EGR Power 50 2019 – in numbers

The countdown is over. Today, we finally revealed who we believe are the world’s 10 biggest online gaming companies as part of the annual EGR Power 50 rankings.

Bet365 was once again crowned number one for the 10^th consecutive year, while Gamesys Group was the only new entrant in the top 10 following JPJ Group’s acquisition of Gamesys earlier this year.

Here’s some of the key takeaways from this year’s prestigious rankings:

1

Was bet365’s top spot in the Power 50 ever really in doubt? Probably not, but the fact the sports betting heavyweight has been number one for exactly a decade now is no small achievement. Despite the M&A activity of its closest competitors, bet365 is still some way ahead of the likes of GVC Holdings and The Stars Group, not only in financials but arguably in every other judging criteria too (strategy & impact, geographic reach and influence & leadership). There are signs that growth has slowed slightly in certain markets for bet365 (as Regulus Partners alluded to yesterday) but it will still take something special for the company to be beaten next year. Would a combined Flutter Entertainment/The Stars Group be enough to topple bet365 from its throne?

5%

Every year we partner with accountancy and business advisory giant BDO who help us crunch the numbers. In addition to helping us with the financial rankings, BDO also compile a number of graphs which offer an intriguing insight into how the group of Power 50 firms have performed in the 12-month period overall. What’s notable this year is how much growth has slowed. In 2019 net gaming revenue grew 5% year-on-year, which is a marked difference from the 19% growth in 2018 and the 16% growth in 2017. It’s a similar story with regards to EBITDA and active players too.

7

It’s always good to get some new blood in the Power 50 to freshen things up a bit and it’s important to reward those companies which often fly below the radar. This year we’ve got seven new operators on the list, two of which (Golden Nugget and Rush Street Interactive) have crept in based on the growth of the US market, both in terms of size and importance. Meanwhile, another two operators – STS and Stoiximan/Betano – have achieved very respectable positions in the rankings as both have stolen a march in their local markets and since expanded further afield.

6

There are a number of companies which fell just short of making the cut this year, and we’ve recognised six in particular in our ‘Ones to watch’ list. Buzz Bingo, for example, has had a strong year after becoming one of the UK’s biggest bingo brands in the space of just a few months, while Australian operator PointsBet has certainly made a splash in the US since the repeal of PASPA last year. All six companies are already strong contenders to make the EGR Power 50 next year if they can maintain their current momentum.

16/13

Coingaming Group is the Power 50’s biggest riser this year, climbing 16 places from 44^th in 2018 to 28^th this time around. This is some feat for an operator which only made its Power 50 last year and is notable for being the only company in the list to focus on the cryptocurrency space. The biggest faller, however, is Gaming Innovation Group which drops 13 spots to 41^st following a disappointing financial performance in recent quarters and ongoing difficulties in Sweden.