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BRAGG GAMING GROUP 2021 SECOND QUARTER REVENUE RISES 27.6% AND ADJUSTED EBITDA INCREASES 8.5% YEAR OVER YEAR
Bragg Gaming Group, a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 and provided an update on its strategic growth initiatives.
Summary of Q2-21 Financial and Operational Highlights
Q2-21 |
Q2-20 |
% Change |
|
Revenue |
€15,491 |
€12,145 |
27.6% |
Adjusted EBITDA |
€1,900 |
€1,751 |
8.5% |
Adjusted EBITDA margin |
12.3% |
14.4% |
-2.1% |
Operational |
Q2-21 |
Q2-20 |
% Change |
Wagering revenue (Euros) |
€3.8B |
€3.3B |
15.9% |
Unique players[3] |
2.3M |
1.9M |
21.0% |
Revenue / top 10 customers |
57% |
64% |
-11.3% |
Select Recent Strategic Development Progress
- Bragg completed the acquisition of Wild Streak LLC (“Wild Streak”) on June 2, 2021. Wild Streak, a leading U.S. and European-focused proprietary casino content studio, provides Bragg with a library of nearly 40 casino content titles as well as expertise in game design, slot mathematics, and advanced game mechanics and features. As of June 30, 2021 Wild Streak had seven online casino games live in key iGaming markets including in New Jersey, the UK and other regulated jurisdictions in Europe which have helped grow Wild Streak’s revenues and Adjusted EBITDA by 149% and 940%, respectively, in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. Bragg launched its first Wild Streak online game in Michigan last month, to a strong player response.
The acquisition of Wild Streak will significantly help transform the Company’s business going forward as it continues to shift from primarily providing third-party online gaming content to be predominantly focused on providing in-house developed proprietary online gaming content that carry higher gross profit margins. Wild Streak’s product roadmap currently contemplates the release of six new games through the end of 2021 and 12 new games next year.
- Bragg continues to make progress with the U.S. and Canadian licensing process in connection with its previously announced, pending acquisition of Spin Games LLC (“Spin Games”) and expects to complete the acquisition in the fourth quarter, pending regulatory approval from various U.S. states’ gaming commissions. The technical integration between Spin Games and the Company’s Oryx Hub distribution platform is complete and the combined offering will deliver the benefits of Oryx’s advanced player engagement, data tools and platform technology alongside Spin Games’ U.S. market content and operator relationships, providing a differentiated and widely distributed iGaming product offering.
Following completion of the transaction, Bragg will gain access to key strategic operator relationships in the U.S. where Spin Games has over 30 customers including leading iGaming operators. The Company plans to leverage these relationships to initially cross-sell its existing European casino content followed by the new, proprietary online casino content currently being developed to address the U.S. and Canadian markets. Spin Games’ remote games server and casino content are fully licensed and distributed in the U.S. states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and is licensed and pending go-live in British Columbia, Canada. Spin Games has a proprietary content portfolio of more than 30 in-house developed games, including content in emerging and trending categories such as slots, video poker, action bingo and keno. Spin Games will also augment Bragg’s existing content portfolio with numerous popular third-party titles from well-known, land-based slot manufacturers.
- Bragg’s Oryx Gaming is live in various European online gaming markets, the largest of which by revenue contribution is Germany. Following the new iGaming regulatory regime in Germany which became effective on July 1, 2021, revenue contributions from Germany are expected to decline in the second half of 2021 and into 2022 compared to historical levels. These changes are fully anticipated in Bragg’s growth forecasts and are expected to be offset by strong growth in both new and existing markets as well as from new clients, from increased profit margins as a result of the Company’s focus on developing more proprietary content, and from acquisitions. Bragg continues to make progress with diversifying its European market penetration including recent activations in Spain, Denmark and Greece, as well as being fully prepared to enter the Netherlands when the newly regulated market opens, anticipated on October 1, 2021.
- The Company is expanding into new global online gaming markets including Europe’s two largest iGaming markets, the U.K. and Italy, and the Company expects to obtain appropriate licenses and certification for both of these countries in Q4 2021. In the U.S., the Company is in the process of applying for licenses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Overall, the Company expects to move from supplying its products in markets with a combined total addressable market (“TAM”) for online casino of US$2.8 billion in 2021, to markets with a combined online casino TAM of US$18.4 billion in 2022, presenting significant revenue uplift opportunities.
- During the quarter The Company launched eleven new exclusive games via its Oryx remote games server in partnership with third-party studios, and two new proprietary games from its in-house Oryx Gaming studio. In addition, Wild Streak launched two new games during the quarter.
- The Company expects to increase its output of games produced from its in-house studios, which capture a greater share of the value chain compared to the distribution of third-party games. Illustrating this progress, in 2020 the Company released zero games developed by in-house studios and this year it expects to release five games in Europe from its proprietary Oryx Gaming studio, representing 11% of all exclusive games released via the Oryx remote games server (“RGS”) this year. In 2022, the Company’s Oryx Gaming studio expects to release 19 proprietary games in Europe, representing 33% of exclusive games released via the Oryx RGS in the region that year. In addition, in 2022 the Oryx Gaming studio expects to release four proprietary games in the U.S., and the Company’s Wild Streak studio expects to release ten proprietary games in the U.S. for a total of 14 fully-owned online slot game titles expected to go live in the region, and representing 37% of all exclusive games expected to be launched by the Company in the U.S. in 2022. The increased proportion of in-house games released is expected to benefit the Company’s gross profit margin profile
- As previously disclosed, Bragg has submitted an application to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
“Bragg had strong 2021 second quarter financial performance while also continuing to advance our in-house content development strategy and new market entry plans, including entry into the North American market, while also making progress on our Germany mitigation strategies. Overall, our comprehensive growth initiatives are expected to contribute to revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth over the balance of this year and more meaningfully in 2022,” said Richard Carter, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group. “Second quarter revenue rose 27.6% to EUR €15.5 million (USD $18.3 million), generating Adjusted EBITDA of EUR €1.9 million (USD $2.2 million) representing year-over-year Adjusted EBITDA growth of 8.5%. Our effectiveness in helping online casino operators connect with players is clearly reflected in the 21% year-over-year increase in the number of unique players using Bragg content, and in the 41 new customers using our games and services we’ve added over the last twelve months.
“Throughout the second quarter, we made meaningful progress with our strategic growth initiatives including expanding existing customer relationships, building out a pipeline of premium in-house iGaming content, and providing our content and offerings to new markets throughout North America and Europe. These and other strategies are transforming Bragg into a leading content focused, B2B iGaming provider and will help drive growth as we leverage our scalable technology stack, which features industry unique player engagement tools, and proprietary intellectual property to address the burgeoning global online casino markets. We believe our growth initiatives will not only help to rapidly mitigate the near-term impact from the new Germany regulatory structure, but more importantly will help drive our execution on future revenue growth opportunities and lead to significant expansion of our EBITDA margins over the medium term.
“Our recent acquisition of Wild Streak brings to Bragg a fast-growing leading game development studio with a strong online content pipeline and expands on the in-house development capabilities of our Oryx Gaming studio. Wild Streak currently has seven online games live in New Jersey and other non-U.S. markets including Dragon Power, which has been a top performing title in New Jersey since its release in May 2020. In the six-month period ending June 30, 2021, Wild Streak’s online gaming revenue has risen rapidly, and we expect ongoing growth as their pace of new game introductions increases going forward.
“Further, our pending acquisition of Spin Games LLC (“Spin Games”) will accelerate our entry into North American iGaming markets, help us port high-performing European online content into North America, and bring a wealth of U.S. market and compliance expertise to Bragg. We expect our pipeline of internally developed premium content will increase to 33 new online games in 2022 up from five games produced by our Oryx Gaming studio in 2021. Our ability to develop and commercialize our own game content and marry it with our leading player engagement tools such as tournaments and jackpots is one of our highest priorities as this combination offers significant economic advantages, boosting wagers and generating greater gross profit margins when compared to the distribution of third-party content.
“As we continue to transition to the distribution of internally developed content, we remain focused on growing the number of markets we serve. We are moving forward with further expansion in the U.S. and preparing for the introduction of our games in Ontario when that market opens, which is expected before year-end. While we will continue to serve the German market, we are diversifying away from our historic revenue concentration in that market based on our entrance into new North American and international iGaming markets such as the U.K. and Italy, which are the two largest European markets. Our market expansion and revenue diversification initiatives will help offset the anticipated revenue decline in Germany related to the new regulatory regime, as reflected in our expectation that full year 2021 revenues will rise 5.6% year-over-year. We expect our entry into new markets will be a significant driver of growth throughout 2022 as we expect to increase the TAM we can address more than 500% to over US$18 billion.”
Mr. Carter concluded, “Bragg possesses many competitive advantages including proprietary, modern technology and development resources that enable us to innovate rapidly and develop content quickly. With our technology platform, growing proprietary premium content portfolio, value-added player engagement tools, and global distribution capabilities, we believe Bragg is well positioned to capture a growing share of the large global iGaming market. These factors, combined with our low capitalized expenditure requirements and predominantly fixed cost operating model, will enable Bragg to grow revenue and Adjusted EBITDA margins that results in near and long-term Adjusted EBITDA growth and creates value for our shareholders.”
Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results and other Key Metrics Highlights
- Revenue increased by 27.6% to EUR €15.5 million (USD $18.3 million) in Q2 2021 compared to EUR €12.1 million (USD $14.3 million) in Q2 2020, inclusive of 28 days of contributions from Wild Streak.
- Wagering revenue generated by customers increased 15.9% to EUR €3.8 billion (USD $4.5 billion) compared to EUR €3.3 billion (USD $3.9 billion) in Q2 2020.
- The number of unique players[4] using Bragg games via its Oryx Hub distribution platform and content increased by 21.0% to 2.3 million, from 1.9 million in Q2 2020.
- Gross profit increased by 37.5% to EUR €7.0 million (USD $8.3 million) from EUR €5.1 million (USD $6.0 million) in Q2 2020, reflecting higher revenue and a 3.3% margin improvement to 45.4%. The margin expansion is primarily the result of the continued revenue mix shift towards a higher proportion of revenues from iGaming and turnkey services, which have lower associated cost of sales when compared to games and content.
- Net loss for the period was EUR €2.3 million (USD $2.8 million), a decrease of EUR €1.9 million (USD $2.3 million) from Q2 2020, primarily due to incremental increase in employee costs, exceptional professional fees as a result of the Nasdaq listing efforts, offset by increased gross profit and a reduction in costs in relation to deferred consideration payable.
- Adjusted EBITDA was EUR €1.9 million (USD $2.2 million), up 8.5% compared to EUR €1.8 million (USD $2.1 million) in Q2 2020, and the Adjusted EBITDA margin decreased by 2.1% to 12.3%, reflecting increased salary and subcontractors’ costs as part of the Company’s investment in the expansion of its software development, product and management functions.
- Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2021 was EUR €21.0 million (USD $24.7 million)
Raises Full Year 2021 Guidance and Initiates Full Year 2022 Revenue Guidance
Bragg today provided full year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance, inclusive of contributions from Wild Streak. The Company expects revenue of EUR €49 million (USD $57.8 million) and Adjusted EBITDA of EUR €5.4 million (USD $6.4 million), compared to its prior, pre-acquisition guidance of revenue of EUR €47 million (USD $55.5 million) and Adjusted EBITDA of EUR €4 million (USD $4.7 million). This also compares to 2020 full year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA of EUR €46.4 million (USD $54.8 million) and EUR €5.5 million (USD $6.5 million), respectively. In addition, Bragg initiated full year revenue guidance for 2022 of EUR €54 million to EUR €56 million (USD $63.7 million to USD $66.1 million).
Compliance Updates
Tennessee Sports Wagering Council Takes Action Against Illegal Sportsbook
The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council through its executive director issued $50,000 in fines to Bovada.lv, an unlicensed and therefore illegal sportsbook operating in Tennessee.
Bovada failed to comply with cease and desist letters delivered to addresses in Curaçao, and Council investigators placed wagers through Bovada’s platform on three separate occasions, including as recently as October 16, 2024.
The Sports Gaming Act authorizes the Council to impose a $10,000 fine for the first offense of accepting wagers without a license, which rises to $15,000 for the second offense, and $25,000 for the third offense. Subsequent offenses may lead to the imposition of a $25,000 fine for each occurrence, an occurrence being a single wager accepted in Tennessee.
In the cease and desist letters, the Council ordered Bovada to allow all Tennessee users to withdraw any funds currently held by the unlicensed sportsbook.
“The Sports Wagering Council recommends that Tennessee users of Bovada withdraw their funds immediately. Our primary role is the protection of the public interest through a safe, regulated environment, and Tennessee sports bettors need to know that just because they can access a sports betting website or app inside Tennessee’s borders does not mean it is licensed to do business here,” Mary Beth Thomas, Executive Director of Tennessee Sports Wagering Council, said.
Legal sportsbook operators provide important bettor protections not found in the illegal market. If an individual wagers with unlicensed sportsbooks, their sensitive financial and personal information may not be protected and could even be shared with criminal enterprises. The bettor’s money could be withheld or disappear without a way to recover it.
The SWC is working closely with its network of law enforcement at the state and federal level to eradicate illegal sportsbooks such as Bovada and others.
Tennessee is the largest “online-only” sports betting market in the US, with more than $4.7 billion wagered in Tennessee last fiscal year through online sportsbooks licensed by the Council.
Gambling in the USA
Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming Now Lighting Up Casino Floors
The hottest new game from Aristocrat Gaming, Phoenix Link, is now live on casino floors, with Yaamava’ Resort & Casino being the first in North America to offer the highly-anticipated game. As the next evolution of the international hit game, Dragon Link, Phoenix Link features player-favorite mechanics from top games with all-new themes, features, and bonuses.
“We have been humbled by the incredible global fanfare Dragon Link has received over the years but are never ones to rest on our laurels. The teams have been working tirelessly on a follow-up that brings together all the player-favorite elements in a new and exciting way with Phoenix Link as the proud result. We were thrilled to partner with Yaamava’ to premiere Phoenix Link with flair, excitement, and celebration,” said Victor Duarte, executive vice president of product for Aristocrat Gaming.
Phoenix Link players will enjoy the game’s additional denominations, configurations, and jackpots on each of the launch game theme titles. Gameplay features include Hold & Spin, Free Games with multiplier wilds or twin spin reels, Phoenix Mystery trigger, and more new bonus twists. Phoenix Link is available on the Neptune Single cabinet.
“Yaamava’ is thrilled to host yet another world premiere in gaming with the launch of Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming. Our Club Serrano members are already raving about this captivating extension of the player-favorite Dragon Link. It’s a great addition to the Yaamava’ gaming floor,” said Kenji Hall, General Manager of Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel, said.
Latest News
Panel on the benefits of regulation in the Mexican iGaming market
On November 6, the iGaming industry in Mexico is preparing for a key event in which the benefits and challenges that regulation has brought to the Mexican market will be discussed. Under the title “Benefits of Regulation in the Mexican Market”, this panel will offer an in-depth look at the impact of regulation on transparency, competition and consumer protection, critical issues in the new digital era of iGaming.
The event, moderated by Geraldine Alexandra García Torres, Media Manager of Digital Gaming News, will feature the participation of recognized figures in the sector such as Daniel Magariños, representative of BMM Testlabs, and Hermilo Peregrina Cabrera of Prometeo IT Solutions. Both panelists will contribute their extensive knowledge and experience in regulation and certification in the Mexican market, and will analyze with the public the challenges and opportunities that companies face in an increasingly competitive and regulated context.
BMM Testlabs, who will participate as a Gold Sponsor, underlines with its sponsorship the importance of regulation to strengthen the iGaming sector in Mexico and demonstrates its commitment to progress and transparency in the Mexican market. For its part, Kushki joins as a Silver Sponsor, promoting the dialogue and analysis necessary for the industry.
Daniel Magariños, from BMM Testlabs, expressed his enthusiasm for participating in this digital webinar: “It has been a pleasure to be able to share our comments as a Laboratory on a market like the Mexican one and exchange opinions with a reference like Hermilo and the company Prometeo IT Solutions, with its excellent track record in this market. A relaxed talk with a lot of learning that I hope will be interesting for the attendees.”
For his part, Hermilo Peregrina, from Prometeo IT Solutions, highlighted the relevance of these spaces for dialogue: “Thank you to Conferencias iGaming for the invitation to participate in this panel. Thanks to Geraldine for coordinating us, and it was a pleasure to share ideas and opinions with my friend Daniel from BMM Testlabs, who has extensive experience in international regulations and certifications.”
Sponsor Support
The panel has the support of important sponsors who recognize the relevance of regulation in the development of the iGaming market in Mexico. Among them, BMM Testlabs as Gold Sponsor, and Kushki as Silver Sponsor.
Event Details:
Date: November 6
Time: 10:00 a.m. (Mexico)
Registration: Register here
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this essential conversation for the future of the industry. Secure your place and access a key analysis on the dynamic iGaming market in Mexico!
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