eGaming Review April 2014 | Page 3

F E AT U R E / B I G D ATA ISSUE 119 ISSUE 118 EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Tom Washington T: [phone] E: [email protected] Senior reporter Gerard Starkey T: [phone] E: [email protected] Reporter Andy Roocroft T: [phone] E: [email protected] Reporter Liam Stoker T: [phone] E: [email protected] Head of Content, Pageant Gaming Media Alun Bowden T: [phone] E: [email protected] PRODUCTION Head of production Claudia Honerjager E: [email protected] Art Director, eGR Toni Giddings E: [email protected] Sub-editors Rachel Kurzfield Eleanor Stanley Luke Tuchscherer COMMERCIAL Group commercial manager Sam Compagnoni T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing account manager Debbie Robson T: [phone] E: [email protected] Publishing account manager Jonathan Vintner T: [phone] E: [email protected] Director of business information Ben Robinson T: [phone] E: [email protected] Group head of content Gwyn Roberts CEO Charlie Kerr Circulation manager Fay Muddle Content sales T: [phone] E: [email protected] eGaming Review is published monthly by Pageant Media, Thavies Inn House, 3-4 Holborn Circus, London, EC1N 2HA ISSN 1742-2450 Printed by The Manson Group © 2014 all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used without the prior permission from the publisher W W W. E G R M A G A Z I N E . C O M EDITOR'S LETTER F or most of the gambling sector March was one of the most unpredictable in a long time. By the end of the first week Europe’s biggest listed firms had all revealed their full year financials, the second week provided the most fiercely contested Cheltenham Festival ever, and the third contained a UK budget packed with nasty surprises. It feels like operators can’t get a break right now. We know Ladbrokes’ digital business is underperforming and that the imminent Point of Consumption tax will take a chunk out of online profits, but when the UK tax on fixed-odds betting terminals was ramped up, potentially wiping a further £20m from its bottom line, the skies grew darker still. Then look at the case of bwin.party. Like Ladbrokes, the company has fallen from grace and is working hard to grow revenues once more. But rather than taxes, bwin.party now faces an altogether different challenge in the form of an activist investor and growing pressure to make big changes. One expects something must give during 2014, and we may even see some kind of grey markets spin off. Read more on p20. Our profiled company this month, Paddy Power, appears to be staying out of financial trouble, although it still faced the wrath of the ASA over a controversial advert. Increased taxes will affect the Irish operator just like any other. But (excuse the business speak) it appears to have its ducks in a row in the most vital areas of marketing, product and talent. Go to page 40 to find out more. Last but not least, this month’s cover story (see p24) comprises the annual eGR Power Affiliates list, unveiling the most influential affiliates in the sector according to vertical. These guys are evolving all the time, moving from pure acquisition partners to multifaceted media organisations, and in some cases operators. Such is their importance to this sector, it is vital operators pay close attention to the movers and shakers, the companies standing out from the crowd with quality content and unique customer propositions. As always in egaming nothing is as constant as change. EDITOR Tom Washington T: [phone] E: [email protected] 3