Affiliate Announcements
Gambling.com Group Acquires BonusFinder.com, a Leading North American Affiliate Business
Acquisition adds strong presence in Canada, supporting online gambling market penetration and growth across North America
Gambling.com Group Limited, a leading provider of player acquisition services for the regulated global online gambling industry, today announced it has acquired NDC Media (“NDC Media”), publisher of BonusFinder.com (“BonusFinder“) and related assets, a high-growth, high-margin, pure-play performance marketing business focused primarily on the online gambling industry in North America.
The acquisition of BonusFinder supports Gambling.com Group’s overarching growth strategy of rapidly expanding its North American footprint and is expected to be immediately accretive. BonusFinder publishes online portals which help consumers find and compare bonuses for online sportsbooks and casinos, the same fundamental business model as Gambling.com Group. Canada is currently BonusFinder’s largest market, strategically positioning the Group for the expected expansion of the regulated online gambling market, beginning with the province of Ontario. BonusFinder also has traction in the United States, where the Group expects to be able to accelerate their growth in the coming years.
“Over the past five years, Fintan Costello and his team have developed a professional, industry-leading, performance marketing business with a customer-centric and brand-driven approach,” said Charles Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer of Gambling.com Group. “The acquisition of BonusFinder gives Gambling.com Group additional scale in the North American online gambling market. BonusFinder’s strong presence in Canada is expected to drive increased market share for the Group ahead of the anticipated Ontario online sports betting and iGaming market launch in April.”
Fintan Costello, Chairman of BonusFinder, added, “These organizations complement each other well as partners within the North American market. Gambling.com Group has demonstrated its leadership position within the online sports betting and iGaming industry, and its proprietary technologies and experience will provide BonusFinder with the tools to maximize growth in this exciting new era of North American regulation.”
Transaction Terms
Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Gambling.com Group paid an aggregate purchase price of EUR 12.5 million (USD 13.92 million), of which EUR 10 million (USD 11.14 million) was paid in cash (subject to adjustments for cash, working capital, and indebtedness, among other factors), and EUR 2.5 million (USD 2.86 million) in newly issued, unregistered ordinary shares1. The cash portion was funded with available cash on hand.
The selling shareholders may benefit from additional earnout payments based on financial performance in each of 2022 and 2023. According to the Group’s forecast, the total consideration, including purchase price paid at close and both earnout payments, is expected to be approximately EUR 41 million (USD 47 million). This total consideration implies a multiple of under 3.5 times expected 2023 revenue.
The maximum total consideration is up to EUR 60 million (USD 69 million), consisting of EUR 12.5 million (USD 13.92 million1) already paid at close and an earnout payment of up to EUR 19 million (USD 21.85 million) payable in 2023 as well as an additional earnout payment of up to EUR 28.5 million (USD 32.8 million) payable in 20242. Gambling.com Group has the option to pay up to 50% of each of the earnout payments in unregistered ordinary shares at its sole discretion.
The acquisition closed on January 31st, 2022, and will be consolidated into the Group Financial Statements from February 1st, 2022.
“We believe that the combination of these two complementary businesses is immediately accretive to our fiscal 2022 earnings and establishes a foundation for a leadership position in North America which will drive value creation for our shareholders,” said Gillespie. “We believe the deal structure provides an attractive risk/reward balance for the Group. The total consideration for the transaction will vary commensurately with the financial performance of the acquired business, guaranteeing an attractive acquisition multiple for the Group and tightly aligning the financial incentives of the newly combined businesses.”
Affiliate Announcements
WA.Technology Launches WA.Affiliates
WA.Technology, an award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, announces the launch of WA.Affiliates, a next-gen iGaming affiliate management platform. WA.Affiliates empowers operators to manage and optimise their affiliate programs for enhanced profitability, broader market reach, and streamlined, successful operations.
WA.Affiliates combines an intuitive user interface with a clean, functional design, facilitating simple affiliate performance management. The platform solution is built on real-time optimisation and informed analytics so operators can expand their reach, increase traffic, and boost revenue with maximum efficiency.
Key features include personalised and customisable agreements for each affiliate, integrated user tracking for intelligent insights, and an optimised iGaming-oriented back-office. WA.Affiliates’ support includes zero setup fees alongside free panel transitions and integrated wallets for transaction security and straightforward migration.
Operators can reap the benefits of effortless management thanks to WA.Affiliates’ user-friendly dashboard configuration. Around-the-clock support offers real-time assistance and uncomplicated navigation, giving operators the upper hand in the global marketplace. Hourly insights, detailed reports, and in-depth analysis perfect data-driven decisions for improved acquisition and retention strategies. WA.Affiliates also motivates affiliates via its engaging gamification system, and intelligent user-tracking provides accurate information on campaign performance.
Tim Scoffham, CEO of WA.Technology, shared his enthusiasm for the launch, saying, “With WA.Affiliates, we’re forging a new path in the iGaming industry, creating a platform that not only meets but anticipates the needs of our partners. Our focus on innovation and customised solutions makes WA.Affiliates a key player in driving growth and profitability. We’re simplifying affiliate management to deliver tangible results, demonstrating our commitment to leading the way in digital excellence. At WA.Technology, we’re not just following the path to excellence – we’re creating it.”
Affiliate Announcements
CasinoBeats Summit Set to Offer a Laser Focus on Marketing and Affiliate Strategies
Amidst the whirlwind of Google’s relentless updates and the intricate web of affiliate marketing, the upcoming CasinoBeats Summit, with a laser focus on SEO, AI content, and innovative traffic monetisation strategies, will offer marketers and affiliates a platform to tackle pressing inquiries head-on.
The ‘Marketing & Affiliation’ track will occur across both core days of the CasinoBeats Summit, 22nd – 23rd May, at the InterContinental Malta. The track will provide 4500 attendees with an in-depth exploration of key talking points shaping the worlds of marketing and affiliation.
Discussions will encompass leveraging innovative technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive video content to engage new audiences, the power of alternative marketing channels, and gaining a competitive edge through SEO strategies.
The panel titled ‘Finding CRM harmony: Automation vs Experience’ will delve into the growing influence of customer relationship management (CRM) and the most effective strategies for its utilisation. Industry experts Matthias S. Kaiser (Head of CRM at Tipico), Alexandru Ababei (CRM Global Promotions Manager, Betsson) and Zurab Magalashvili (CMO, Adjarabet), will explore how CRM implementation can align with existing processes for player experiences and how CRM data can aid in proactive responsible gambling initiatives.
The conference session ‘Future-Proofing Marketing: Unveiling Trends Beyond the Hype’ will discuss the latest marketing trends and assess their long-term potential. Marketing experts Calvin Samut (Head of Brand, Socios), Cecilia López Boronat (Marketing Content Manager, Clobet Limited) and panel moderator Dennis Algreen (Marketing Director, SBC Events), will explore the longevity of these emerging trends, the danger of chasing trends and whether businesses should prioritise long-term brand stability over fleeting marketing fads.
The conference on the second day will commence with the panel ‘Monetizing Traffic Beyond Traditional Models’ focusing on the significance of alternative marketing channels such as Whatsapp and Telegram. Experts Silvia Almeida (Chief Media Officer, Clever Advertising), Leanne Muleba (Chief Operations Officer, Matching Visions), Eleonora Norbiato (Head of Acquisition, SKS365) and panel moderator Maria Tsnompilantze (Content Marketing Manager, SBC), will deliberate over how useful these alternative channels are, what metrics are particularly relevant for monetization purposes and whether the quality or quantity debate is over in the age of SEO.
The panel titled ‘The Uncharted Territory of Grey Hat SEO – Traffic, Cloaking, PBNs, Parasite SEO and More’ will delve into the nuances of SEO and PPC tactics, exploring the benefits of both Google-approved and grey hat strategies. Led by experts Vadim Aidlin (Chief Executive Officer, PushnotiAds) and Julia Logan (CEO & Founder, Zangoose Digital), discussions will encompass the use of PBNs, the impact of bot traffic, successful partnership SEO strategies and best practices regarding cloaking.
The first core day of the event will also feature a dedicated ‘SEO Trilogy’, hosted by Ivana Flynn alongside a host of industry experts as they tackle the continuously evolving SEO landscape.
The conference will also provide delegates with dedicated tracks covering key industry verticals such as casino, leadership, industry, and regulation and dedicated sessions for women in gaming. Moreover, attendees will be able to participate in innovative session formats such as hackathons, roundtables, and workshops.
Affiliate Announcements
Catena Media readies for online sports betting launch in North Carolina
Catena Media is well positioned to record a solid launch of online sports betting affiliation in North Carolina when the state opens for licensed sports wagering.
The group’s national brands, led by LegalSportsreport.com, are attracting North Carolina bettors with dedicated content, as is Catena Media’s state-focused NCSharp.com website. Alongside Catena Media’s own brands, the group has also published content in collaboration with media partners including Advance Local, owner of NJ.com and other news websites.
In the countdown to launch day, Catena Media held several top rankings for key organic search terms used by potential bettors to find relevant sports-betting-related content and offers.
Prior to the official go-live, the group has deals in place with five major operators offering sports betting platform access to North Carolinians. The customer agreements in North Carolina consist of a mix of revenue share and cost-per-acquisition (CPA) agreements.
North Carolina, with an adult population of 8.5 million, allows anyone aged 21 and over to place sports bets online.
Ryan Harper, Catena Media Vice President North America, said: “We have had a solid run-up to the launch date and are pleased with our efforts so far. We also expect the March Madness NCAA college basketball tournament later this month to be a big driver of new depositing customers in North Carolina.”
North Carolina expands Catena Media’s operational footprint in North America to 29 state and regional markets.
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