Arjel Mixed Earnings Results
Friday November 2, 2012 : REVENUES DOWN IN FRENCH MARKET
Mixed results from a tough fiscal market
Latest third quarter stats released by French gambling authority ARJEL show a decline in online cash poker games, modest growth in the horse race betting market and an increase in sportsbetting attributed to wagering on the London 2012 Olympics.
Total revenues from online gaming including sportsbetting, horseracing and online poker, yielded Euro 158 million, a 5 percent drop year-on-year.
Sportsbetting Sector :
– Stakes amounting to Euro 156 million, up 14 percent during the third quarter ending in September
– Active player accounts up by 13 percent to 340 000 compared to the same period last year
– Gross gaming revenues amounting to Euro 27 million, down 2 percent year-on-year which ARJEL attributed to the higher percentage of stakes return to players
According to ARJEL, operators would have seen a loss of 14 percent in gross gaming revenue has it not been for the London 2012 Olympics.
Horserace Betting Sector:
– Revenues of Euro 61 million, down 6 percent Y-O-Y, again attributed to an increase in player rate of return
– Turnover of Euro 260 million, equating to a modest growth of 2 percent
– Decline in active accounts to 290 000 or 2.4 percent
Online Poker Sector:
– Revenues of Euro 70 million, down 5 percent in Q3/2012
– Stakes in cash games declined 12 percent over the third quarter
– Increase in entry fee tournaments Y-O-Y up 20 percent to Euro 318 Million (Euro 265 million 2011)
Other interesting stats include:
– A decline in the 18-24 year demographic relating to online betting revealing a 22 percent drop in activity compared to the third quarter last year equating to 58 000 less bettors in this age group.
– Mobile proved popular with punters. Of total bettors, 15 percent of horse wagers, 19 percent of sports wagers and 20 percent of poker players made this their channel of choice.
– In total online players deposited Euro 239 million in their accounts over the Q3/2012, an average of Euro 72 per month and slightly lower than in 2011.
