Kambi reported a 25% increase in revenues to €17.6m (£15.6m). Operating profit (EBIT) for the second quarter of 2018 was €2.4 (0.3) million. Profit after Tax amounted to €1.7 (0.1) and 3.2 (1.2) million for the first half of 2018.

CEO Kristian Nylén said although the World Cup began on 14 June, of even more long-term significance was a legal judgment handed down one month earlier. On 14 May, the US Supreme Court ruled the country’s federal ban on sports betting to be unconstitutional, and in doing so handed each state the authority to dictate their own sports betting laws. 

The decision has the potential to create a significant business opportunity for Kambi. In previous quarterly reports we discussed how Kambi had been preparing for such an outcome, and our proactive efforts in the US can already be seen in our recent business wins.

Since the ruling, Kambi has signed two prominent operators in the US market. Firstly, in May we signed with Rush Street Gaming, an innovative gaming company with physical casinos in three US states, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois, and an online presence in New Jersey. In addition, last month we secured a deal with DraftKings, the leading daily fantasy sports operator in the US and a company with a large database of sports fans.

I’m excited about what we can achieve with both customers, and in the US more generally. However, the state-by-state roll out of regulated sports betting will not happen overnight, therefore our US-facing business should be viewed in the mid-to-long-term.

In parallel, we continue to focus on our core business, which was boosted in June by the early stages of the World Cup. Revenues in Q2 were up 25% year-on-year, with revenue growth supported by yet another quarter of above average operator trading margin of 7.8%. 

Ahead of the World Cup, we launched three new customers into three regulated territories within the space of a week, demonstrating the scalability and capacity of the Kambi platform. We also announced we were in final stage commercial discussions with Swedish horse racing operator ATG, a deal we subsequently closed shortly after the end of Q2.

ATG, one of the most recognisable brands in the Swedish market, will add a Kambi Sportsbook to its trotting and racing products once the market re-regulates at the beginning of 2019. This is a significant customer win for Kambi and one which will give us an even stronger position.               

In early July we finalised our new long-term agreement with Kindred Group, a deal which gives Kambi a secure platform for future growth. Over the years, Kambi and Kindred have developed a strong partnership and I look forward to building on this in the future.  

Overall, the past few months have produced very positive results for Kambi, both operationally and commercially, and I look forward to continuing this progress throughout the remainder of the year.”