Q1 Trading Update

RNS Number : 5057W

Entain PLC

18 April 2023

 

For Release at 7.00am

18 April 2023 

Entain plc

("Entain" or the "Group")

Strong momentum across the Group with record levels of active customers

Group performance in line with expectations

Entain plc (LSE: ENT), the global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group, today reports trading for the period from 1 January to 31 March 2023 ("Q1").

Financial Highlights:

· Strong start to 2023 with Q1 Group Net Gaming Revenue ("NGR") up +15% (+11%cc¹)

o  Including our 50% share of BetMGM, Q1 Group NGR was up +17%cc¹

· Online Q1 NGR up +16% (+11%cc¹), in line with expectations and demonstrating strong momentum

o  Online NGR in Q1 +1%cc¹ proforma. On an underlying basis, excluding the known regulatory impacts in the UK and Germany, Online NGR was +6%cc¹ proforma

o  Record levels of active customers in Q1, up +19% versus the prior year (+14% proforma)

· Strong performance in Retail with Q1 NGR up +14% (+13%cc¹)

· BetMGM continues to grow strongly with Q1 NGR of approximately $470m, up +76%, delivering in line with guidance of $1.8-$2.0bn for 2023

o  Consistent iGaming leadership with 28%³ market share and established amongst leading operators with 17%^2,3 share in sports-betting and iGaming markets where BetMGM operates

o  Successful Super Bowl and March Madness, with strong customer acquisition during the quarter  

o  Player economics continue to support state cohort profitability, and BetMGM remains on track to deliver positive EBITDA in the second half of 2023⁴

Operational Highlights:

· Continued execution of strategic growth with further diversification and expansion across regulated markets and products

o  Strategic partnership with TAB New Zealand ("TAB NZ") to provide wagering operations in New Zealand

o  Acquisition of 365scores to broaden customer appeal and support online growth

· Ongoing focus and progress across our Sustainability strategy

o  Only global operator with 100% revenue from regulated or regulating markets

o  Commitment for two-year programme with Gordon Moody Charity, continuing the Entain Foundation's funding for responsible gaming support

o  ARC continues to provide industry leading player protection with over 3.7million interactions so far

o  Retained AA rating by MSCI ESG Ratings, illustrating continued industry leadership in ESG

Jette Nygaard-Andersen, Entain's CEO, commented :

"2023 is off to a strong start, with continuing underlying momentum across our operations around the world. We are delivering both financially and strategically, with a record number of active customers enjoying our products, and we are executing on growth opportunities to further diversify and expand across regulated markets. In the US, BetMGM continues to grow in line with expectations and enjoyed a successful quarter which included the Super Bowl and March Madness.

Looking ahead, we remain confident that our customer focus, diversification and proven ability to grow organically and through M&A will enable us to demonstrate further progress against our strategy."

Q1: 1 January to 31 March 2023
	Total NGR	Total NGR cc1	Sport Wagers	Sport Wagers cc1	Sports Margin
Online
Sports	8%	2%	3%	(2%)	+0.4pp
Gaming	25%	20%
Total Online	16%	11%
Retail	14%	13%	17%	15%	+0.2pp
Total Group (ex US)	15%	11%
BetMGM	94%	76%
Total Group inc. 50% BetMGM	22%	17%

Notes

(1)  Growth on a constant currency basis calculated by translating 2023 and 2022 performances at 2023 exchange rates

(2)  BetMGM revenues comprise of sports (Online and Retail) and iGaming revenues

(3)  BetMGM market shares for the three month period to February 2023 (excluding Arizona in February, as data yet to be reported)

(4)  Based on current assumption of future live markets

Enquiries:

Investor Relations - Entain plc David Lloyd-Seed, Chief IR & Communications Officer Davina Hobbs, Head of Investor Relations Aimee Remey, VP US Investor Relations Callum Sims, IR Manager	[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail]
Media - Entain plc Lisa Attenborough, Head of Corporate Communications Jay Dossetter, Head of ESG and Press Office Jodie Hitch, PR Manager	[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail]
Powerscourt Rob Greening/Nick Hayns/Sam Austrums	Tel: [phone] entain@powersco urt-group.com

Q1 Conference Call & Webcast

An analyst call will be held today, Tuesday 18 April 2023 at 9:00am BST. Participants may join via webcast or by conference call dial in, approximately 10 minutes before the start of the call.

Live audio webcast link:   Entain Group 2023 Q1 Trading Update

To participate in the Q&A, please also connect via the conference call dial in details.

UK    [phone]

US    [phone]

Access Code:    Quote "Entain" when prompted by operator

A replay of the presentation and transcript will be available on our website: Results Centre - Entain Group

Upcoming dates:

Interim Results:    10 August 2023

About Entain plc

Entain plc (LSE: ENT) is a FTSE100 company and is one of the world's largest sports betting and gaming groups, operating both online and in the retail sector. The Group owns a comprehensive portfolio of established brands; Sports brands include BetCity, bwin, Coral, Crystalbet, Eurobet, Ladbrokes, Neds, Sportingbet, Sports Interaction and SuperSport; Gaming brands include Foxy Bingo, Gala, GiocoDigitale, Ninja Casino, Optibet, Partypoker and PartyCasino. The Group owns proprietary technology across all its core product verticals and in addition to its B2C operations provides services to a number of third-party customers on a B2B basis.

The Group has a 50/50 joint venture, BetMGM, a leader in sports betting and iGaming in the US. Entain provides the technology and capabilities which power BetMGM as well as exclusive games and products, specially developed at its in-house gaming studios. The Group is tax resident in the UK and is the only global operator to exclusively operate in domestically regulated or regulating markets operating in over 40 territories.

Entain is a leader in ESG, a member of FTSE4Good, the DJSI and is AA rated by MSCI. The Group has set a science-based target, committing to be carbon net zero by 2035 and through the Entain Foundation supports a variety of initiatives, focusing on safer gambling, grassroots sport, diversity in technology and community projects. For more information see the Group's website : www.entaingroup.com

Important notices

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including with respect to Entain's expectations, intentions and projections regarding its future performance, strategic initiatives, anticipated events or trends and other matters that are not historical facts and which are, by their nature, inherently predictive, speculative and involve risks and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about operating performance, strategic initiatives, objectives, market position, industry trends, general economic conditions, expected expenditures, expected cost savings and financial results are forward‐looking statements. Any statements contained in this announcement that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward‐looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which may use words such as "aim", "anticipate", "believe", "could", "intend", "estimate", "expect", "may", "plan", "project" or words or terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof, are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors including, but not limited to, commercial, operational, economic and financial factors, that could cause actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond Entain's ability to control or estimate precisely, such as changes in taxation or fiscal policy, future market conditions, currency fluctuations, the behaviour of other market participants, the actions of governments or governmental regulators, or other risk factors, such as changes in the political, social and regulatory framework in which Entain operates or in economic or technological trends or conditions, including inflation, recession and consumer confidence, on a global, regional or national basis. Given those risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Entain and its affiliates, and any of its or their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, advisers or agents (collectively, "Representatives") expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required to do so by applicable law or regulation.

In particular, no statement in this announcement is intended to be a profit forecast or profit estimate and no statement of a financial metric (including estimates of EBITDA, profit before tax, free cash flow or net debt) should be interpreted to mean that any financial metric for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published position of Entain and its subsidiaries. Certain statements in this announcement may contain estimates. The estimates set out in this announcement have been prepared based on numerous assumptions and forecasts, some of which are outside of Entain's influence and/or control, and is therefore inherently uncertain and there can be no guarantee or assurance that it will be correct. The estimates have not been audited, reviewed, verified or subject to any procedures by Entain's auditors. Undue reliance should not be placed on them and there can be no guarantee or assurance that they will be correct.

This announcement is being issued by and is the sole responsibility of Entain. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by or on behalf of, Entain (apart from the responsibilities or liabilities that may be imposed by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended or the regulatory regime established thereunder) or by its affiliates or any of its Representatives as to, or in relation to, the accuracy, adequacy, fairness or completeness of this announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers or any other statement made or purported to be made by or on behalf of Entain or any of its affiliates or any of its Representatives in connection with Entain and any responsibility and liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise therefore is expressly disclaimed.

LEI: 213800GNI3K45LQR8L28

 

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