ZEAL Group, the world’s leading lottery innovator, today unveiled strong results for the first three months of 2018, delivering Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) of EUR9.2million (2017: EUR0.2 million).

The Group also generated a 6.4% growth in billings to EUR72.8 million (2017: EUR68.4 million), driven by continued positive performance from new products including, Powerball and Instant Win Games, which encouraged higher customer spend. Average Billings Per User increased to EUR58.02 (2017: EUR54.35).

Total Operating Performance increased to EUR39.8 million (2017: EUR24.1 million), in line with guidance and positively impacted by the reduction in exceptional prize pay-outs during the quarter (2018: EURNil; 2017: EUR15.0 million).

Continued investment in new products and marketing delivered 140k new registered customers for the Group and our partners; an increase of 59% year-on-year (2017: 88k).

Jonas Mattsson, Chief Financial Officer, ZEAL Group said: ‘It has been a strong start to 2018 for ZEAL. Our active strategy of building a more diverse portfolio is paying off, with a larger range of higher jackpot products driving increased customers, spend and billings.’

For 2018, ZEAL Group expects to deliver EBIT in the range of EUR33 million – EUR43 million, and Total Operating Performance (TOP) of EUR150 million – EUR160 million. ZEAL Group expects to pay a dividend of at least EUR1.00 per share in 2018, subject to financial performance.