Earnings+More - Deal Talk
Welcome to this month’s edition of E+M’s monthly newsletter Deal Talk, discussing what’s being spoken about away from the earnings announcements and analyst calls of the betting and gaming sector. In this issue:
The way outThe news that Fubo has shuttered its sports-betting operations highlights how difficult it is to crack the US market. Middle of nowhere: While operators worry about the path to profitability, for those further down the market share ladder the questions being asked are more existential. Having undertaken a strategic review earlier this year, Fubo said overnight that continuing with its sports-betting operations in the “challenging macroeconomic environment” would impact its ability to reach its longer-term profitability goals”.
The big squeeze: Recent data from Eilers & Krejcik suggests market concentration among the big four of FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars has increased in the past year to 86%, posing questions for operators below the top tier.
** SPONSOR’S MESSAGE** GiG is a leading gaming platform and sportsbook provider for online and land-based operators with digital aspirations. We deliver a full end-to-end solution through our award-winning iGaming and sportsbook solutions. Built for regulated markets and a top-class customer experience, GiG is pioneering the multi-platform era. If you are looking to expand your operations into new, profitable markets, our strategy is the solution. Find out more at sales@gig.com. So who might throw in the towel?Trailing behind: Each operator has its own set of circumstances that will determine whether or not the management decides to soldier on. But, broadly, if you add Barstool and Rush Street to that top four, then anyone else could effectively be in trouble. That equates to more than 30 current also-rans.
Why call a halt now?Wave of mutilation: The initial wave of enthusiasm has already passed and profitability is now uppermost on the minds of investors, both in the listed realm and with private companies.
What are we going to do now?Now is the season of our discount tents: Many will be hoping that persistence will pay off. PointsBet, for instance, is struggling in many of the states where it operates to achieve much more than low single-digit market shares. It recently joined WynnBet in opting not to pay (a lot) for the privilege of being an official sponsor of the NFL.
Saving face: For others, though, the issue appears more acute. Kindred, for instance, is barely at 1% in any of its markets. But sources argued it might stick to its guns, partly in the hope of iCasino, but also to avoid having to say it is no longer involved in the biggest new market in a generation.
Worth the waitWaiting for my man: As noted with Kindred, the big unknown is how many of the brands that are struggling to gain even a foothold in sports betting are simply waiting on iCasino to gain more traction. Rush Street management has been vocal about just this strategy.
You’re not aloneNew kids on the block: None of this is stopping new entrants from hoping to crack the code. Startups Sporttrade, Prophet Exchange and Mojo have all recently launched in New Jersey and the micro-betting specialist betr is set to open its doors in Ohio as and when the market launches.
G2E chatterAGS/Inspired: Despite the industrial logic of the proposed $370m merger, the failure to consummate the tie-up was perhaps not surprising given the current economic backdrop. But sources suggested the deal didn’t fall apart over financing.
Fanatics: How will Fanatics manage to comply with the regulations in 13 states by January? Answers on a ‘name of acquired company with market access in the requisite number of states’-sized postcard. By general consensus, the deal that is just waiting to happen: MGM Resorts and Entain. Q3 transaction reviewOf the transactions announced in the past three months, deals to shore up balance sheets were prominent. Shoring up: It is quite appropriate, perhaps, that the biggest deal in the third quarter should have been a shareholder corporate loan from Las Vegas Sands to Sands China. Macau’s future remains as unclear as it was at the turn of the year and doubts within the market are now as much about if the market returns as when.
Emma, forever ago: Of the acquisitions within the quarter, the headline-grabber was Entain’s deal to form a new Entain CEE JV with Emma Capital via, initially, a deal to buy a 75% stake in the Croatian bookie SuperSport.
The ones that got away: As discussed in our G2E chatter above, the mood among the corporate lawyers was likely not helped by, first, the failure of the Inspired bid for AGS, and, second, by Allwyn deciding to pull its planned merger with the Cohn Robbins SPAC.
The month in transactions
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Older messages
888 grim tidings; Fubo quits
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
888 revenues decline in Q3, Fubo says it is shutting its sportsbook +More
Flutter wins FanDuel NY court case
Monday, October 17, 2022
Flutter's FanDuel court victory, Acroud's 'mystery buy' revealed, the shares week – DraftKings' dive, Startup Focus – Fortuna Edge Media +More
Sands' Macau jeopardy Weekend Edition #68
Friday, October 14, 2022
Sands China under pressure, G2E supplier wrap, Entain and Flutter updates +More
Entain calls the shots
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Barstool makes youth advance, Rivalry also mines younger demo seam, shark news +More
Cali tribes slam Prop 27 rivals
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Divergent Californian narratives emerge at G2E, Betr preferred bidder for WA TAB, Fanatics OSB launch, FanDuel and DraftKings keynote comments +More.
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