Results next month ? |
Nice post episurf
Sounds as though Slingo is the "Flagship" |
 Segal is a well-rounded industry veteran who has spent most of his career at Gaming Realms. He started as Chief Financial Officer in May 2013 and stayed in the role until his promotion to Chief Executive Officer in February 2023. Gaming Realms has been expanding rapidly, partnering with operators all over Europe and beyond, including 888, Casino Gran Madrid, 711.nl, Betsson and others. Today, we have a sit-down with Segal who will walk us through his plans for the company and what he has in store next, with North American markets being a big focus.
Q: Congrats on the new role! You take over the helm at a time of strong growth for Gaming Realms, what can we expect in 2023 and beyond to retain that trajectory?
Thank you. I should probably start from last year’s momentous growth, as 2022 saw us significantly expand across new regions, release a host of new games and build upon the Gaming Realms brand. This year, we will continue to develop these core components of our growth strategy.
We entered 2023 with a diverse pipeline of commercial agreements that will see the delivery of our content across numerous new and existing regulated markets. Among other things, we will partner with leading operators in Ontario, a region where we have had a strong start since it regulated last year. Continuing the momentum across North America, we will expand our footprint with additional agreements in Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Jersey. Our presence in Europe will also be bolstered in 2023 as we further our reach in countries such as Italy, Spain and Denmark, and make our debut in Portugal and Greece later in the year.
Additionally, Gaming Realms has recently forged agreements with popular brands such as Tetris and Space Invaders. These will follow other popular IP launches like Slingo Cleopatra, a collaboration with one of the biggest slot brands across both the land-based and online sectors with, IGT’s classic receiving a Slingo interpretation.
Q: Are there any areas that will be a priority for you as you take over as CEO?
My focus and aim for the company is to become a leading supplier in the iGaming industry. We have an emphasis on making Slingo a premium must-have product that has become vertical in its own right. We aim to deliver first-class titles supported by account management data that we use to make our games more engaging for the benefit of our operator partners and players.
The US and North America have become top priorities, now representing our leading market, and we’re still experiencing a lot of growth there. As talk of new states opening in the near future increases, we will very much focus on expanding into those states and mirroring the success we have found in already regulated parts of the US.
Q: You have been with Gaming Realms for almost 10 years, how do you reflect on the company’s journey so far and what have been the highlights?
I am one of the founding members of Gaming Realms and we’ve had a really interesting journey in the last decade. Originally, we set out with the aim of bringing bingo onto mobile devices and in time, that developed into the Slingo offering. Slingo finds itself as the perfect cross-sell product somewhere in between the bingo and slots verticals whilst also delivering the mobile focus we initially wanted to achieve.
For me, the highlight is where we currently are. Slingo as a category is well-recognised, and we have a great reputation in the industry while our titles are consistently enjoyed by global players. The position we hold now is fantastic and it’s something that everybody in the company has immense pride in being a part of, as Slingo continues to develop.
Q: Slingo is now a well-established brand in the industry, what is key to the brand’s success?
One of the key components of Slingo’s success is its heritage in the gaming market, as it was developed around 30 years ago. It has been free to play, it had its own portal many years ago, and it was licensed by Zynga in 2012. Additionally, Slingo is present in the land-based market with IGT, and branded on physical lottery tickets in over 40 US states, demonstrating the power and familiarity of the brand.
Because of this strong heritage, the mechanic has developed a loyal fanbase who are always keen to try the new innovations and iterations that we deliver to the core gameplay with each new release. This mechanical format and focus provide more interaction when compared to a standard slot or bingo as it offers an immersive experience for the player. It has worked fantastically with well-established brands and IPs such as Centurion or Deal or No Deal offering familiarity, that can transcend the iGaming industry.
Slingo has also become a gaming category in its own right. Looking at our international operator partner platforms, players will find that Slingo has its own tab alongside other verticals like Slots and Live Casino.
Q: Gaming Realms has released a string of popular releases utilising recognisable IPs, is this an area you want to continue to develop?
We’ve had multiple announcements already this year of our use of recognisable IPs. We just launched Slingo Cleopatra, created using one of IGT’s biggest hits – Cleopatra. We have also recently licensed Space Invaders and Tetris, with Slingo versions being rolled-out later this year. These are both extremely successful video games with worldwide fanbases that we will leverage.
Additionally, we have seen great success with Rainbow Riches in the UK and Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania, which are typically land-based brands. Operators appreciate these licensed games as much as our players enjoy engaging with them because they can utilise these familiar games, brands and titles to aid in the acquisition of new audiences to their sites.
We will also continue to make new innovative Slingo titles of our own that don’t use pre-established brands and these will blend well to create a dynamic portfolio of titles.
I am very excited about what the team will deliver over the next 12 months with a packed games roadmap and an array of commercial deals that will mark significant progress as we continue our journey to become a leading supplier to the industry. |
We’re excited to announce that we’ve continued our expansion into the Ontario market with the launch of the province’s lottery operator OLG, a member of the World Lottery Association (WLA). Our games are launching through our integration with our North American partner, Light & Wonder. Thanks to everyone who worked on this Richard Brilli, Andrew Darley, Michelle Z., Byron Bridger, Chris Rath, Craig Falciglia, Jordan Palamar & Paul S.
Source linkedin
Also
Mobile-focused gaming content supplier Gaming Realms has extended its licensing partnership with Inspired Entertainment by an additional three years following the success of its pre-existing deal.
Through the deal extension, Gaming Realms will begin developing a third Slingo title to go along with the previously produced games including Slingo Centurion and Slingo Reel King.
The new game will be a Slingo variant of Inspired’s slot title Gold Cash Freespins.
Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment, commented: “We are thrilled to strengthen our successful collaboration with Gaming Realms, both by extending our partnership and by licensing Inspired’s number-one hit slot, Gold Cash Freespins.
“We look forward to seeing the concept that the Gaming Realms team will put forward.”
The new extension with Inspired is part of Gaming Realms’ business strategy to deliver unique content and extend the player experience for its partners through the use of licence IPs.
“Our partnership with Inspired has been hugely successful, with Slingo Centurion and Slingo Reel King being leading performers in both Europe and North America,” added Gareth Scott, Chief Commercial Officer at Gaming Realms.
“We are very excited to further extend our collaboration with Inspired to bring another new title to the market, utilising the popularity of Inspired’s content in both the online and retail sectors and boosting the player experience with our Slingo format.”
Last month, Gaming Realms signed a licensing agreement with Japanese video games and arcade firm Taito Corporation to create a Slingo Space Invaders title.
Source casinobeats |
Absolutely a Superstar what a performance |
Marvellous win. What a horse Michael has, one of the greats |
Hi Gipps, stockmarket is a different beast now especially AIM so no idea even good results don't seem to move a share upwards so many companies issue regular RNS to boost their share price temporally I prefer results to noise and quite happy to buy on dips
I agree lots of deals i imagine they take time to bed in and gain traction
I just hope someone doesn't see it as a opportunity to put a derisory offer in |
Hi Epic when will the market recognise the value in this they were 45p at one point and since then there has been plenty of deals done and more in the pipeline |
888 has facilitated an expanded presence in the US state of Michigan for Gaming Realms, with the provider to launch a range of content alongside SI Casino.
Furthermore, the online gambling operator’s 888poker brand has also announced the recovery of a record amount from gaming integrity reviews through the past year.
Sports Illustrated broadens Gaming Realms’ US reach
The gaming content provider will expand its presence in the Wolverine State alongside the recently launched, and Sports Illustrated branded, SI Casino, which is owned and operated by 888.
Under the terms of the partnership, the igaming site will gain an additional content uplift courtesy of titles such as Slingo Sweet Bonanza, Slingo Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania and Slingo Deal or No Deal.
Howard Mittman, 888 US President, noted: “Partnering further with Gaming Realms through our new SI Casino brand is a key part of our product and content leadership strategy in the US.
“This collaboration will help us to provide unique and exciting experiences to our players in Michigan, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Gaming Realms team.”
This latest tie-up in the state for Gaming Realms comes after the group made its debut in the region during 2022, and expands an ongoing partnership with the operator group.
The two companies have also partnered-up in Spain, Denmark, Sweden and New Jersey across the last three months.
Craig Falciglia, Director of Business Development at Gaming Realms, said: “We are excited to once again partner with 888 and to deliver innovative slots that offer unparalleled engagement through decision-based choices to their customer-base in Michigan.
“This collaboration through SI Casino further builds upon our flourishing relationship with 888, having already received positive feedback from similar global agreements with the operator.”
888poker recovers ‘record amount’ from integrity reviews
888’s online poker room has also disclosed that it has returned $287,292 of refunds to players through 2022, which have been recovered from accounts that have been deemed to have violated its fair gaming policy.
In addition to detailing progress on the issue of bots and RTA, software programming used to create unfair advantages over real-life players, 888poker also noted that it also “detected players colluding with each other for unfair advantage”.
In total, the operator refunded 6,801 players with $287,292, which represents a 32 per cent uptick year-on-year, averaging $42 per player.
Matan Krakow, Head of Poker Offering at 888poker, explained: “At 888poker, we take the issue of game integrity very seriously. This year, as a result of our continued investments in technology, cooperation of our players, and hard work of our teams, we have increased the detection rate of bot accounts, RTA and collusion to give back almost $290,000 to players.
“In the year ahead, we will continue to focus on this area to ensure that customers have a fair, safe, and entertaining experience when they play with 888poker |
I’m surprised by the lack of news from the company. They have appointed a new CEO but we’ve heard zero from him. I’d like to know what his strategy is? What is his aims and objectives? How should we measure his performance? |
Mobile-focused slot supplier Gaming Realms has inked a licensing agreement with Japanese video games and arcade firm Taito Corporation.
Under the terms of the alliance agreement, the duo will work together to create a Slingo Space Invaders title, with Gaming Realms utilising Taito’s IP of the 1978 titles, considered to be “one of the most influential video games of all time”.
Craig Falciglia, Director, Business Development of Gaming Realms, commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Taito on this exciting new project, combining the timeless appeal of Space Invaders with the unique gameplay of Slingo to create an immersive and engaging gaming experience for all players.”
Gaming Realms’ will launch Slingo Space Invaders through its international operating partners, as well as across its social publishing business.
This latest agreement coincides with numerous other titles that harness the popularity of blockbuster IPs that have received a Slingo interpretation. These include Slingo Deadliest Catch, Slingo Shark Week and Slingo Deal Or No Deal.
Tsuyoshi Nishiwaki, Executive Officer of Taito Corporation, commented: “With Space Invaders celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, we are overjoyed that it still brings fresh experiences to new audiences and gaming formats.
“We feel that Slingo and Space Invaders will make a great partnership, and we are excited to see our iconic pixelated Invader characters manifest in this established platform.” |
We're pleased to share that our Slingo games are now available with our operator partners at Mr Green William Hill International in a number of regulated markets 🎉 Thanks to Dimitrios Smyrnaios Adam C. Keiron Downs Roni Nahum and everyone who worked on this launch!
Source linkedin |
Internet Casino Gaming Bill Filed Once More In Illinois State Senate |
Doesn't really say much but hey
With ICE closely approaching, we spoke to delegates of the igaming industry as they make use of the remaining hours of preparation and savour the final moments of rest and relaxation.
In this morning’s ICE feature, Gareth Scott, Chief Commercial Officer at Gaming Realms discusses his admiration for the networking opportunities and the company’s plans to showcase its Slingo escapade.
With the event returning to its full size and February slot following last year’s slightly muted April affair, what are you looking forward to most at this year’s ICE?
Nothing compares with the return of a full-scale edition of ICE and it’s great to see the international gaming industry creatively engaged en-masse. We’re looking forward to connecting with new and existing partners face-to-face.
Relationships and collaboration are at the heart of our business model and we are proud to have worked with some of the most successful global platforms and operators, but also with other game developers by acquiring unique licences to augment the Slingo genre.
We’re extremely proud of these collaborations with partners that you would traditionally consider competitors. ICE London is an opportunity for the entire industry to come together and foster partnerships and that is one of the things we appreciate the most about the event.
Do you think the industry is in better shape now because of the challenges previously faced?
The most fascinating side of the gaming industry is change! I wouldn’t say the sector is in better shape but it is also not in a worse position. Given the international landscape of the igaming industry, we’re continually challenged with regulatory change from existing and emerging markets, and we are well versed in managing that.
From a Gaming Realms perspective, 2023 will see us target continued market expansion and improving the user experience for Slingo players even further.
When it comes to mobile gaming and entertainment, we focus on building games rich in both content and functionality as we want to provide a leading gaming experience to players.
What do you intend to showcase at ICE London 2023?
Our main focus for ICE will be our upcoming game Slingo Cleopatra, released on the 23rd of February. It brings together IGT’s iconic and high-performing land-based and online classic with the popular Slingo mechanic.
We’re always trying to evolve the Slingo genre and this time we’ve added a twist that sees the pay-ladder in the game featuring a new accumulation mechanic, which delivers more spins awarded for each step that players progress up the ladder.
Much of our operator conversations will centre around product features we have planned for 2023. ICE for us isn’t just about showcasing, we utilise it as a platform for research and validation too. |
I don't think they'll take dividends. They'll give themselves a little bonus, share options and keep the rest for acquisitions - especially if more markets such as NY become regulated. |
thanks nrcade |
Impressive results , Ontario and Connecticut only just starting to build michigan and Pennsylvania not reach thier full potential,Indiana, New Hampshire and Maryland have iGaming bills on the table this year, this is just the USA
Debt free fantastic in this environment potential for dividends in the future or acquisitions, I do think 4ThePlayer would be a nice fit
Peel hunts esistmates of 10.4 millon ebitda for 2023 puts on a Per of 10.5
If achieved. Attractive takeover target hopefully that doesn't materalise to soon
Slingo Shark Week made a splash as a nominee in two different categories at the Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC 2023 Slot Awards Show! We're nominated amongst some of the biggest iGaming companies with our title in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery and Everi Holdings Inc. It's an honor to be recognized in both the Top Performing New Online Slot and the Most Innovative Online Game categories - we're looking forward to the winner announcement at the end of February! |
Who are the big shareholders of the company and what percentage do they hold? |
Completely agree. I personally would like to see GMR run for another couple of years, as I think the price could be around the £1 mark by 2024, but I just feel GMR is ripe for a takeover and probably at the levels brownie69 intimates. |
I agree with those thinking this may become a target for one of the big boys.
IMHO Its not just about multiples of trading. GMR have valuable content, primarily Slingo, which in the hands of one of the big boys with truly global distribution unlocks the true value of these assets.
If we settle at 30p (even though I think a higher share price is now justified) a 50 % premium would see a 45p bid in the range of normal bid premiums. £135m value. I do worry that such a bid might get through.
Such a price does not really see GMR shareholders get any upside in the extra value unlocked by one of the big boys. The ideal scenario would be an auction to get a true valuation. |
ISoft Bet were acquired last year by IGT for €160m off the back of €8m EBITDA (20X multiple).
Align research suggested last year a target price of 53p based up £20m revenue and £8m revenue. With 292,000 shares in circulation this would suggest a valuation of £155m (again just under X20 multiple). With a forecast grow to £23.9m revenue and £10.4m EBITDA in 2023.
The numbers are slightly behind but the dev pipeline has accelerated in 2022 as have new market opportunities.
So there is every chance they will deliver this as they add new games to their portfolio. Assume selling a business comes with a premium but even if you assumed a more modest x15 multiple and based upon the trading update, the share price should be breaking 40p. If only life was that simple :) |
What is the nearest comparable for GR to be valued against please? Should this be more highly rated IMO is the question DYOR |
Cracking update DYOR |
Took the opportunity to increase my holding on this excellent trading update.
Maybe now we will see the market recognise the worth of this company with a sensible re-rating.
GLA |
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