EGR Power 50: 21 - 30 (2017)
Welcome to the EGR Power 50 rankings of the online gambling industry’s most powerful operators
21. Fortuna (21)
Fortuna logged another solid year in 2017, with H1 gross win from online sports betting up 21%. Profitability took a hit, but that was largely due to an aggressive growth strategy that saw Fortuna expand across the CEE region and spend €47m on the acquisition of five Romanian gambling brands from its own parent company. That transaction stirred up some trouble from one investor, but was ultimately approved by the courts and reportedly made Fortuna the largest regulated online operator in Romania.
22. Stride Gaming (15)
Stride Gaming was one of the biggest climbers in last year’s Power 50 rankings following the completion of its Tarco Assets, Netboost Media and 8Ball Games acquisitions. And although its M&A activity has slowed down since then, the AIM-listed soft gaming operator has continued to report solid top-line numbers, with half-year revenues up 21% YoY to £44m. The strength of the firm’s position in the UK online bingo market and its proprietary platform has also given rise to rumours it could soon become an acquisition target.
23. 12BET (17)
Despite 12BET increasing its brand presence in the Premier League via a shirt-sleeve sponsorship deal with West Bromwich Albion, the operator has made a concerted marketing push into more niche sports recently. Spokesman Rory Anderson has gone on the record questioning the modern day value of shirt sponsorships of football teams given the crowded nature of the market. Hence why 12BET has signed major marketing deals in badminton, table tennis and taekwondo – a clear nod to some of its key territories in Asia.
24. Lottomatica (18)
IGT-owned Lottomatica remains the largest indigenous brand in the Italian online gaming market. According to recent estimates, the Rome-based business is the current market leader in the online casino vertical, ahead of Sisal and PokerStars, while it also retains a top five position in sports betting and top three in poker. The firm’s position in the market, however, is facing more competition than ever, but with Italy’s growth trajectory expected to increase over the next few years, there are still plenty of opportunities left for Lottomatica to grow.
25. Tombola (26)
The operator’s diversification into the casino vertical in 2016 certainly caught the industry’s attention but the launch of its instant win tombola arcade product seems to have been a success. Figures filed with Companies House earlier this year also showed tombola’s full-year turnover increased 20% year-on-year to £59.5m, helping the company to an operating profit of just under £12m. It is also in the process of building a new headquarters in Sunderland to help fulfil its strategy of doubling the firm’s turnover within five years and increasing its leading positions in the UK, Italy and Spain.
26. SKS365 Group (N/A)
SKS365 Group is the highest new entry in this year’s EGR Power 50. The operator has made significant inroads into the regulated Italian online gambling sector in particular with its Planetwin365 brand, which, according to recent estimates, is now snapping at the heels of sports betting market leader bet365. The Austrian firm, which was founded back in 2009, also has both a land-based and online presence in a number of other markets, including Spain, Belgium and Serbia.
27. Betclic Everest Group (23)
There was a changing of the guard at Betclic Everest Group earlier this year following the departure of CEO Isabelle Andrès who left after five years at the helm. However, the French operator brought in a familiar face in the form of founder and former CEO, Nicolas Béraud, as her replacement. It is difficult to gauge Betclic’s performance over the last 12 months, which included withdrawing from Belgium in May, but its bet-at-home brand continues to record strong growth.
28. Dafabet (Asian BGE) (24)
Dafabet is another predominantly Asia-facing operator that has had a busy 12 months flexing its marketing muscles. This included adding to its raft of sponsorship deals with English football clubs, such as a new two-year deal to become the official betting partner of former Premier League champions Leicester City. However, arguably of more importance to the business was news of its expansion into the African market following Dafabet’s debut in Kenya earlier this year.
29. Mr Green (36)
This time last year, Mr Green publicly set itself a target of growing revenues and profits 20% each year following its move to Nasdaq Stockholm’s main list – and it seems well on its way to fulfilling this ambition. The firm’s Q1 and Q2 2017 revenues increased 26% and 36% YoY respectively, boosted by the addition of its Kambi-powered sportsbook last year, a growing live casino vertical and improved digital marketing capabilities. It is also vying to take the lead in responsible gambling with its Green Gaming detection tool.
30. Casumo (34)
Online casino operator Casumo has clearly had yet another strong year and is believed to be taking decent market share in the UK. The Malta-based firm has significantly ramped up its marketing in the world’s biggest regulated online gambling market, complementing its strong position across the Nordic region. The firm continues to win plaudits across the industry for its gamification angle, points system, loyalty-promoting features and slick mobile-first products.