Aspire Global has cited a strong performance across its range of products and services, particularly highlighting positive trading for its BtoBet sportsbook and Pariplay casino brands, as well as its M&A strategy with Esports Technologies.
Publishing its interim results for Q3 2021, the group reported a revenue increase of 46% to €58.6 million (2020: €40.1m) whilst revenue for the nine months from January to September 2021 stood at €162.4 million (2020: €117.5m) and EBITDA was marked at €9.1 million for the quarter (2020: €6.6m) and €27.5 million for the nine months (2020: €18.8m).
Lauding its acquisitions of BtoBet and Pariplay, Aspire noted that the value of both brands has substantially increased by 68.7% to €7.8 million and 79.4% to €21.7 million respectively, and describing the mergers as ‘proof of our ability to identify and integrate companies that complement our offering in the value chain’.
Furthermore M&A developments during Q3 saw Aspire autorise the full divestment of its B2C units to Esports Technologies INC for a total valuation of €65 million as Aspire chooses to trade as a sole B2B technology supplier.
The group remains hopeful that the sell-off will provide it with additional resources to bolster its technology platform and sports, casino and managed services offering, whilst transforming the company into a primarily B2B focused enterprise.
Additionally, the firm has also detailed an ambition to further strengthen its engagement with esports via its commercial relationship with Esports Technologies, having signed a strategic licence agreement with the company by which the latter’s Gogawi.com esports and sports wagering brand will be launched on Aspire’s platform.
Regionally, Aspire was able to overcome regulatory hurdles in Germany to record a slight EBITDA margin increase from the market to 18.7% from 18.0% despite higher gambling duties in the country. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring Netherlands, the operator was able to secure a deal to supply Pariplay’s proprietary games to Holland Casino.
This success was replicated in Latin America, where Pariplay will use its Pariplay Fusion aggregation platform to supply its content to Canadian firm FansUnite Entertainment in the Brazilian market – marking Aspire’s debut in the country – and Ainsworth Game Technology in a wider regional partnership, whilst the brand has also cracked entered North America by gaining licences in the states of West Virginia and New Jersey.
Following its B2C offload, Aspire will review its M&A options to advance to enlarge its B2B value chain services.
“With the sale of the B2C segment, Aspire Global will become a clearly focused B2B company and even stronger and more profitable. The sale will also give us additional resources to further develop and enhance our B2B offering as well as the opportunity to explore new M&A activities,” said Tsachi Maimon, Aspire CEO, providing a outlook for the company’s future plans.
“In Q3 2021, we have made key progress towards our objective of establishing strong positions in the US and Brazil. Our success in these markets will be important steps in reaching our goal to become a world leading B2B iGaming supplier.”