Fortuna Entertainment has cited a strong demand for its online sports betting services as one of the main reasons behind a year-on-year increase in gross win during the first half of 2015.
Gross win in the six-month period amounted to €67.1 million ($75.6 million), up from 1.9% on the amounted recorded during the first half of the previous year.
Of this total, €38.3 million came from Fortuna’s online sports betting business, 18.9% more than in the same period last year, while gross win from retail sports betting was down 17% to €24.8 million.
The amounts staked by customers during the period also increased by 23.6% on a year-on-year basis to €411.9 million.
However, Fortuna also said that group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell by 39.1% year-on-year to €9 million due to the cancellation of an online handling fee in Slovakia, less favourable sports results, higher marketing costs and a strong performance last year due to the Fifa World Cup.
Per Widerstrom, chief executive and chairman of the board at Fortuna, said: “The results achieved were driven by strong demand for on-line sports betting, supported among others by our extended live streaming offer and the cancellation of online handling fee in Slovakia.
“The year-on-year comparison was however affected by the absence of the major sport events this year, particularly by the World Cup in Brazil last year which were driving strong amounts staked at a solid margin last year.
“In line with our expectations, our outlook for the whole year remains unchanged.”
source : www.igamingbusiness.com
