served as General Counsel for Investar Bank, headquartered in Louisiana, overseeing the legal operations for more than 20 branch locations across Louisiana, Texas and Alabama. Prior to that, she was General Counsel at Rio Hotel & Casino where she managed the legal, regulatory compliance and risk functions for the property. Tranchina has held senior leadership roles at publicly traded gaming, sports betting, and iGaming companies, overseeing legal and compliance matters across multiple jurisdictions.

“Elizabeth brings a steady, solutions-oriented mindset to complex legal challenges. Her experience across gaming and financial services adds valuable perspective to our leadership team, and her contributions will be instrumental as we continue to grow,” said Carlos Castro, President and Chief Financial Officer for Resorts World Las Vegas.

For more information about Resorts World Las Vegas, please visit rwlasvegas.com.

 

Advertisement
Stake - Best Online Casino & Sports Betting Platform
Continue Reading

Trending

GamingAmericas.com (part of HIPTHER) is your one-stop portal for the latest news, insights, and analyses in the gaming industry across the Americas. From legislative updates and market trends to interviews with industry leaders, we provide a comprehensive look at the dynamic landscape of both online and land-based gaming. Whether you're a stakeholder looking to stay ahead of the curve or a gaming enthusiast eager for reliable updates, GamingAmericas.com has got you covered. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for real-time updates and exclusive content. Make informed decisions and stay ahead in the game with GamingAmericas.com.

Disclaimer: All the information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always check your local laws before participating in any gaming activities.

Copyright © 2018 – 2025, HIPTHER. All Rights Reserved.