The company Flutter declared that FanDuel significantly contributed to their financial gains in the third quarter, resulting in a substantial increase of 7.6% to a remarkable £20.4 billion (€23.3 billion/$25 billion). This accomplishment comes despite some obstacles faced by Sportsbet in Australia.
Flutter’s earnings for the three-month period ending September 30th experienced growth compared to the previous year, with the exception of Australia. They attribute this positive outcome to their expansion strategy, particularly the influence of the Sisal acquisition.
While most of their ventures witnessed progress, Flutter emphasized their American operations with FanDuel.
FanDuel, acquired in May 2018, has undergone a transformation from a provider of daily fantasy sports into the leading sports wagering and online casino provider in the United States.
Flutter’s profit margins in the US are anticipated to continue expanding. This success is evident, with the US operations now the primary source of income for Flutter. Their third-quarter US revenue reached £668 million, representing a 11.7% year-over-year surge. This surpasses £100 million more than their second-largest contributor, Flutter’s UK and Irish operations.
Chief Executive Officer Peter Jackson expresses confidence in the continued growth of their US business. He noted that Flutter was the first online operator to achieve structural profitability in the US, a milestone reached in the first half of the year.
Were thrilled with the substantial progress we’ve achieved in the U.S.,” Jackson stated. “We’re the first online operator to attain structural profitability, and the robust growth in EBITDA in 2023 will persist into 2024 and beyond as our profit margins improve considerably.
“The NFL season commenced well, and our product leadership spurred a 38% surge in average monthly users to 2.6 million. I’m enthusiastic about our plans heading into the busy sports months of November and December as we implement our winning strategy, coupled with the strength of FanDuel, enabling us to maintain our industry leadership.”
Third-quarter revenue growth decelerated.
Jackson characterized this as a seasonal dip for the company, but growth remained widespread. Sports betting revenue dipped 1.9% to £1.12 billion, but was counterbalanced by a 22.2% increase in gaming revenue to £914 million.
Focusing on the United States, operations in the nation accounted for 32.8% of total third-quarter revenue. The company indicated that growth was fueled by investments in customer acquisition marketing, product innovation, and customer retention.
On a constant currency basis, U.S. sports betting revenue expanded 10.0%. Wagering volume climbed 40.0%, but was offset by a 170 basis point decline in net revenue margin. This resulted in a 12.0% increase in net revenue.
Regarding online gambling, revenue surged 52.0% on a constant currency basis. The FanDuel online gambling brand augmented its market share to 23.0% in the third quarter, driven by 42.
The typical monthly player (TMP) growth rate was zero percent.
FanDuel’s total online sports wagering and gaming income in states introduced before 2022 increased by twelve percent. Flutter stated that robust growth in gaming was partly balanced by a decrease in sports betting income.
Earnings in the United Kingdom and Ireland rose to £556 million in the third quarter.
Elsewhere, Flutter also observed growth in its United Kingdom and Ireland operations. Revenue expanded by eleven point two percent to £566 million, with online revenue increasing by eleven point five percent to £494 million and retail revenue rising by nine point one percent to £72 million.
Flutter reported that online operations were “performing well,” with TMP up five percent year-over-year. Online sports wagering revenue grew by six percent, driven by increased adoption of Betbuilder and new betting features on Sky Bet, such as Acca Freeze.
Regarding gaming, revenue grew by eighteen percent and TMP increased by thirteen percent. Flutter attributed this to the early season betting activity that drove conversion rates in its sports player base. It also pointed to the impact of its expanded brand content range and promotional mechanics.
Regarding the United Kingdom and Ireland retail business, Flutter said it benefited from a strong start to the English Premier League football season. The operator also highlighted its stronger product proposition in its United Kingdom and Ireland estate.
Sisal continues to drive Flutter’s global growth.
Turning to the international business, revenue grew by fifteen point seven percent to £539 million, the largest growth area in the third quarter.
Once more, Flutter emphasized the purchase of Sisal as a key factor in this expansion, while also stressing robust organic growth in its internal operations.
Sports wagering income increased by 10.0% at constant currency, while gaming revenue soared by 22.0%. The latter was fueled by strong performances in India and Turkey.
The Italian business was more significantly affected by favorable customer outcomes, as sports betting income makes up a larger portion of Flutter’s total revenue in other markets, resulting in a decrease. The company also mentioned that it faced tougher comparisons due to the SuperEnalotto lottery jackpot reaching record highs in the previous year.
Australia Underperforms
Against the backdrop of overall progress, Australia experienced further declines in the third quarter. Revenue in the country fell by 17.9% to £262 million. Flutter only operates sports betting in Australia, which decreased by 7.0% year-over-year.
The operator attributed this to a difficult horse racing market, a situation that continued from the second quarter into the third. The weakness in the horse racing market is expected to continue into 2024, with Flutter anticipating a mid-single-digit decline in Australia in 2024.
Flutter also highlighted the strengthening of regulation in Australia, including the prohibition of credit card deposits.
Flutter stated: “The combined effect of these factors will limit our ability to offset the impact of the Victorian State Government’s consumption tax increase announced in July 2024 in the near term.”
Flutter remains on course to achieve its full-year goals.
Flutter has not disclosed its financial performance for the third quarter, but it has revised its projections for the entire year.
The company anticipates adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), excluding the US market, to be approximately £1.44 billion, aligning with the previously announced range of £1.44 billion to £1.6 billion. Key factors contributing to this include favorable sporting event outcomes in the third quarter and unfavorable currency exchange rate fluctuations.
The operator mentioned that increased investment in Flutter Edge has fueled overall group growth, while a downturn in the Australian horse racing market has been counterbalanced by robust performance in the UK and Ireland, as well as international markets.
Regarding the US business, revenue is projected to reach £3.75 billion, at the middle point of the previously predicted range of £3.6 billion to £3.9 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to reach £140 million, also at the midpoint of the previously announced range of £90 million to £190 million.
Flutter stated that this remains the case despite ongoing investment in acquiring new customers to drive long-term growth in the US market.
Jackson remarked: “Overall, we are confident in the group’s substantial and enduring long-term earnings growth potential, fueled by the immense growth potential of the US market and the ability to leverage scale in our diverse portfolio outside the US.”
What about the US listing?
Maintaining its focus on the US market, Flutter also shared an update on its progress in pursuing an additional listing in the US.
The gaming enterprise, Flutter, is scheduled to debut on the New York Stock Exchange in the early months of 2024. They selected the NYSE after a public competition.
As a result, they will withdraw their shares from the Dublin stock market. They believe that streamlining operations by having only two stock exchanges is beneficial.
The Dublin delisting will occur concurrently with or prior to the new listing in the United States. The specific date will be disclosed at a later time.