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Better Collective acquires leading US sports betting media platform, Action Network, for 240 mUSD

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Better Collective’s Co-founders receive lifetime achievement award

 

With the acquisition of Action Network, Better Collective gains clear market leadership within sports betting media and affiliation in the US and now expects to increase its revenues in the US to more than 100 mUSD by 2022.

Sports betting media group, Better Collective, today announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Action Network, Inc. (“Action”) for 240 mUSD (198 mEUR) on a cash and debt free basis. Founded in 2017 and launched in 2018, Action is uniquely positioned in the US market as the premium sports content and product destination for US sports bettors. A trusted source for sports fans, Action’s media platforms provide an enhanced experience for its users through original sports news content, premium insights, deep menus of odds and proprietary betting tools and data. Action’s diverse revenue model includes a rapidly-growing affiliate marketing business focused on customer acquisition for betting operators in the US as well as subscription products, anchored by Action Pro, Action Labs and Fantasy Labs.

Action continues to benefit from the expanding legal sports betting market in the US. In 2021, Action is expected to achieve revenues approaching 40 mUSD, an increase of over 100% year-on-year, while also generating positive operational earnings in 2021. As more states legalize online sports betting, the potential to further deepen and expand Action’s commercial partnerships with large US-based sportsbooks such as BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel and PointsBet   is significant. Action is headquartered in New York, and has approximately 100 employees.

The Transaction

The purchase price amounts to 240 mUSD (198 mEUR) on a cash and debt free basis and will be settled in a cash payment and a 12 mUSD issuance of new Better Collective (BETCO.ST) shares to Action’s management, key employees and certain other individuals. 10 mUSD of the cash payment will be paid on a deferred basis as settlement of certain existing share options in Action. The number of Better Collective shares issued will be determined by the volume-weighted BETCO.ST share price 5 trading days prior to the date of this announcement. Further, the issued Better Collective shares will be subject to a lock-up of between 6 and 24 months following completion of the transaction.

The cash component of the purchase price will be provided through bank financing.

The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in Q2 2021.

Better Collective in the US 
While the US sports betting market has grown rapidly since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) removed a federal ban on online gambling, only 13 states have legalized online gambling at this point. Many more are expected to follow in the coming years, with the addressable market significantly expanding as a result. Total online sports betting revenues in the US are forecasted to reach 4 bnUSD in 2022 and amount to nearly 40 bnUSD in 2033*.

Following the execution of Better Collective’s acquisition strategy and ongoing investments in the US market, Better Collective’s US business has developed successfully, with high growth and a rapid increase in profitability. The acquisition of Action consolidates Better Collective’s leading position in the affiliate and customer delivery verticals within online sports betting, enabled through a number of strong product platforms. In light of this, and given the continued pace of new states regulating, Better Collective expects the US market to continue growing and its US revenues to surpass 100 mUSD by 2022, with positive and increasing operational earnings.

Action will become an integral part of Better Collective US and will continue to operate as a separate business unit with its current brands, management team, and employees, led by CEO Patrick Keane who will report to Group Management through US CEO, Marc Pedersen. Action will integrate with Better Collective’s current organization where relevant in order to generate efficiencies.

Jesper Søgaard, CEO of Better Collective, says:
“I am thrilled to welcome Action and its employees to Better Collective. This acquisition, which is the largest in Better Collective’s history, gives us a leading position within affiliation in the US and a strong foundation for profiting from the continuous regulation of the US betting market. We add three new, very well positioned US sports media brands to our portfolio and welcome around 100 new colleagues, together representing an invaluable pool of knowledge and expertise on the US sports betting media market. By all accounts, this is a great day for Better Collective.”

Patrick Keane, CEO of Action, says: 
“Today marks a great achievement in the history of Action. In just a few years, our team has managed to build a leading sports betting product and media business in the US market, making us attractive to a leading international player. I am thrilled about this outcome for our employees and investors and we look forward to continuing to forge great relationships with our league, media and sportsbook partners. Under Better Collective’s ownership, we become part of a company with many years of experience and all the resources necessary to further grow our position and develop our offering, to ultimately enhance the betting and entertainment experience for sports fans. We gain new colleagues, career paths and perspectives. I’m looking very much forward to the journey ahead. ”

Financial Targets
Better Collective will consolidate Action into the Better Collective Group from the time of closing. In connection with the acquisition, Better Collective is updating its Financial Targets for 2021:

  • Total group revenue is now expected to exceed 180 mEUR (previously more than 160 mEUR); and
  • Operational profit is now expected to exceed 55 mEUR (previously more than 50 mEUR).

Better Collective will share more details in connection with its Q1 2021 earnings report that will be released on May 12, 2021.

The acquisition of Action will bring Better Collective’s estimated debt leverage (Net Interest Bearing Debt/EBITDA) above the company’s financial target of <3.0. Due to Better Collective’s strong operating cash flow, the Board of Directors has decided that for the time being, it is acceptable for the company’s debt leverage to exceed the financial target of 3.0, which target remains in place for 2021. The Board will therefore decide upon any potential changes to the company’s long term capital structure in due course.

Advisors
Morgan Stanley acted as sole financial advisor, Bruun & Hjejle and GreenbergTraurig acted as legal advisors, and PwC acted as accounting and tax advisor in connection with the acquisition for Better Collective. Nordea Bank will be providing financing to facilitate the closing of the transaction.

Moelis & Company LLC acted as sole financial advisor and Venable LLP acted as legal advisor to Action. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acted as advisors to The Chernin Group, the largest shareholder of Action.

Affiliate Announcements

Better Collective acquires Danish sports media Tipsbladet.dk

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Better Collective acquires Danish sports media Tipsbladet.dk

 

Digital sports media group Better Collective strengthens its position in Denmark through the strategic acquisition of Tipsbladet.dk, one of the leading soccer media in the country producing prime content for Danish sports fans.

For 75 years Tipsbladet has been a trusted sports media in Denmark covering sports news from across the world. Over time, the media has developed from publishing a printed magazine to now developing and distributing prime soccer content across digital channels. From October 2nd 2023, Tipsbladet.dk becomes part of the digital sports media group, Better Collective, headquartered in Denmark. Better Collective acquires Tipsbladet.dk for 6.5 mEUR.

Jesper Søgaard, Co-founder & CEO of Better Collective, says: “I am very proud that we have acquired Tipsbladet that for 75 years has been a go-to sports media for many Danes that want to engage with prime soccer content. The acquisition fits perfectly with our vision to become the leading digital sports media group and our strategy to acquire strong media brands with a loyal audience. I look very much forward to welcoming the dedicated editorial team at Tipsbladet to the Better Collective group and I am convinced that together we can further elevate the content that for years has excited so many Danish sports fans. ”

Founded in 1948, Tipsbladet is the oldest soccer magazine across the Nordics. Since 2000, the digital edition, www.tipsbladet.dk has developed into one of the leading digital sources for soccer related content such as news, articles, match previews, betting tips, videos and analysis with a monthly audience of around 6.8 million visits and more than 110 thousand followers across Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Henrik Stegger Nielsen, former owner of Tipsbladet, says: “Since 2007, when I acquired Tipsbladet, I have worked hard to make it a healthy and sustainable business. I have succeeded, and I could hardly imagine a better buyer for Tipsbladet than Better Collective. I know that they will both take good care of Tipsbladet and, with their ambitions and competencies, develop it even further,”

Henrik Stegger Nielsen joins Better Collective together with all current employees at Tipsbladet.

Allan Olsen, Editor in Chief at Tipsbladet, says: “For Tipsbladet and its employees, this is a fantastic event. Even though we have experienced lots of growth and great numbers on the bottom line in an otherwise pressured media world, there is no doubt that Better Collective can help push Tipsbladet’s growth even further. We will continue to deliver strong football stories, but with Better Collective behind us, we can really make the content live on many more platforms and reach a wider audience.”

Highlighted synergies

  • Acquiring leading national sports media with a strong brand is an important pillar in Better Collective’s global strategy. Acquiring Tipsbladet.dk enables the Group to increase its presence in Denmark to further leverage its position as a key partner for advertisers in the market.
  • The editorial team at Tipsbladet creates a strong foundation to grow media products on all relevant platforms.
  • Better Collective will leverage its leading tech and search engine optimization (SEO) expertise in order to grow the audience.
  • Better Collective will invest in the development and growth of Tipsbladet.dk.

Esben Skou Vinther, VP of Europe at Better Collective, says: ”As a trusted sports media, Tipsbladet and its employees have built a unique position in the Danish sports market and is a media that will supplement our Danish media portfolio in a great way. We intend to invest in the development of Tipsbladet.dk to further strengthen the content across digital channels. In doing so, Tipsbladet will become an even more attractive advertisement partner for businesses that aim to activate their brand in a relevant and engaging sports context”.

Transaction details
The total purchase price will be 6.5 mEUR on a cash and debt free basis paid in three installments and will be financed with cash. Better Collective estimates that the post synergy 2024 EBITDA multiple will be below 5x. The 2023 financial targets remain unchanged following the acquisition.

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Affiliate Announcements

Super Affiliate, betting.bet, Celebrates Brand-defining Re-launch

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Super Affiliate, betting.bet, Celebrates Brand-defining Re-launch

 

Online super affiliate betting.bet has enhanced its flagship brand by unveiling an improved design complemented by new functionalities.

The new website, created by the brand’s proprietors Kontempry Ltd, will aid the brand’s global expansion efforts as it moves from being a UK-centric brand to a “truly global” business.

The design was unveiled last week as part of the company’s re-launch event. Users can now utilise betting.bet to search for the most recent offers from licenced operators worldwide, including brands in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and so on. This has been made possible through the procurement of gambling licences in multiple jurisdictions and the formation of numerous strategic affiliate alliances.

With live odds feeds, bet calculators, a vast selection of offers, and support functions, betting.bet is now a resource that all punters can utilise. What’s more, betting.bet has forged working relationships with some of the world’s most recognisable brands, resulting in enhanced offers for platform users.

Steve Jones, a spokesperson for the brand, comments:

“We are pleased to offer our consumers a more dynamic service with significant enhancements to offer management, usability, brand diversity, and service reviews. Inevitably, this will enable our users to make more informed decisions when signing up with our esteemed partners. This new design also honours the numerous high-profile sponsorship agreements we’ve signed recently.

I would like to thank the team for their extraordinary commitment to the release of the most recent version of betting.bet. This will enable us to engage with new partners and exponentially expand our player offerings.”

Abigail Moses, the Head of Marketing for betting.bet and the broader Kontempry Ltd. group, explains:

“We are thrilled to introduce the all-new betting.bet to our rapidly expanding community of users and partners. As the brand transitioned from a UK-facing utility to a global comparison portal, a more global-focused design became necessary. It is always challenging to design and market a product that will resonate with audiences in multiple locations. The new version of our website precisely reflects who we are as a disruptive growth company, supporting our global expansion and bolstering our European presence.”

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bet365 Strengthens Responsible Gambling Stance with Renewed Rightlander Partnership

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bet365 Strengthens Responsible Gambling Stance with Renewed Rightlander Partnership

 

bet365 has announced the extension of their partnership contract with Rightlander, the foremost provider of innovative affiliate compliance solutions.

The agreement underscores bet365’s sustained dedication to promoting responsible gambling and ensuring the highest level of affiliate compliance. Since the partnership began, Rightlander’s cutting-edge compliance tools have been instrumental in assisting bet365 to maintain ethical advertising standards and abide by the strict regulatory landscape.

“We are excited to renew our contract with Rightlander,” said a spokesperson from bet365. “Their comprehensive compliance solution has become an integral part of our affiliate program. The extended partnership reinforces our commitment to responsible gambling and our dedication to providing a secure and fair environment for all our customers.”

The Rightlander platform offers a host of advanced features, and the technology is designed to facilitate compliance with evolving gambling regulations, a fundamental aspect of bet365’s operations.

Rightlander’s Head of Customer Success, Nicole Mitton, expressed her enthusiasm about the ongoing partnership, stating, “We’re delighted to extend our relationship with bet365. This renewed agreement is a testament to the effectiveness of our compliance solutions, and we look forward to continuing to help bet365 promote responsible gambling and adhere to regulatory requirements.”

The extended contract is expected to further strengthen the robust compliance infrastructure at bet365 and drive innovation in affiliate compliance within the online gambling industry. This strategic partnership will continue to provide an example for industry standards of affiliate compliance, further solidifying the companies’ shared commitment to promoting responsible gambling practices.

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