flut-20241231
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
________________
FORM 10-K
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For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024
or
Commission File Number: 001-37403
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Flutter Entertainment plc
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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300 Park Ave South, New York, New York 10010
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(646) 930-0950
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class TradingSymbol(s) Name of Each Exchangeon which Registered
Ordinary Shares, nominal value of €0.09 per share FLUT New York Stock Exchange
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.
________________
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yesx No o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes oNox
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yesx No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that registrant was required to submit such files). Yesx No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer o Accelerated filer o
Non-accelerated filer x Smaller reporting company o
Emerging growth company o
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. o
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. o
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No x
As of June 30, 2024, the aggregate market value of the ordinary shares of the registrant held by non-affiliates of the registrant was: $32.38 billion.
As of February 20, 2025, the number of ordinary shares outstanding of Flutter Entertainment plc was 177,470,787.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement relating to the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I
Item 1. Business 1
Item 1A. Risk Factors 19
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 65
Item 1C. Cybersecurity 65
Item 2. Properties 67
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 67
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 67
PART II
Item 6. [Reserved] 71
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk 99
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 100
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 159
Item 9B. Other Information 162
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 162
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 163
Item 11. Executive Compensation 163
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 163
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 164
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
Flutter Entertainment plc is a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Ireland.
We have included in this Form 10-K the Group’s audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022. The Group’s audited consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). We end our fiscal year on December 31. The audited consolidated financial statements included herein, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, do not constitute statutory financial statements for the purposes of the Companies Act 2014 of Ireland (the “Irish Companies Act”). Our statutory financial statements for fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022, upon which our independent auditors have expressed an unqualified opinion, have been previously delivered to the Registrar of Companies of Ireland (the “Registrar of Companies”) and, in the case of the 2024 financial statements, which are not yet published, are expected to be delivered to the Registrar of Companies within 56 days of our annual return date in 2025.
CERTAIN TERMS
Unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires, the terms “Flutter,” the “Company,” the “Group,” “we,” “us” and “our” each refer to Flutter Entertainment plc and its subsidiaries. References to fiscal 2024, fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022 refer to the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect our current expectations as to future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding the performance of our business, our financial results, our operations, our liquidity and capital resources, the conditions in our industry and our growth strategy. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “outlook,” “believe(s),” “expect(s),” “potential,” “continue(s),” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “seek(s),” “predict(s),” “intend(s),” “trends,” “plan(s),” “estimate(s),” “anticipates,” “projection,” “goal,” “target,” “aspire,” “will likely result” and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative versions of such words. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. These factors include but are not limited to those described in Part I, “Item 1A—Risk Factors”. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this report. Flutter undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
RISK FACTOR SUMMARY
An investment in our ordinary shares involves risks. You should carefully consider the following information about these risks, together with the other information contained in this Annual Report, before investing in our ordinary shares. Some of the more significant challenges and risks relating to an investment in our Company are summarized below. The following is only a summary of the principal risks that may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The following should be read in conjunction with the more complete discussion of the risk factors we face, which are set forth in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Annual Report.
•Economic downturns and political and market conditions beyond our control, including inflation and a reduction in consumer discretionary spending, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Our business is exposed to competitive pressures given the competition in online betting and iGaming.
•We may fail to retain existing customers for our betting and iGaming offerings or add new customers or customers could decrease their level of engagement with our betting and iGaming offerings.
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•Our growth prospects may suffer if we are unable to develop successful product offerings or if we fail to pursue additional product offerings. In addition, if we fail to make the right investment decisions in our product offerings and technology, we may not attract and retain customers and our revenue and results of operations may decline.
•Participation in the sports betting industry exposes us to trading, liability management and pricing risk. We may experience lower-than-expected profitability and potentially significant losses as a result of a failure to determine accurately the odds in relation to any particular event and/or any failure of our sports risk management processes.
•The success of certain of our products, including poker, exchange and daily fantasy sports (“DFS”), depends upon maintaining liquidity.
•Uncertainty as to the legality of online betting and iGaming or adverse public sentiment towards online betting and iGaming may deter third-party suppliers from dealing with us.
•Failure to attract, retain and motivate key employees may adversely affect our ability to compete, and the loss of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•We are highly dependent on the development and operation of our sophisticated and proprietary technology and advanced information systems, and we could suffer failures, interruptions or disruptions to such systems or related development projects and/or we could fail to effectively adopt and implement new technologies and systems required for our business to remain competitive.
•Security breaches, unauthorized access to or disclosure of our data or customer data, cyber-attacks on our systems or other cyber incidents could compromise sensitive information related to our business (including personal data processed by us or on our behalf) and expose us to liability, which could harm our reputation and materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
•We are subject to a number of risks related to credit card payments, including data security breaches and fraud that we or third parties experience, and additional regulation, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•The increasing application of and any significant failure to comply with applicable data protection, privacy and digital services laws may have a material adverse effect on us.
•We depend on third-party providers and other suppliers for a number of products (including data and content) and services that are important to our business. An interruption, cessation or material change of the terms for the provision of an important product or service supplied by any third party could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Adverse changes to the regulation of online betting and iGaming, or their interpretation by regulators, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•The approach to regulation and the legality of online betting and iGaming varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and is subject to uncertainties.
•The successful execution of our growth strategy, particularly with respect to our U.S. business, which is critical to our long-term ambitions, will depend on successfully expanding our provision of online betting and iGaming services into certain new and existing jurisdictions and markets where the regulatory status of the provision of such services has been clarified or liberalized.
•Adverse changes to the taxation of betting and gaming or the imposition of statutory levies or other duties or charges could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Risk of disproportionate liability following changes in taxation law relating to our operations.
•We are exposed to foreign exchange rate risk with respect to the translation of foreign currency denominated balance sheet amounts and to the risk of interest rate fluctuations.
•We depend on the ongoing support of payment processors and international multi-currency transfer systems.
•Fulfilling our financial reporting and other regulatory obligations as a U.S. public company is expensive and time consuming, and these activities may strain our resources.
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•We have identified deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that constitute “material weaknesses” as defined in Regulation S-X. If we are unable to remediate these deficiencies, or if we identify material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting to the standards required by U.S. securities laws, we may not be able to accurately report our financial condition or results of operations or prevent fraud.
•U.S. investors may have difficulty enforcing judgments against us, our directors and officers.
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PART I
Item 1. Business
Company Information
The Company’s legal name is Flutter Entertainment plc. The Company was originally incorporated and registered in Ireland as a private limited company on April 8, 1958, under the name Corcoran’s Management Limited with the registration number 16956. The Company, which would later operate under the name Paddy Power plc, was then formed in 1988 through the merger of three independent bookmakers, including Corcoran’s Management Limited. The Company re-registered as a public limited company on November 15, 2000, and, in December 2000, it listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange (“LSE”). The Company merged with Betfair Group plc on February 2, 2016, and changed its name to Paddy Power Betfair plc. The Company then changed its name to Flutter Entertainment plc on May 28, 2019. On January 29, 2024, the Company completed its registration process with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) for public trading. Since listing on the NYSE, the Company has maintained its status on the LSE and delisted from the Irish Stock Exchange. On May 31, 2024, the Company moved its primary listing to the NYSE following the approval of shareholders at the Company’s Annual General Meeting held on May 1, 2024.
The Company's global operational headquarters is 300 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10010, United States. The Company’s registered office is: Belfield Office Park, Beech Hill Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4, D04 V972, Ireland. The Company’s website is www.flutter.com. The information on, or accessible from, our website is not part of, nor incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report. We make available free of charge, on or through the “Investors” section of our website, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, if any, or other filings filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing or furnishing these reports with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, if any, or other filings filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
We use our website (www.flutter.com) and at times our corporate X account (@FlutterEnt) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/flutter-entertainment/) as well as other social media channels to distribute company information. The information we post through these channels may be deemed material. Accordingly, investors should monitor these channels, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. The contents of our website and social media channels are not, however, a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Business Overview
Flutter is the world’s leading online sports betting and iGaming operator based on revenue. Our ambition is to change our industry for the better and deliver long-term growth while also achieving a positive, sustainable future for all our stakeholders. We are well-placed to do so through the global competitive advantages of the Flutter Edge, which provides our brands with access to group-wide benefits to stay ahead of the competition, while maintaining a clear vision for sustainability through our Positive Impact Plan.
The Group consists of a diverse portfolio of leading recreational brands and products with a broad international reach. We operate some of the world’s most distinctive online sports betting and iGaming brands which offer our principal product categories of sportsbook, iGaming and other products (exchange betting, pari-mutuel wagering and daily fantasy sports (“DFS”)).
These products are offered by FanDuel (sportsbook, iGaming and other products in our United States (“U.S.”) division), Sky Betting & Gaming (sportsbook and iGaming products), Sportsbet (sportsbook products), PokerStars (iGaming products), Paddy Power (sportsbook and iGaming products), Sisal1 (sportsbook and iGaming products ), tombola (iGaming products), Betfair (sportsbook, iGaming and other products), TVG (other products), Junglee Games (iGaming and other products) and Adjarabet (iGaming products). In January 2024, we acquired a 51% controlling stake in MaxBet, a leading omni-channel sports betting and gaming operator in Serbia, which offers sportsbook and iGaming products and is included in our International division from that date.
1Sisal’s iGaming products include retail and online lottery products. See “—Our Products—iGaming” below for additional information.
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In September 2024, we announced two strategic acquisitions. First, the acquisition of a 56% interest in NSX Group, a leading Brazilian operator of the Betnacional brand for cash consideration of approximately $320 million (Brazilian Real 1,981 million). The transaction is subject to customary completion accounts adjustments with a redemption mechanism in the form of call and put options which allows us to acquire the remaining interest in year five and year ten following the completion date. Second, the acquisition of 100% of Snaitech S.p.A., one of Italy’s leading omni-channel operators for a cash consideration of $2.4 billion (€2.3 billion) subject to completion accounts adjustments. We expect these acquisitions to be completed in 2025 subject to customary closing conditions. We believe that both acquisitions fully align with our strategy to invest in leadership positions in international markets and will expand our reach in the attractive markets of Brazil and Italy.
We are the industry leader by size with 13.9 million Average Monthly Players (“AMPs”) and $14,048 million of revenue globally for fiscal 2024. AMPs refers to the average over the applicable reporting period of the total number of players who have placed and/or wagered a stake and/or contributed to rake (i.e., the commission we take for operating or hosting a game) or tournament fees during the month. This measure does not include individuals who have only used new player or player retention incentives, and this measure is for online players only and excludes retail player activity. See Part II, “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Operational Metrics” for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
We operate a divisional management and operating structure across our geographic markets. Each division has an empowered management team responsible for maintaining the momentum and growth in its respective geographic markets. For fiscal 2024, our divisions were: (i) U.S., (ii) UK and Ireland (“UKI”), (iii) International and (iv) Australia, which aligned with our four reportable segments. In the first quarter of 2025, the Company updated its internal reporting, including the information provided to the chief operating decision maker to assess segment performance and allocate resources, and, as a result, will update its reportable segments in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2025. Following these changes, the Company will have two reportable segments: U.S. and International, (which will include what was formerly our UKI, International and Australia segments). This change in reportable segments further aligns the Group with the growth of the US segment.
Our Products
Our principal products include sportsbook, iGaming and other products, such as exchange betting, pari-mutuel wagering and DFS. For fiscal 2024, 56% of our revenue was derived from sportsbook, 40% of our revenue was derived from iGaming, and 4% of our revenue was derived from other products, while 91% of our revenue at the Group level was generated from our online businesses. Our online operations are complemented by 1,150 retail shops, mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy and Serbia. In each market, we typically offer sports betting, iGaming, or both, depending on the regulatory conditions of that market.
For a discussion of the significant new products that we have introduced recently, and the status of publicly announced new products, see “—Research and Development” below.
Sportsbook
Our sportsbook offerings, such as FanDuel, Sportsbet or Sky Betting & Gaming, involve a customer placing a bet (wager) on various types of sporting events at fixed odds determined by us. Bets are made in advance of the sporting event that will determine the outcome of the wager. In the event the specified outcome occurs, the customer wins the bet and is paid out based upon the odds assigned at the time of the bet. We generate revenue by setting odds in a manner that includes a theoretical spread to be earned on each contest less winnings paid and expenses associated with promotional activity.
In addition to this revenue, revenue from our real-money games (i.e., games in which real money is wagered on the outcome of the game) includes revenue earned on the processing of real-money deposits and cash-out options (which gives the customers the option to exit the game and to obtain an early return from their bet), in specific currencies, which is sometimes referred to as conversion margins.
iGaming
We offer our customers peer-to-business (“P2B”) iGaming products, peer-to-peer (“P2P”) iGaming products and lottery products.
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Our P2B iGaming products involve customers betting against the house. Our iGaming products allow customers to bet on a range of games of chance such as online casino, bingo and machine gaming terminals. We provide a combination of third-party content and proprietary games, reflecting a shift to in-house developed products in order to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Our iGaming offerings typically include the full suite of games available in land-based casinos, such as blackjack, roulette and slot machines. We generate revenue through the gross bets placed less payouts on winning bets, which is also referred to as “hold.”
Our P2P iGaming products include poker and rummy. As P2P operators, we are generally not exposed to the risks of game play or the outcome of the game, as we typically take a rake or commission from the game play. For P2P games, player liquidity, or the number or volume of players with an operator, is critical to the success of the game, with a greater number of players supporting a wider range and greater volume of games and larger tournaments, increasing the quality of the offering to the consumer. As a result, larger scale poker or rummy operations will benefit from superior player liquidity in their systems, which, in turn, improves their offering to customers, creating a positive feedback loop.
We also offer our customers lottery products through our Sisal brand under fixed term licenses known as lottery concessions in various jurisdictions. For example, SuperEnalotto, Win for Life, VinciCasa, Eurojackpot, and SiVincTutto operate in Italy, Sisal Sans operates in Turkey and Sisal Loterie Maroc operates in Morocco. Our lottery products involve customers purchasing a ticket where they have the potential to win a prize and where the winning outcome is drawn at random. Sisal receives a commission in respect of the lottery services provided under the concession agreement.
Other
We include within other product revenue our P2P sports betting products, which involve customers playing/betting against each other and not against the house, where we make a commission on the bets. Our sports betting P2P products include the Betfair betting exchanges, DFS offered by FanDuel and Junglee Games and horse racing wagering offered under the TVG brand. We also offer business-to-business pricing and risk management services, where we earn revenues from providing these services to other businesses in our sector.
Our Geographic Divisions
As of December 31, 2024, we offered our products in over 100 countries and had 13.9 million AMPs globally. See Part II, “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Operational Metrics” for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data. For fiscal 2024, our U.S. division constituted 41% of our revenue, our UKI division constituted 26% of our revenue, our International division constituted 23% of our revenue and our Australian division constituted 10% of our revenue. As mentioned above, in the first quarter of 2025, the Company updated its internal reporting, including the information provided to the CODM to assess segment performance and allocate resources, and, as a result, will update its reportable segments in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2025. Following these changes, the Company will have two reportable segments: U.S. and International (which will include what was our UKI, International and Australia segments).
United States
Our U.S. division offers sports betting, casino, DFS and horse racing wagering products to players across various states in the United States, mainly online but with sports betting services also provided through a small number of retail outlets, and certain online products in the province of Ontario in Canada.
The U.S. division is our fastest growing and our largest division, constituting $5,798 million (or 41%) of our revenue for fiscal 2024. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we had an approximately 44% share of the online sports betting market in the states where FanDuel sportsbook was live and an approximately 25% share of the iGaming market in states where FanDuel casino was live.
For 2024, the U.S. division consisted of: the FanDuel and TVG brands. As of December 31, 2024, our FanDuel online sportsbook was available in 23 states, our FanDuel online casino was available in 5 states, our FanDuel paid DFS offering was available in 44 states, our FanDuel or TVG online horse racing wagering product was available in 32 states and our FanDuel free-to-play products were available in all 50 states.
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United Kingdom and Ireland
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, we offer sports betting (sportsbook), iGaming products (games, casino, bingo and poker) and other products (exchange betting) through our Sky Betting & Gaming, Paddy Power, Betfair and tombola brands. Although our UKI brands mostly operate online, this division also includes our 563 Paddy Power betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland as of December 31, 2024. Our UKI division constituted $3,598 million (or 26%) of our revenue for fiscal 2024.
International
Our International division operates in over 100 global markets and offers sports betting, casino, poker, rummy and lottery, mainly online.
Sisal, the leading iGaming operator in Italy, is the largest brand in the International division following its acquisition in August 2022. The International division also includes PokerStars, Betfair International, Adjarabet, Junglee Games and most recently MaxBet.
In January 2024, we acquired an initial 51% controlling stake in MaxBet, a leading omni-channel sports betting and gaming operator in Serbia for a cash consideration of $143 million (€131 million). The share purchase agreement includes call and put options to acquire the remaining 49% stake in 2029. We plan to continue to diversify internationally and take our online offering into regulated markets with a strong gambling culture and a competitive tax framework under which we believe we have the ability to offer a broad betting and iGaming product range.
In addition, effective January 1, 2024, subsequent to our decision to close the sports betting platform FOX Bet, we reorganized how the PokerStars (U.S.) business is managed which resulted in a change in operating segment composition. From January 1, 2024, PokerStars (U.S.) is included in the International segment as opposed to the U.S. segment.
Our International division constituted $3,257 million (or 23%) of our revenue for fiscal 2024.
Australia
In Australia, we offer online sports betting products through our Sportsbet brand, which operates exclusively in Australia and offers a wide range of betting products and experiences across local and global horse racing, sports, entertainment and major events. Our Australia division constituted $1,395 million (or 10%) of our revenue for fiscal 2024.
The information below summarizes revenue by geographical market for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022:
Year ended December 31,
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The information below summarizes long-lived assets by geographical market as of December 31, 2024 and 2023:
Year ended December 31,
Australia 9 8
Rest of the world 99 87
Seasonality
Our product offerings are subject to a largely predictable degree of seasonality, although the seasonality of each of these products does differ, thereby reducing the effect on an aggregate basis. In particular, a majority of our current U.S. sports betting and DFS revenue is and will continue to be generated from bets placed on, or contests relating to, the NFL, the NBA, MLB and the NCAA, each of which has its own respective off-seasons, which may cause decreases in our future revenues during such periods. The schedule of significant sporting events that do not occur annually, such as the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Football Championship and/or marquee boxing matches, affect the volumes of bets collected over the course of that period. Our sportsbook revenue is driven by a combination of the timing of sporting and other events and the results of our operations are derived from those events. While our iGaming revenue also benefits from activity around sporting events, it is less dependent on the sporting calendar. The overall effect of any individual sporting event is small due to the number of sporting events that take place in any given year and the diversity of our revenue source. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry—Aspects of our business will depend on the live broadcasting and scheduling of major sporting events.”
Marketing
Our ability to effectively acquire, engage and retain customers on our platform is critical to our operational and financial success. We believe that the combination of our brands with our data science and marketing analytics capabilities provide us with a strong competitive advantage in our industry. We utilize a variety of marketing channels, including paid external advertising through traditional and digital media, compelling new player and event-driven promotions and paid affiliate programs. We use proprietary models and software tools to track the efficacy of these marketing campaigns in real-time, giving us the ability to constantly evaluate and optimize our marketing strategies as necessary. Over time, our growth has also enabled our marketing efforts to benefit from economies of scale.
We also rely on successful cross-promotion across our product offerings and consequently have developed ways to minimize friction between our offerings. For example, our FanDuel Sportsbook app features an embedded iGaming offering in states where iGaming is permissible so players can play a subset of casino games without leaving the sportsbook app. Aside from traditional marketing channels, we also enter into select media, sports and entertainment partnerships that support and accelerate our long-term strategic initiatives. Where possible, we will enter into exclusive relationships to further align interests. We have also historically partnered with athletes and celebrities that share our values in order to promote our brand. For example, in the United States, we have strategically partnered with some of the leading news, sports and entertainment companies, including CBS, Fox Sports, and The Ringer. Additionally, we have ongoing commercial relationships with Sky, which allow us to use the Sky (e.g., Sky Betting and Gaming) brands and integrate with Sky’s commercial and advertising platforms pursuant to several contractual agreements.
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Furthermore, in the United States, we are: (i) an official sports betting partner, official sportsbook, official one-day fantasy partner, official one-day fantasy game, and official marketing partner and authorized gaming operator of the NBA; (ii) an official sponsor/partner, official sportsbook sponsor/partner, official sports betting sponsor/partner and official free to play sponsor/partner of the NFL; (iii) an official sports betting sponsor/partner of MLB; (iv) an official sports betting/wagering partner, official daily fantasy game, official daily fantasy hockey game, official daily fantasy partner, official fantasy partner and official partner of the NHL; (v) an official sportsbook, official daily fantasy partner, official marketing partner, official partner and authorized gaming operator of the WNBA; (vi) an official betting operator of the PGA TOUR; (vii) an official sports betting partner of TGL; (viii) an authorized gaming operator of NASCAR; (ix) an authorized gaming operator of MLS; (x) an official sportsbook partner of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL); and (xi) an official partner of the Women's Lacrosse League. We also have partnerships with 26 professional teams across these and other leagues. The nature of these partnerships varies; however, each of these relationships amplifies our brand and helps us acquire and retain customers more efficiently by, for example, allowing us to open a retail sportsbook location in their arena, prominently displaying our brand on signs throughout their arena, advertising our products across their television, digital media and radio outlets and giving us access to their customer relationship databases for our marketing purposes.
In fiscal 2024, we spent $3,205 million in sales and marketing across our four geographic divisions to ensure that we have high levels of brand visibility throughout the year.
Research and Development
As a leading online betting and iGaming operator, our growth and competitive positioning is dependent on the implementation and execution of our technology strategy. We have a distinctive proprietary technology platform that is tailored to the needs of our business, which we have developed and refined through dedicated investments over more than 30 years. Our recent investments are focused on providing appealing product offerings to our customers, both in terms of the quality of the offerings and the user experience, and also with respect to data security and integrity across our offerings. In fiscal 2024, we invested $820 million in technology research and development. We dedicate nearly all of our research and development investments to our online sports betting and iGaming businesses, which seeks to provide broad market applications for product offerings derived from our technology. We expect to continue investing significantly in research and development in an effort to constantly improve customer experience, engagement and security. We believe that such investment in research and development enables us to react more quickly to changing customer needs and is central to our competitive positioning.
As of fiscal 2024, our global workforce consisted of approximately 7,700 technologists who support the introduction and development of new products, the creation of new betting markets, the improvement of the online customer experience and the development of better processes and systems. These support the five in-house gaming studios and global pricing and risk management functions which are continuously developing cutting-edge content for our customers. We believe that continued research and development will contribute to our future growth and profitability and ensure our position as market leader in the betting and iGaming industry.
During fiscal 2024, our global technology strategy enabled the following improvements and enhancements to our products around the world: FanDuel leveraged the Group’s technology, pricing and risk management capabilities to launch Same Game Parlay Live for the new NBA season, and to introduce animated scoreboards and a new player experience hub to drive a more immersive live experience and enhance player narrative themes for the NFL season. FanDuel's improvements to pricing and risk management capabilities have also led to the development of in-house pricing for the WNBA and an expanded range of betting markets, increasing the adoption of the proprietary Same Game Parlay product. FanDuel is currently trialing the new “Your Way” product which could provide customers with almost limitless, customizable betting options in the future. FanDuel Casino also completed its migration to our proprietary technology platform while increasing access to popular exclusive titles.
In UKI, Sky Betting & Gaming launched QuickBuild, a more intuitive Same Game Parlay experience, while Paddy Power leveraged the Flutter Edge to launch Super Sub, allowing customers to swap a substitute player into a parlay bet, as well as launching its first branded live game show, Paddy’s Mansion Heist, our most successful live casino game launch ever. In International, Sisal became the first Italian operator to launch Same Game Parlay in June, expanded online casino content and released a new SuperEnalotto lottery app, while in India we successfully leveraged the Flutter Edge to launch Junglee Poker.
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Intellectual Property
We believe that copyright, trademarks, domain names, trade secrets, proprietary technology and other intellectual property are critical for our long-term success. We seek to protect our investment in research and development by seeking intellectual property protection as appropriate for our technologies and content, including our software code, proprietary technology and know-how that we use to develop and run our sports and iGaming product offerings and related services. Other than licensed rights, we own the key intellectual property rights for the software material used in our betting and iGaming operations and the key intellectual property rights to our customer profiles and iGaming platforms, including sportsbook and poker software.
While much of the intellectual property we use is owned by us, we have obtained rights to use the intellectual property of third parties through licenses and service agreements with those third parties. Although we believe these licenses are sufficient for the operation of the Group, these licenses typically limit our use of the third parties’ intellectual property to specific uses and for specific time periods.
We rely on a combination of trade secret, copyright, trademark, patent and other intellectual property laws, as well as contractual provisions, to protect our intellectual property rights in our sports and iGaming product offerings and other proprietary technology. We actively seek patent protection covering certain inventions originating from us and, from time to time, review opportunities to acquire patents to the extent we believe such patents may be useful or relevant to our business. We also enter into confidentiality and intellectual property assignment agreements with our employees, contractors and other third parties. We typically own the trademarks under which our sports and iGaming product offerings and related services are marketed. In order to protect our brands and trademarks, we register our key trademarks in select jurisdictions in which we operate. Our key trademarks and domain names include, among others:
•Group: “FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT”;
•U.S. division: “FanDuel,” “FanDuel Sportsbook,” “www.fanduel.com” and “www.tvg.com”;
•UKI division: “PADDY POWER,” “PADDY POWER BETFAIR,” “www.betfair.com,” “www.paddypower.com” and “www.paddypower.ie”;
•Australia division: “SPORTSBET” and “www.sportsbet.com.au”; and
•International division: “FLUTTER INTERNATIONAL,” “JUNGLEE GAMES,” “POKERSTARS,” “BETFAIR,” “SISAL,” “ADJARABET,” “MAXBET SLOT CLUB,” “www.pokerstars.com,” “www.betfair.com,” “www.sisal.it,” “www.jungleegames.com,” “www.maxbet.rs” and “www.adjarabet.com.”
See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Information Technology Systems and Intellectual Property—If we are unable to protect or enforce our rights in our proprietary technology, brands or other intellectual property, our competitive advantage, business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.”
Furthermore, we use collected customer data to provide customers with the services they have requested. Subject to applicable data protection laws, we also use customer data to carry out identity and age verification checks on prospective customers for marketing purposes, to invite customers to new tournaments or games or to join our loyalty offering, as well as to send merchandise to customers.
Regulation
We operate in a heavily regulated industry across multiple geographical jurisdictions. The area of legal and regulatory compliance continues to evolve in all of our markets, including as a result of changing political and social norms. As a result, the markets in which we operate are subject to uncertainties arising from differing approaches among jurisdictions, including the determination of where betting and iGaming activities take place and which authorities have jurisdiction over such activities. Compliance with the laws and regulations in place in each jurisdiction is a key risk area for us and is monitored and reported on by our audit committee to the Board.
Our business is subject to extensive regulation under the laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which we operate. These laws, rules and regulations generally concern the responsibility, financial stability, integrity and character of the owners, managers and persons with material financial interests in the iGaming operations along with the integrity and security of the sports betting and iGaming offering. Violations of laws or regulations in one jurisdiction could result in disciplinary action in that and other jurisdictions.
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Gaming laws are generally based upon declarations of public policy designed to protect gaming consumers and the viability and integrity of the gaming industry. Gaming laws also may be designed to protect and maximize country, state and local tax revenues, as well as to enhance economic development and tourism. To accomplish these public policy goals, gaming laws establish stringent procedures to ensure that participants in the gaming industry meet certain standards of character and responsibility. Among other things, gaming laws require gaming industry participants to:
•ensure that unsuitable individuals and organizations have no role in gaming operations;
•establish procedures designed to prevent cheating and fraudulent practices;
•establish and maintain anti-money laundering practices and procedures;
•establish and maintain responsible accounting practices and procedures;
•maintain effective controls over their financial practices, including establishing minimum procedures for internal fiscal affairs and the safeguarding of assets and revenues;
•maintain systems for reliable record keeping;
•file periodic reports with gaming regulators;
•establish programs to promote responsible gaming; and
•enforce minimum age requirements.
We seek to ensure that we obtain gaming licenses necessary to offer our products and services in the jurisdictions in which we operate and/or where we are otherwise required to do so. While we believe that we are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable gaming laws, licenses and regulatory requirements, we cannot be certain that our activities or the activities of our customers will not become the subject of any regulatory or law enforcement, investigation, proceeding or other governmental action or that any such proceeding or action, as the case may be, would not have a material adverse impact on us or our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.
The methods and tools we use to permit or restrict access to our online betting and iGaming product offerings within a territory are typically mandated or approved by the applicable betting and gaming regulatory authority in each jurisdiction where a Group subsidiary holds a betting and gaming license. In particular, we employ the following methods and tools across such jurisdictions: (i) IP address blocking, which identifies the location of the player and blocks his or her IP address; and (ii) country-specific blocking based on the residence of the player. In certain jurisdictions, we also employ geolocation blocking, which restricts access based upon the player’s geographical location determined through a series of data points such as mobile devices and Wi-FI networks.
We also work with regulatory and government bodies to ensure our products, including the software and technological infrastructure underlying them, undergo comprehensive testing by such regulatory and government bodies, as well as by independent, industry-leading testing, accreditation and certification organizations (including Gaming Laboratories International and BMM International). The objective of this testing is to certify, among other things, security, regulatory conformity and gaming integrity. We seek to meet or exceed best practices in operations and customer protection with an emphasis on fair and responsible gaming.
Additionally, we support the regulation of iGaming, including licensing and taxation regimes and pooled poker liquidity, which we believe promotes sustainable iGaming markets that are beneficial for consumers, governments and the citizens of the regulating jurisdiction. We strive to work with applicable government authorities and trade associations to develop regulations that we expect would protect consumers, encourage responsible betting and gaming, ensure reasonable levels of taxation, promote regulated gameplay and keep crime and the proceeds of crime out of gaming. We also strive to be among the first licensed operators to obtain betting and gaming licenses and provide iGaming to customers in newly regulated jurisdictions, in each case, to the extent it would be in the furtherance of our business goals and strategy and in compliance with our policies and procedures.
Our Licenses
We are licensed or approved to offer our betting and iGaming products (including under third-party betting and gaming licenses) in various jurisdictions worldwide, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, Italy and in several other countries. Our gaming licenses generally fall under two categories: (i) jurisdictions where our relevant operating subsidiary has either obtained a local betting and gaming license directly from the local gaming authority or where we offer our product offerings under a third-party betting and gaming license through a third-party relationship on a business-to-business basis and (ii) jurisdictions where our real-money iGaming products are offered pursuant to a “multi-jurisdictional” gaming license instead of a local license.
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Flutter operates in multiple jurisdictions with various licensing obligations and cultural nuances. We have taken a principle-based approach to our safer gambling strategy (“Play Well”), which we launched in March 2021. Similar to our commercial strategy, each division has ownership of their safer gambling strategy (including policy and process) that aligns with their regulatory obligations and our Play Well principles. The Board Risk and Sustainability Committee holds specific meetings dedicated to safer gambling at regular intervals throughout the year. We also have a global Play Well working group who also meet regularly to share best practice and align on key strategic topics.
Additionally, global gaming regulations generally require operators to maintain reserves that cover outstanding liabilities. The specific liabilities and permissible forms of reserve vary from jurisdiction-to-jurisdiction state-to-state, but generally require coverage of one or more of player account balances, outstanding open wagers, pending withdrawals, and/or pending iGaming transactions (as applicable). Consistent with these regulatory requirements, the Company maintains cash reserves in segregated bank accounts for each jurisdiction where it operates sports wagering and/or iGaming to comply with the relevant regulatory obligations in respect of player liabilities. These cash reserves are reviewed each business day, and adjusted to reflect updated liabilities.
United States
In the United States, gambling is regulated at both state and federal levels and divided into three categories: retail sports betting, online sports betting and iGaming. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned key gambling legislation, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”), which prohibited the expansion of sports betting nationwide, following New Jersey’s appeal. A number of states have since moved to legalize and regulate gambling and sports wagering at the state level. As of December 31, 2024, 35 states have legalized and regulated retail sports betting, 30 states have legalized and regulated online sports betting and 6 states have legalized and regulated iGaming.
Under some states’ sports betting and iGaming laws, online sports betting and/or iGaming licenses are tethered to a finite number of specifically defined businesses that are deemed eligible for a gaming license, such as land-based casinos, tribes, professional sports franchises and arenas and horse racing tracks, each of which is entitled to a skin or multiple skins under that state’s law. A “skin” permits that license holder to partner with an online operator like FanDuel to offer online sports betting or iGaming services under that entity’s license. As such, the skin provides a market access opportunity for mobile operators to operate in the jurisdiction pending licensure and other required approvals by the state’s regulator. The entities that control those skins, and the numbers of skins available, are typically determined by a state’s sports betting or iGaming law. We currently rely on skins tethered to land-based casinos, tribes, professional sports franchises and arenas and horse racing tracks in order to access a number of markets through a skin. In other markets, we may obtain a license to offer online sports betting and/or iGaming through a direct license offered by the state, which in some cases may be subject to a competitive application process for a limited number of licenses. Our licenses in U.S. states are generally granted for a predetermined period of time (typically ranging from one to four years) or require documents to be supplied on a regular basis in order to maintain them.
The market access partnership agreements that we enter into with each of our partners provide us with a skin that allows us to offer our online sports betting and iGaming products in the state or province where such partner is licensed. We make variable payments to the majority of our market access partners, typically based on a percentage of our revenue generated in the market where we use such market access partner’s skins. Our market access partners include Boyd Gaming Corporation, one of the largest and most experienced gaming companies in the United States. As stated in Boyd Gaming Corporation’s annual report for the year ended December 31, 2024, Boyd Gaming Corporation operates 28 gaming entertainment properties across 10 states. Our partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation brings together two of the largest and most geographically diversified companies in the U.S. gaming industry and provides us with first skin access (i.e., access to the online sports betting and iGaming market of a given state or province through the use of the first skin granted by a state to a land-based gaming entity with an existing license) for online sports betting in all jurisdictions where Boyd Gaming Corporation holds gaming licenses currently, with the exception of Nevada and California.
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Sportsbook and iGaming
We operate FanDuel retail sportsbook locations in states that have authorized retail sports wagering in licensed brick-and-mortar facilities and offer our FanDuel iGaming and sportsbook products in states which have authorized iGaming or online sportsbook products, respectively. In both cases, we have obtained and maintain the requisite licenses. Our FanDuel sportsbook currently operates in Arizona, Colorado (online only), Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky (online only), Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts (online only), Michigan, Mississippi (retail only), New Jersey, New York, North Carolina (online only), Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee (online only), Vermont (online only), Virginia (online only), Washington (retail only), Washington D.C., West Virginia and Wyoming (online only). We operate FanDuel iGaming in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia and Ontario in Canada. Our PokerStars iGaming product currently operates in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ontario in Canada. We comply with each state’s requirements for offering our products, including utilizing appropriate procedures and technology to ensure that wagering on our PokerStars iGaming, FanDuel iGaming and FanDuel sportsbook products will only be accessible to eligible persons physically present in a state in which we or one of our subsidiaries is licensed to offer online sportsbook products.
On May 14, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion determining that PASPA was unconstitutional. PASPA prohibited U.S. states from “authorizing by law” any form of sports betting. In striking down PASPA, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the potential for state-by-state authorization of sports betting. Sports betting in the United States is subject to additional laws, rules and regulations at the state level. Generally, online gambling in the United States is only lawful when specifically permitted under applicable state law. At the federal level, several laws provide federal law enforcement with the authority to enforce and prosecute gambling operations conducted in violation of underlying state gambling laws. These enforcement laws include the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (the “UIGEA”), the Illegal Gambling Business Act of 1970 (the “IGBA”) and the Travel Act of 1961 (the “TA”). No violation of the UIGEA, the IGBA or the TA can be found absent a violation of an underlying state law or other federal law. In addition, the Wire Act provides that anyone engaged in the business of betting or wagering who knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, will be fined or imprisoned, or both. However, the Wire Act notes that it shall not be construed to prevent the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of information for use in news reporting of sporting events or contests, or for the transmission of information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on a sporting event or contest from a state or foreign country where betting on that sporting event or contest is legal into a state or foreign country in which such betting is legal. The U.S. Department of Justice has taken differing positions over time as to whether the Wire Act applies beyond sports betting. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled in January 2021 that it does not.
Online Horse Racing Wagering
We also operate TVG, which operates two nationally distributed television networks, FanDuel TV and FanDuel Racing, the latter of which is devoted to the sport of horse racing. TVG also operates a state licensed and regulated pari-mutuel advance deposit wagering service under both the TVG and FanDuel Racing brands that facilitates pari-mutuel wagers on horse races from residents of 32 states. Advance deposit wagering (“ADW”) is conducted pursuant to the federal Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, as amended (the “IHA”), and applicable state laws. TVG and FanDuel Racing’s ADW operation involves the facilitation and acceptance of wagers via the internet, and other electronic means from residents of states where the same is lawful, on the outcome of horse races conducted at racetracks in states where the operation of live racing and off-track pari-mutuel wagering on horse races is lawful. In the U.S., ADW is regulated at the state level by the licensure of ADW operators such as TVG/FanDuel Racing by a designated state agency. These regulatory authorities require ADW operators to submit to a licensing and suitability determination process which generally involves the submission of an application and review by the agency of the ADW operator’s corporate and financial information before permission is granted to operate. TVG/FanDuel Racing maintains the requisite licenses, consents, agreements and approvals to operate its ADW services pursuant to the IHA and applicable state law.
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Daily Fantasy Sports
Our FanDuel DFS product offers paid-entry contests in 44 states and the District of Columbia (and free-to-play contests in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia) based on the laws governing fantasy sports in those individual jurisdictions. These laws fall into two categories: (i) jurisdictions that have enacted explicit laws that declare fantasy sports contests lawful games of skill (and in many cases regulate the operation of fantasy sports businesses) and (ii) jurisdictions in which the existing jurisdictional laws are interpreted in a manner to permit fantasy sports contests as lawful games of skill. At present, 23 states fall into the first category described above, and in two states (West Virginia and Rhode Island), the Attorney General’s office of each state has issued an opinion affirming the legality of paid-entry fantasy sports contests in that state. In the remaining 19 states, we operate based on a legal opinion by outside counsel interpreting the underlying law of the jurisdiction.
Generally, state fantasy sports laws and regulations define paid fantasy sports, establish the rules concerning the application and licensing procedures for gaming operators in the fantasy sports business and regulate practices for paid fantasy sports deemed to be detrimental to the public interest. As part of the licensing process, we must submit, in some jurisdictions, extensive materials on our operations, including our technology and data security, age verification of customers, segregation of account funds and responsible gaming initiatives, and submit third-party audits evidencing our compliance with these requirements.
United Kingdom and Ireland
United Kingdom
Online betting and iGaming in Great Britain is regulated by the UK Gambling Act, pursuant to which the regulator, which is the Gambling Commission of Great Britain (“UKGC”), issues licenses, license conditions and codes of practice. According to the UK Gambling Act, a remote operating license is required for the provision of online betting and/or iGaming if at least one piece of remote gambling equipment used in the provision of gambling facilities is placed within Great Britain or if the gambling facilities provided are used or capable of being used there. In addition, the British regulatory regime requires remote gambling operators to source their software from suppliers licensed by the UKGC. We hold online and retail betting and online gaming operating licenses, as well as remote gambling supplier licenses, issued by the UKGC and the services that we offer to our customers in Great Britain are offered pursuant to these licenses.
The UK government conducted a review of the UK Gambling Act, which resulted the UK government publishing a white paper in April 2023 followed by a number of consultations. Two of those consultations have resulted in legislation changes: the implementation of a statutory levy on licensed operator revenue for the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms with effect from April 2025 and, the introduction of maximum staking limits for online slot gaming products with effect from April 2025. Furthermore, after a period of consultation, on May 1, 2024 the UKGC amended its License Conditions and Codes of Practice to require some operators to participate in a pilot of financial risk assessments from August 30, 2024, until April 2025. The UKGC also added to the License Conditions and Codes of Practice a requirement that financial vulnerability checks take place at £150 net deposits in a rolling 30-day period from February 28, 2025, after an initial higher threshold of £500 net deposits in a rolling 30-day period from August 30, 2024 until February 27, 2025.
For more information regarding the UK Gambling Act review and its potential impact on our business, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Regulation, Licensing, Litigation and Taxation—The UK government’s ongoing review of the UK Gambling Act may result in more onerous regulation of the betting and gaming industry in Great Britain, part of our second-largest market, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Regulation, Licensing, Litigation and Taxation—Adverse changes to the regulation of online betting and iGaming, or their interpretation by regulators, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.”
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Republic of Ireland
The Irish general regulatory framework is partially regulated by way of the Betting Act, 1931 (the “Irish Betting Act”). The Irish Betting Act was amended in 2015 to include regulation for online bookmaking, which is regulated by the Irish Revenue Commissioners Office. Licenses for online bookmakers are required for operators servicing the Irish market by providing sports betting services. The nominated officers of license applicants must undergo personal licensure and hold a tax clearance certificate in addition to a certificate of personal fitness. With respect to online casino games, these are provided based on an online betting and gaming license which is widely referred to as a “dot.com” or “point of supply” license. These “dot.com” licenses differ in nature to “country” or “point of consumption” licenses, which are territory specific. “Dot.com” licenses enable the supply of online betting and iGaming to other jurisdictions, in accordance with those licenses’ regulations and under the governance of the relevant regulator and regulatory regime, based on the principle of internet legislation that deems the provision of an online product as provided where the operator is established and located. Ireland does not currently have a licensing regime for online casino, online lotteries or other iGaming undertaken on a commercial basis,although the Gambling Regulation Act, 2024 (“Irish Gambling Act”) will provide for the issuing of remote gaming licenses.
In October 2024, the Irish government enacted the Irish Gambling Act, which introduces major reform and consolidation of gambling laws in Ireland, including the creation of a Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (“GRAI”), which will have broad powers to publish further guidance and codes of conduct. The Irish Gambling Act seeks to (1) modernize the licensing system; (2) introduce robust enforcement measures, including suspension and revocation of licenses, financial penalties (up to the greater of 10% of the licensee’s annual turnover or €20,000,000) and imprisonment; and (3) protect vulnerable persons, including children and those experiencing gambling addiction, through prohibiting licensees from accepting credit cards for the purposes of gambling and the creation of National Gambling Exclusion Register and Social Impact Fund. The legislation also introduces stake and win limits for remote gaming licenses issued under the Irish Gambling Act, with €10 stake limits applying to all games and win limits of €3,000 per game (€5,000 per week in the case of bingo). While the legislation has been enacted, it is yet to be formally commenced, and the new licensing framework is not yet in existence. The new licensing framework is expected to be commenced on a phased basis, with the issuing of licenses by the GRAI expected to take place in 2025 or 2026. For more information regarding the Irish Gambling Act and its potential impact on our business, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Regulation, Licensing, Litigation and Taxation—Adverse changes to the regulation of online betting and iGaming, or their interpretation by regulators, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.”
International
Italy
In Italy, the state reserves authority over public gaming (Art. 1 of Legislative Decree no. 496 of 14 April 1948). Accordingly, operators seeking to carry out gaming activities in Italy must first obtain a concession from the Italian government. We are active in the Italian online and retail betting, lotteries and iGaming market through our brands Betfair, PokerStars, tombola and Sisal, which, in each case, all hold concessions issued by the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency.
In recent years, the regulatory framework in Italy has tightened with a ban on online advertising issued in 2019. In August 2023, the Italian government approved the terms of a new decree to reorganize the entire gambling sector with the primary objective of improving player protection, combating illegal gambling and increasing tax revenues through a new licensing framework. The first operational step was the approval of a decree in March 2024 to initiate the reorganization of the online sector through the issuing of a call for tenders in December 2024 for new online gaming licenses, with bids due by May 30, 2025. There appears to be considerable interest in this tender, with between 40 and 50 operators expected to apply for these new licenses. These licenses will be valid for nine years and will cover all games that are not subject to exclusive licenses, such as online scratch cards. The new licenses are scheduled to take effect in the third quarter of 2025. Groups, such as Flutter, can hold a maximum of five licenses. At present, the Company does not expect a significant impact from these regulatory changes, given its reduced dependence on online advertising, its scale advantage and its retail presence in Italy. Additionally, the Lotto tender was published on January 10, 2025, with bids due by March 17, 2025. Italian Lotto is currently managed by Lottoitalia s.r.l. (“Lottoitalia”), a joint venture company among IGT Lottery S.p.A., Italian Gaming Holding a.s. (Allwyn), Arianna 2001 (an entity associated with the Federation of Italian Tobacconists), and Novomatic Italia.
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Spain
The Spanish Gambling Act, which came into effect on May 29, 2011, regulates the Spanish online gambling market and requires that operators that provide gambling services (e.g., betting and iGaming) in Spain obtain an operating license from the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego) (“DGOJ”). In Spain, our PokerStars, Betfair and tombola brands are licensed by the DGOJ, enabling us to offer a number of betting and iGaming products locally.
India
In early 2023, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (the “Ministry”) issued amendments to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (the “Rules”) to regulate iGaming. iGaming operators are required by the Rules to set up self-regulatory bodies (“SRB”) that are to be approved by the Ministry. In India, our Junglee Games brand operates games such as Howzat, Junglee Rummy, Junglee Poker, PokerStars India and Junglee Ludo which come within the ambit of the Rules. The Rules, to the extent applicable to iGaming, have not yet come into force as the Ministry is yet to approve any SRB.
Georgia
The Law of Georgia “On Organizing Lotteries, Games of Chance and Prize Games,” which came into effect on April 19, 2005, regulates the Georgian gambling market and requires that operators organizing online gambling in Georgia obtain permits from the Revenue Service of Georgia (the “LEPL”). In Georgia, our Adjarabet brand is licensed by the LEPL, enabling us to offer betting and iGaming products in Georgia.
Armenia
The laws of the Republic of Armenia “On Gambling, Online Gambling and Casinos” and “On Lotteries,” which came into effect on January 24, 2004, regulate the Armenian gambling and betting market. These laws require that operators organizing online gambling in Armenia obtain operating licenses from the Ministry of Finance of Armenia (the “MoF”). In Armenia, our Adjarabet brand holds respective licenses issued by the MoF, enabling us to offer betting and iGaming products locally.
Multi-jurisdictional Licenses
Through certain of our subsidiaries, we hold gambling licenses in Malta and Alderney, which are often referred to as “multi-jurisdictional” or “point-of-supply” licenses (as opposed to the local, territory-specific or “point-of-consumption” licenses). These multi-jurisdictional licenses are used by our various subsidiaries to supply our online gambling products to persons located in jurisdictions where we do not possess a local, territory-specific or point-of-consumption gambling licenses.
Where online gambling products hosted on Maltese and/or Alderney servers are made available by us for online usage by our customers in other jurisdictions (pursuant to the relevant multi-jurisdictional licenses), it is done based on the principle of e-commerce and internet law that deems the provision of online products to take place where the operator’s server and/or the operator itself is established and located. This principle is widely relied upon by online gambling operators as well as by many other e-commerce businesses.
Accordingly, we rely on the fact that our supply of online gambling product offerings is lawfully licensed or approved within the jurisdiction of origin (i.e., Malta or Alderney in this case) as the rationale for our lawful offer of gambling product offerings to other jurisdictions where either: (i) such other jurisdictions have not established a regulatory and licensing framework for online gambling; (ii) the availability to citizens of online gambling hosted outside their jurisdictional boundaries is not clearly prohibited by the law of the jurisdiction; or (iii) the local laws of such other jurisdiction lack extra-territorial effect, including where local law is contrary to any supra-national law from which we benefit.
Where, however, any jurisdiction has enacted local domestic laws that clearly prohibit the availability to citizens of online betting and gaming products hosted abroad, and where it is clear that such local domestic law has extra-territorial application to us, to the extent that the principle of extra-territoriality described above is clearly overridden, we will take technical and administrative measures aimed at preventing persons from the relevant jurisdictions accessing our gambling product offerings.
Set forth below is an overview of certain, but not all, jurisdictions for which we rely on our multi-jurisdictional licenses.
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Alderney
The Bailiwick of Guernsey includes Alderney, which has been recognized as a leading offshore licensing jurisdiction for remote gambling since 2000. Alderney has its own government and legislature, and online gambling in Alderney is regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (“AGCC”).
Under the Gambling (Alderney) Law 1999, all forms of gambling are unlawful unless conducted in accordance with the terms of an ordinance. Alderney issued an ordinance in 2001 providing that only online gambling (known as eGambling) conducted under a license is lawful.
The state has subsequently refined the regulation of eGambling by adopting various amendments to this ordinance and by issuing the Alderney eGambling Regulations, 2009. The current ordinance regulating online gambling in Alderney is the Alderney eGambling (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021. Various licenses are available in Alderney and are determined by the nature of the services being supplied and the location and set-up of the license-holders’ infrastructure. Remote operators, business-to-business core service providers and key individuals all require a license issued by the AGCC to offer their services from Alderney.
Sky Bet holds Category 1 and Category 2 eGambling licenses, which permit us to host remote gambling equipment in Guernsey and to offer sports betting, virtual sports, bingo, casino games and poker to our online customers based in the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and, the Republic of Ireland in respect of bingo, casino games and poker. Sky Bet also holds Category 1 and Category 2 Associate Certificates which permit the same activity but cover the remote gambling equipment hosted outside of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Malta
Online betting and iGaming are regulated in Malta under the Maltese Gaming Act 2018. Malta does not permit a person to provide or carry out a betting and gaming service or provide a critical betting or gaming supply from Malta or to any person in Malta, or through a Maltese legal entity, except when in possession of a valid license by the Maltese Gambling Authority (“MGA”), which is the primary regulatory body responsible for the governance of all betting and gaming activities in Malta. The Maltese regulatory framework provides for two types of licensing, a business-to-business license and a business-to-consumer license. MGA approval is required for each game type to be offered under the license. The term of these licenses is ten years in each case.
In addition to renewable business-to-business licenses, we also hold renewable business-to-consumer licenses covering sports betting, peer to peer betting exchanges, games of skill (including poker), casino and games.
Under the Maltese Gaming Act, we are required to make monthly compliance contributions that are payable in Malta and are calculated based on our revenue from online betting and iGaming offered through our Maltese gaming licenses. With respect to online betting and iGaming offered under our Maltese gaming licenses to customers in certain other jurisdictions, we also pay applicable gaming duty or VAT in those jurisdictions on some or all of the online betting and iGaming offerings in those jurisdictions.
As Malta is part of the European Union, it is subject to EU law, including the EU principle on the free movement of services. Accordingly, Maltese gaming licenses entitle licensees to provide iGaming services from Malta or to any person in Malta, or through a Maltese legal entity in compliance with an EU member states’ local regulatory regime.
Other Licenses
PokerStars currently operates on a locally regulated basis in each of Bulgaria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Michigan, New Jersey, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Betfair currently operates on a locally regulated basis in each of Denmark, Italy, Malta, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. MaxBet currently operates in Serbia and through its subsidiaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia. PokerStars and Betfair also hold technical licenses to supply services in relation to gaming services on a business-to-business basis in each of Romania, Malta and Sweden. Additionally, PokerStars holds technical licenses in Greece and the Isle of Man. Outside of Italy, Sisal also holds lottery concessions in Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia.
In addition, on January 1, 2025, Brazil launched its regulated market for online sports betting and casino. We received a provisional license from the Ministry of Finance, Brazil on December 31, 2024 and launched Betfair in Brazil on January 1, 2025. On February 7, 2025, we received a full license from the Ministry of Finance, Brazil
Both Sky Bet / Sky Betting & Gaming and tombola hold licenses from His Majesty's Government of Gibraltar and are regulated by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.
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In every instance where we hold a local license, we strive to utilize appropriate procedures and technology to maintain compliance with the territory’s requirements for offering our products. We also engage on an ongoing basis with local gaming regulators to provide standard regulatory reporting and to respond to ongoing ad hoc queries, as well as to complete prescribed regulatory audit or assurance reviews to evidence compliance.
Australia
The Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission (“NTRWC”) is responsible for licensing, regulating and supervising gambling activities authorized under the Racing and Wagering Act 2024 (NT) (“Racing and Wagering Act”), including the conduct of a sports betting business. Holders of sports bookmaker licenses issued by the NTRWC are permitted to provide sports betting services over the internet to customers throughout Australia.
The NTRWC conducts ongoing suitability and due diligence investigations in relation to its license holders, their shareholders and key management personnel. NTRWC license holders are also required to comply with all relevant Australian state and territory laws as well as applicable federal legislation, including the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth).
Our Australian division holds a renewable sports bookmaker license to conduct sports betting, as issued to Sportsbet Pty Ltd by the NTRWC under the Racing and Wagering Act. Other than as described above, our real-money iGaming product offerings are not offered to persons physically located in Australia.
Fox Option on Interest in FanDuel Group Parent LLC
In connection with our acquisition of The Stars Group (“TSG”), we and FSG Services LLC (“Fox”) entered into a legally binding term sheet (the “Fox Option Term Sheet”) that, among other things, granted Fox a call option (the “Fox Option”) to acquire from us 18.6% of the then-outstanding investor units (the “Fastball Units”) in FanDuel Group Parent LLC (“FanDuel Parent” and, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “FanDuel”) that were the subject of a put and call option between us and Fastball Holdings LLC (“Fastball”). As of December 31, 2024, the Fox Option price for the Fastball Units was $4.5 billion. Such price is subject to a 5% annual compounding carrying value adjustment. Fox has until December 2030 to exercise the Fox Option.
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Fastball had certain rights under FanDuel Parent’s Limited Liability Company Agreement (the “FanDuel LLC Agreement”) and a July 2019 Investor Members Agreement among us, FanDuel Parent, Fastball and Boyd Interactive Gaming, L.L.C. (the “Investor Members Agreement”), which provided certain terms for the governance and operations of FanDuel Parent and the rights, obligations and duties of FanDuel Parent’s members. Although it has not been determined what specific rights Fox may receive should Fox exercise (and pay for) the Fox Option and acquire the Fastball Units, the terms of the Investor Members Agreement provided that, so long as Fastball continued to own at least 5% of the outstanding investor units in FanDuel Parent (the “FanDuel LLC Units”), FanDuel could not, without the prior written consent of Fastball: (i) acquire any person, business or line of business if such acquisitions, in the aggregate, require FanDuel Parent to spend more than $75 million in cash; (ii) enter into or consummate one or a series of transactions where FanDuel Parent transfers, exclusively sublicenses or exclusively licenses or otherwise disposes of any assets, to the extent such assets have value, in the aggregate, in excess of $75 million (other than in the ordinary course of business); (iii) issue or incur debt that results in FanDuel Parent having outstanding principal debt obligations in excess of the greater of $75 million and four times FanDuel Parent’s LTM EBITDA (as defined therein); (iv) declare, make or pay any distributions or dividends on FanDuel LLC Units, other than distributions or dividends in an amount such that, following the consummation thereof, FanDuel Parent would have distributed cash dividends on FanDuel LLC Units for any twelve month period no greater than the lesser of (1) 50% of FanDuel Parent’s Free Cash Flows (as defined therein) for the prior 12 consecutive months ending on the last day of the month preceding the date of such distribution or dividend and (2) 50% of FanDuel Parent’s projected Free Cash Flows (as defined in the Investor Members Agreement) for the 12 month period beginning on the last day of the month preceding the date of such distribution or dividend; (v) adopt any amendment to FanDuel Parent’s organizational documents or the FanDuel LLC Agreement; (vi) take or approve any action resulting in FanDuel Parent’s liquidation or dissolution; (vii) authorize, issue or sell FanDuel LLC Units or any other equity interest of FanDuel Parent or any other option, warrant, conversion or similar right with respect to any FanDuel LLC Units or such other equity interest in FanDuel Parent (subject to certain exceptions); (viii) repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any FanDuel LLC Units, any other equity interest of FanDuel Parent or any options, warrants, conversion or similar rights with respect to any FanDuel LLC Units or such other equity interests of FanDuel Parent, except in accordance with the terms of the FanDuel LLC Agreement; (ix) enter into any transaction that would result in a Public Offering (as defined in the FanDuel LLC Agreement) or Sale Event (as defined in the FanDuel LLC Agreement), other than a Sale Event in which we and our affiliates sell 100% of our collective equity interests in FanDuel Parent to a purchaser who agrees to be bound by all our obligations under the Investor Members Agreement; (x) take any action which has the primary purpose of, or by its express terms has the effect of, benefitting us and our affiliates and harming Fastball, whether or not in its capacity as a holder of the FanDuel LLC Units; (xi) make any payment out of assets of FanDuel Parent or any of its subsidiaries in respect of any VCP Redemption Debt (as defined in the FanDuel LLC Agreement); or (xii) commit to do any of the things set forth in (i) through (xii) above. In addition, the terms of the Investor Members Agreement provided that so long as Fastball continued to hold any equity interest in FanDuel Parent, FanDuel could not, without the prior written consent of Fastball, cause or permit FanDuel Parent to own or hold any assets other than equity interests of FanDuel Group, Inc., cause or permit FanDuel Parent to own or hold less than 100% of the issued and outstanding equity of FanDuel Group, Inc., cause or permit FanDuel Group, Inc. to make any distributions to FanDuel Parent that could give rise to taxable income to Fastball in excess of its pro rata portion of the FanDuel LLC Units, or take any action or fail to take any actions with respect to tax matters that could reasonably give rise to disproportionately adverse tax consequences to Fastball as compared to us. Fox’s interpretation of its rights in relation to the Fox Option may differ from that of Flutter. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry—In the event that Fox exercises the Fox Option, we would be required to sell to Fox a significant minority stake in our FanDuel business. If at that point Fox’s consent is required for actions we wish to take and we are unable to obtain it, we may not be able to pursue elements of our business strategy.”
Certain Other Regulatory Considerations
We are also subject to numerous other domestic and foreign laws and regulations. These can take the form of complex and evolving domestic and foreign laws and regulations regarding the internet, privacy, data protection, competition, consumer protection and other matters. Many of these laws and regulations are subject to change and uncertain interpretation and could result in claims, changes to our business practices, monetary penalties, increased operating costs, or declines in customer growth or engagement, or otherwise harm our business.
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Data Protection, Privacy and Digital Services
Because we handle, collect, store, receive, transmit and otherwise process certain personal information of our customers and employees, we are also subject to the laws related to the privacy, protection and hosting of such data that apply in various jurisdictions in which we operate and/or where our customers are located. Privacy and information protection laws require, among other things, that entities collecting and processing such personal information do so in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory conditions. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) (the “GDPR”) cites as its core principles: (i) lawful, fair and transparent processing; (ii) processing for specific, explicit and legitimate purposes; (iii) that personal information be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes in hand; (iv) that personal information be accurate and kept updated; (v) that personal data be retained for only as long as necessary; and (vi) appropriate security against loss, destruction, damage or theft is implemented. Failure to comply with applicable privacy and personal information laws can result in regulatory sanctions, fines and, in certain cases, criminal liability.
Privacy laws are increasingly prevalent across the world, with countries implementing strict regulations to protect personal data and safeguard individuals' rights in the digital age. Regarding our operations in Europe, particularly where the personal information being processed relates to residents of EU member states, the European Union enacted the GDPR on May 25, 2018, to replace European Union Directive 95/46/EC as well as the national implementing legislation in each EU member state. For example, the United Kingdom has adopted the GDPR along with supplementary legislation in the form of the Data Protection Act 2018. The GDPR imposes more stringent operational requirements for entities processing personal information and significant penalties for non-compliance. For instance, the GDPR introduces two categories of administrative fines depending on the seriousness of the breach that will range from: (a) up to €20 million or 4% of worldwide revenues of the preceding year (whichever is higher) for serious infringements; or (b) up to €10 million or 2% of worldwide revenues of the preceding financial year for less serious infringements. With respect to the GDPR, we maintain records of our data processing activities and carry out our own risk-based due diligence on entities that act as data processors on our behalf, and we have introduced electronic systems and processes that facilitate the deletion of our customers’ personal information that is no longer in use. Additionally, to help ensure that personal information belonging to our customers and employees will be processed in accordance with the GDPR (as well as any other relevant privacy and data and information protection legislation), we maintain up to date privacy statements together with updated terms and conditions for use of our product offerings on our websites.
Further, the UK GDPR came into effect on January 1, 2021, and, together with the amended UK Data Protection Act 2018, retains the GDPR in UK national law following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (“Brexit”). The UK GDPR mirrors the fines under the GDPR (up to £17.5 million or 4% of the annual global revenues, whichever is greater). The relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains unclear, and it is unclear how UK data protection laws and regulations will develop in the longer term. Compliance with the GDPR and the UK GDPR may require us to modify our data processing practices and policies and incur compliance-related costs and expenses and these changes may lead to other additional costs and increase our overall risk exposure.
In the United States, since California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act in 2018, 17 additional U.S. states have enacted comprehensive privacy legislation. The result is a complex and onerous patchwork of inconsistent legal obligations, with nuances across states in terminology and definitions. It largely remains unclear how these laws will be interpreted and enforced, and in California, certain implementing regulations have yet to be finalized. These laws may require substantial modifications to in-scope companies’ data processing practices and policies, impose compliance-related costs and expenses to provide updated notices, conduct privacy impact assessments, and fulfill privacy rights requests, and we may be required to negotiate or renegotiate contractual obligations with third-parties. Such laws will restrict processing activities, likely limiting our ability to market to customers and/or increasing operational and compliance costs. The introduction of new or updated data protection laws or regulations in jurisdictions in which we currently operate, including in Canada and Brazil, may modify our data processing activities and/or increases our operational and compliance costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and many state attorneys general are interpreting federal and state consumer protection laws to impose standards for the online collection, use, dissemination, and security of data. Finally, there has been a significant increase in privacy litigation related to cookies, pixels, and other common analytics technologies. Plaintiffs claim that personal data is collected and/or shared with third-parties without the requisite user consent under laws such as the California Invasion of Privacy Act or the federal Video Privacy Protection Act. Should these legal theories succeed in the courts, we could see material adverse effects on our business or financial condition as costs to defend and/or settle litigation increase.
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In addition to the variety of existing laws and regulations governing our use of personal data, there are a wide variety of other laws that are currently being enacted or under development and which may have a material impact on whether, and how, we can operate our online services in certain jurisdictions. For example, EU Regulation 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (the “Digital Services Act”) came into full effect in the European Union on February 17, 2024, resulting in changes to the regulation of online content that is deemed to be illegal or harmful. Fines under the Digital Services Act can amount to up to 6% of an organization’s global annual turnover. Similarly, the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (the “AI Act”) will have implications for how AI technology is used in our business and across the industry generally and may increase our overall risk exposure. Compliance with the AI Act may require us to incur compliance-related costs and expenses including in respect to changes in AI practices policies and procedures. Similar to the Digital Services Act, which provides for fines of up to 6% of global turnover, the top tier of fines that may be imposed under the AI Act can be up to €35 million or 7% of global annual turnover.
Any significant changes to applicable laws, regulations, interpretations of laws or regulations, or market practices, regarding privacy, digital services and data protection, or regarding the manner in which we seek to comply with applicable laws and regulations, could require us to make modifications to our products, services, policies, procedures, notices, and business practices, including potentially material changes. Such changes could potentially have an adverse impact on our business. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Information Technology Systems and Intellectual Property—The increasing application of and any significant failure to comply with applicable data protection, privacy and digital services laws may have a material adverse effect on us.”
Compliance
We have developed and implemented a rigorous internal compliance program to help ensure that we comply with legal and regulatory requirements imposed on us in connection with our sports betting and iGaming activities. Our compliance and risk program focuses on, among other things, meeting regulatory requirements, reducing and managing problematic gaming activities and providing tools to assist customers in making educated choices related to gaming activities.
We have a zero-tolerance approach to money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, collusion and other forms of cheating and we work with regulators and law enforcement globally on such matters. We believe that we have a robust and extensive set of policies and procedures designed to identify and/or prevent such issues, including, without limitation our (i) anti-money laundering & countering the financing of terrorism policy; (ii) gifts and hospitality policy; (iii) cyber security policy; (iv) third party financial crime policy standard; (v) sanctions policy; (vi) anti-bribery and corruption policy; (vii) code of ethics; (viii) whistle-blower policy; and (ix) procurement & supplier risk & performance management policy. Among other measures, we conduct risk-based customer due diligence, escalate certain matters for further investigation, and routinely monitor customer activity, including identifying the use of potential “proceeds of crime” in gaming. Customer activities that can trigger customer interactions initiated by us include abnormal deposit and cash out patterns, customer-to-customer transfers and game play and prolonged, repetitive and unprofitable gaming. These are all monitored in accordance with local regulations and the guidelines of relevant gaming authorities. We also have a dedicated compliance team that works with our employees and various departments to implement routine business activity monitoring and seeks to ensure that we comply with our regulatory obligations under our betting and gaming licenses, as well as with all other laws and regulations applicable to our business in each jurisdiction where we operate. Additionally, we employ various methods and tools across our operations such as: (i) geolocation blocking, which restricts access based upon the customer’s geographical location determined through a series of data points such as mobile devices and Wi-Fi networks; (ii) age verification to ensure our customers are old enough to participate; (iii) routine monitoring of customer activity; and (iv) risk-based customer due diligence to ensure the funds used by our customers are legitimately derived.
While we are firmly committed to full compliance with all applicable laws and have developed appropriate policies and procedures in order to comply with the requirements of the evolving regulatory regimes, we cannot assure that our compliance program will prevent or detect the violation of one or more laws or regulations, or that a violation by us, a customer or an employee will not result in the imposition of a monetary fine or suspension or revocation of one or more of our licenses.
Human Capital Management
At Flutter, we are committed to developing our culture as a commercial differentiator – one that attracts and retains talent in order to create a world-class firm built for the long term. Our culture is defined by strong character, deep capabilities, broad domain expertise and a steadfast emphasis on collaboration. These qualities ensure we are best placed to provide unique services to our customers.
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The success of our human capital philosophy is evidenced by the number and quality of hires we have made and the consistent positive feedback we receive through our employee surveys. Reinforcement of the culture we are building comes through engagement with our employees, the reward principles we apply to compensation and promotion decisions and our various talent development initiatives, which continue to evolve as we grow.
As of December 31, 2024, we had 27,345 employees across 27 countries. Our headcount includes both our head office and retail colleagues. The United States comprises 11.4% of our total headcount, UKI comprises 31.6% of our total headcount, International comprises 52.6% of our total headcount and Australia comprises 4.4% of our total headcount. Approximately 7,700 of our employees are part of our technology function, of which approximately 3,900 are focused on software engineering. Employee turnover sits at 20% globally, 11% of which is voluntary. Our relationship with the majority of our employees located in Italy, Brazil and Romania are subject to collective bargaining agreements and a subset of employees in Australia are subject to modern awards, which set out minimum terms and conditions of employment. As of fiscal 2024, 4,727 of our employees are subject to these agreements. In general, the collective bargaining agreements and modern awards include terms that regulate remuneration, minimum salary, salary complements, extra time, benefits, bonuses and partial disability.
Our investment in people is principally in support of two of our strategic aims: leveraging the Flutter Edge through talent and sustainability through our Positive Impact Plan. We aim to create a culture that supports inclusivity, where people can be their authentic selves and feel like they belong. We are focused on building a home for the world’s best talent that represent and reflect the communities where we live and work.
Talent
We aim to create an environment where talented colleagues have the opportunity to learn, develop, grow and progress within our business. Our focus is to provide visibility of our key talented colleagues, succession planning and ongoing development. We do this through divisional talent reviews, succession planning focusing on our strategically most important roles and development in support of the skills needed for the future.
Positive Impact Plan
As the global leader in sports betting and gaming, we are committed to leading our industry in sustainability. In 2022 we launched our Positive Impact Plan, which laid out our ambitions in relation to the sustainability issues most material to our business. Our Positive Impact Plan has four key pillars focused on our customers, colleagues, community and the planet. These pillars are underpinned by our continued focus on essential foundations such as ethics and compliance, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering as well as data protection and management.
We conduct materiality assessments to review the sustainability issues most material to our business, gaining internal and external views. Our first materiality assessment carried out in 2021 identified our top 15 issues, which were mapped out by investigating the actual and potential impacts across the business. This helped us to shape our Positive Impact Plan and to define our four strategic pillars (customers, colleagues, community and the planet).
In fiscal 2024 we started preparing to report against the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”) including updating our materiality assessment under the principles of “double materiality”. We will report on updated materiality in our next reporting cycle subject to changes proposed by the EU Omnibus package (published on February 26, 2025) which would require us to report in 2028 on 2027 rather than in 2026.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
You should carefully consider the following risks and all of the other information set forth in this Annual Report, including without limitation “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Statements,” Part II, “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes in Part II, “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” The following risk factors have been organized by category for ease of use; however, many of the risks may have impacts in more than one category.
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Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry
Economic downturns and political and market conditions beyond our control, including inflation and a reduction in consumer discretionary spending, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our financial performance is subject to political and economic conditions in the global economy and the jurisdictions in which we operate and their impact on levels of spending by customers, advertisers and business partners. Economic recessions have had, and may continue to have, far reaching adverse consequences across many industries, including the global entertainment, betting and gaming industries, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Additionally, inflation has the potential to adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations by increasing our overall cost structure. The recent significant inflationary trends have had an adverse effect on our cost of labor expenditure, as well as other operating expenses. Moreover, our business is particularly sensitive to reductions from time to time in discretionary consumer spending, which is driven by socioeconomic factors beyond our control. Demand for entertainment and leisure activities, including betting and iGaming, can be affected by changes in the economy and consumer tastes, both of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. Unfavorable changes in general economic conditions, including recessions, economic slowdowns, tariffs and trade disputes, sustained high levels of unemployment and rising prices or the perception by consumers of weak or weakening economic conditions, may reduce our customers’ disposable income or result in fewer individuals engaging in entertainment and leisure activities, such as betting or iGaming. As a result, we cannot ensure that the demand for our product offerings will remain consistent. Adverse developments affecting economies throughout the world, including a general tightening of credit availability, decreased liquidity in certain financial markets, inflation, increased interest rates, foreign exchange fluctuations, tariffs, trade disputes, increased energy costs, acts of war or terrorism, cyber-attacks, transportation disruptions, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, power loss, declining consumer confidence, sustained high levels of unemployment or significant declines in stock markets, as well as pandemics, epidemics, public health emergencies and the spread of contagious diseases, could lead to a further reduction in discretionary spending on entertainment and leisure activities, such as betting and iGaming, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business is exposed to competitive pressures given the competition in online betting and iGaming.
If we are unable to compete effectively, we may lose existing customers and we may not be able to attract new customers or reactivate churned customers. The online betting and iGaming market is increasingly competitive. This competition takes place on an international level and operators around the world leverage that scale to attract customers to their websites, with the implication that the barriers to a customer switching between competing operators are low. We may be unable to respond quickly or adequately to changes in the industry brought on by new products and technologies, the availability of products on other technology platforms and marketing channels, and the introduction of new features and functionality or new marketing and promotional efforts by our existing competitors or new competitors and new technology. Such competitors may spend more money and time on developing and testing products and services, undertake more extensive marketing campaigns, adopt more aggressive pricing or promotional policies or otherwise develop more commercially successful products or services than ours, any of which could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our competitors may also develop products, features or services that are similar to ours or that achieve greater market acceptance.
We are also subject to the risk of further consolidation in the betting and gaming industry, which might result in the formation of a very large or successful competitor to whom we might lose market share. Other competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical and other resources than us in certain jurisdictions or markets in which we operate and they may be able to secure greater liquidity than us. A loss of market share could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, in the United States, we face new competition from sports event trading as derivatives products regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This new competition purports to be available nationwide and is currently being offered by a growing number of providers. While we believe that we are well positioned to compete with new entrants to the betting and gaming market through our online betting and gaming offerings, the competitive dynamic is evolving and we cannot assure you that our results of operations will not be adversely impacted by the expansion of legalized online gaming and betting.
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We may fail to retain existing customers for our betting and iGaming offerings or add new customers or customers could decrease their level of engagement with our betting and iGaming offerings in general.
If people do not perceive our betting and iGaming offerings to be enjoyable, reliable, relevant and trustworthy, we may be unable to attract or retain customers or maintain or increase the frequency and duration of their engagement. A number of other online betting and iGaming companies that achieved early popularity have since seen their active customer bases or levels of engagement decline.
Our strategy is to increase customer engagement and retention, but there is no guarantee that we will not experience an erosion of our AMP base or engagement levels among customers in the future. Our customer engagement patterns have changed over time, and customer engagement can be difficult to measure, particularly as customers continue to engage increasingly via mobile devices and as we introduce new and different product offerings. Any number of factors could negatively affect customer retention, growth and engagement, including if:
•customers increasingly engage with our competitors’ products or services;
•we fail to introduce, or delay the introduction of, new products or services (whether developed internally, licensed or otherwise obtained or developed in conjunction with third parties) that users find engaging or that work with a variety of operating systems or networks, or if we introduce new products or services, including using technologies with which we have little or no prior development or operating experience, or changes to our existing products or services, that are not favorably received by customers;
•customers have difficulty installing, updating or otherwise accessing our products on desktops or mobile devices as a result of our actions or the actions of the third parties we rely on to distribute our products and deliver our services;
•there are decreases in customer sentiment about the quality of our products or concerns related to privacy, safety, security or other factors;
•new industry standards are adopted or customers adopt new technologies where our products may be displaced in favor of other products or services, may not be featured or otherwise available, or may otherwise be rendered obsolete and unmarketable;
•there are adverse changes in our products that are mandated by legislation, regulatory authorities or litigation, including settlements;
•we do not obtain applicable regulatory or other approvals or renewals of such approvals to offer, directly or indirectly, our products in new or existing jurisdictions;
•technical or other problems prevent us from delivering our products in a rapid and reliable manner or otherwise affect the customer experience, such as security breaches or failure to prevent or limit spam or similar content;
•we adopt policies or procedures related to areas such as customer data and information that are perceived negatively by our customers or the general public;
•we elect to focus our customer growth and engagement efforts more on longer-term initiatives, or if initiatives designed to attract and retain customers and engagement are unsuccessful or discontinued, whether as a result of our actions or the actions of third parties or otherwise;
•we fail to price our product offerings competitively or provide adequate customer service;
•we or other companies in the online betting and iGaming industry are the subject of adverse media reports or other negative publicity; or
•we fail to effectively anticipate or respond to customers’ continuously changing and dynamic needs, demands and preferences, such as new casino games or poker variants, or innovative types of sports betting or betting related to new or popular sporting events, as well as emerging technological trends, or where our competitors more effectively anticipate or respond to the same.
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If we are unable to maintain or increase our customer base or engagement, or effectively monetize our customer base’s use of our products and product offerings, our revenue may be adversely affected. Any decrease in customer retention, growth or engagement, including player liquidity, could render our products less attractive to customers, which is likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If our AMP growth rate slows, we become increasingly dependent on our ability to maintain or increase levels of customer engagement and monetization in order to drive revenue growth. Furthermore, betting and gaming faces competition from other entertainment and leisure activities and there can be no assurance that we will be able to increase or maintain our share of customers’ discretionary spending against such other entertainment and leisure activities.
Our growth prospects may suffer if we are unable to develop successful product offerings or if we fail to pursue additional product offerings. In addition, if we fail to make the right investment decisions in our product offerings and technology, we may not attract and retain customers and our revenue and results of operations may decline.
The industries in which we operate are subject to rapid and frequent changes in standards, technologies, products and services, as well as in customer demands, expectations and regulations. We must continuously make decisions regarding which product offerings and technology we should invest in to meet customer demand in compliance with evolving industry standards and regulatory requirements, and must continually introduce and successfully market new and innovative technologies, product offerings and enhancements to remain competitive and effectively stimulate customer demand, acceptance and engagement. Our ability to engage, retain and increase our customer base and to increase our revenue will depend heavily on our ability to successfully create new product offerings, both independently and together with third parties. We may introduce significant changes to our existing technology and product offerings or develop and introduce new and unproven products and services, with which we have little or no prior development or operating experience. The process of developing new product offerings and systems is inherently complex and uncertain, and new product offerings may not be well received by customers, even if well-reviewed and of high quality. If we are unable to develop technology and product offerings that address customers’ needs or enhance and improve our existing technology and product offerings in a timely manner, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Although we intend to continue investing in our research and development efforts, if new or enhanced product offerings fail to engage our customers or partners, we may fail to attract or retain customers or generate sufficient revenue, operating margin or other value to justify our investments, any of which may seriously harm our business. In addition, management may not properly ascertain or assess the risks of new initiatives, and subsequent events may alter the risks that were evaluated at the time we decided to execute any new initiative. Developing and creating additional product offerings can also divert management’s attention from other business issues and opportunities. Even if our new product offerings attain market acceptance, those new product offerings have in certain cases cannibalized, and in the future, could continue to cannibalize, the market share of our existing product offerings or share of our customers’ discretionary spending in a manner that could negatively impact our results of operations. Furthermore, such expansion of our business increases the complexity of our business and places an additional burden on our management, operations, technical systems and financial resources, and we may not recover the often-substantial up-front costs of developing and marketing new product offerings, or recover the opportunity cost of diverting management and financial resources away from other potential new product offerings. In the event of continued growth of our operations, product offerings or in the number of third-party relationships, we may not have adequate resources, operationally, technologically or otherwise, to support such growth, and the quality of our technology, product offerings or our relationships with third parties could suffer. In addition, failure to effectively identify, pursue and execute new business initiatives, or to efficiently adapt our processes and infrastructure to meet the needs of our innovations, may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any new product offerings may also require our customers to utilize new skills to use our product offerings. This could create a lag in adoption of new product offerings and new customer additions related to any new product offerings. Further, we may develop new product offerings that increase customer engagement and costs without increasing revenue. Additionally, we may make bad or unprofitable decisions regarding these investments. If new or existing competitors offer more attractive product offerings, we may lose customers or customers may decrease their spending on our products. New customer demands, superior product offerings by competitors, new industry standards or changes in the regulatory environment could render our existing product offerings unattractive, unmarketable or obsolete, and require us to make substantial unanticipated changes to our technology or business model. Our failure to adapt to a rapidly changing market, new or changing regulations or evolving customer demands could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Participation in the sports betting industry exposes us to trading, liability management and pricing risk. We may experience lower-than-expected profitability and potentially significant losses as a result of a failure to determine accurately the odds in relation to any particular event and/or any failure of our sports risk management processes.
A significant proportion of our revenue is derived from fixed-odds betting products where winnings are paid on the basis of the stake placed and the odds quoted. Odds are determined with the objective of providing an average return to the bookmaker over a large number of events. However, there can be significant variation in our results event-by-event and day-by-day. We have systems and controls that seek to reduce the risk of daily losses but there can be no assurance that these will be effective in reducing our exposure, and, consequently, our exposure to this risk in the future. As a result, in the short term, there is less certainty of generating positive results, and we may experience (and we have from time to time experienced) significant losses with respect to individual events or betting outcomes, in particular if large individual bets are placed on an event or betting outcome or series of events or betting outcomes. Odds compilers and risk managers are also capable of human error; thus, even allowing for the fact that a number of betting products are subject to capped pay-outs, significant volatility can occur. In addition, it is possible that there may be such a high volume of trading during any particular period that even automated systems would be unable to address and eradicate all risks. Any significant losses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The success of certain of our products, including poker, exchange and daily fantasy sports (“DFS”), depends upon maintaining liquidity.
Betfair Exchange, FanDuel’s DFS business, PokerStars’ poker business and Junglee Games’ rummy business operate with, and their success is dependent on, high levels of liquidity. A significant reduction of this liquidity, or any legislative or regulatory measures taken to ring-fence that liquidity, could have a material adverse impact on the attractiveness of those products as well as eroding their key competitive strengths. The occurrence of any event causing an adverse impact on the liquidity available to Betfair Exchange, FanDuel’s DFS or PokerStars’ poker business could result in a reduction in the number of customers who are willing to use these products and services, which, if it were to arise to a material degree, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate revenue from those businesses. While we have taken measures to ensure our liquidity position from time to time, we cannot assure you that similar measures will provide the required results in the future or effectively mitigate the disruption and cost to our business, and that no further liquidity solutions will be necessary.
Uncertainty as to the legality of online betting and iGaming or adverse public sentiment towards online betting and iGaming may deter third-party suppliers from dealing with us.
The willingness of third-party service providers to provide their services to us may be affected by their own assessment of the legality of their provision of services to us, our business or the broader online betting and iGaming sector and by political or other pressure brought to bear on them. Adverse changes in laws, regulations or enforcement policies in any jurisdiction may make the provision of key services to us unlawful or otherwise problematic in such jurisdictions. To the extent that third-party suppliers are unwilling or unable to provide us with services, this may have a material adverse effect on our licenses and impact our ability to generate revenue from offering our products and services to customers. See “—Risks Relating to Information Technology Systems and Intellectual Property—We depend on third-party providers and other suppliers for a number of products (including data and content) and services that are important to our business. An interruption, cessation or material change of the terms for the provision of an important product or service supplied by any third party could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.”
In addition to any legal or regulatory reasons why a third-party service provider may not be willing to provide us with services, certain third-party service providers may be reluctant to provide us with services due to concerns regarding public, political, regulatory or market sentiment toward the betting and gaming industry. Certain third-party service providers may determine that an association with us could result, directly or indirectly, in adverse consequences for their business and so they may be unwilling to provide their services to us and/or prohibit or restrict our customers from using such third-party service provider’s technology, business or services for the purposes of interacting with and/or doing business with us. For example, certain software and/or hardware companies may refuse to make their devices or software compatible with our betting and iGaming applications or other online product offerings to customers and/or they may restrict access to our betting and iGaming applications through such third party’s platforms. There have been cases of internet service providers blocking iGaming websites in certain of the European jurisdictions in which we operate without a local, territory or point of consumption license because those jurisdictions do not have such a licensing framework in place, and further instances could potentially reduce our market share of iGaming in such countries. In addition, banks and/or other payment processors may prohibit or restrict customers’ ability to process payments relating to online betting and iGaming websites or applications on a mandatory basis or at the request of a customer. Should such restrictions and rejections become more prevalent, betting and iGaming activity by our customers or the conversion of registered customers into AMPs could be adversely affected, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Failure to attract, retain and motivate key employees may adversely affect our ability to compete, and the loss of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We depend on the services of our senior management as well as our key technical, operational, marketing and management personnel. The acquisition and successful retention of senior management and key talent across the Group is critical to our achieving our strategic objectives and to satisfying the needs of our growing organization. The loss of any key persons could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our success is also highly dependent on our continuing ability to identify, hire, train, motivate and retain highly qualified technical, operational, marketing and management personnel. Competition for such personnel can be intense, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to attract or retain such highly qualified personnel in the future. Equity-based awards comprise a key component of management compensation, and if our ordinary share price declines or becomes volatile, it may be difficult to retain or motivate such individuals. Our potential inability to attract and retain necessary personnel may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The leadership of our current senior management team has been a critical element of our success. The departure, death or disability of any such members of senior management or other extended or permanent loss of any of their services, or any negative market or industry perception with respect to any of them or their loss, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we are unable to build, maintain and enhance our brands, or if events occur that damage our reputation and brands, our ability to expand our customer base may be impaired and our business and financial results may be harmed.
We believe that our brands have significant value and contribute to the success of our business. We also believe that building, maintaining and enhancing our brands is critical to expanding our customer base and generating revenue. Our ability to build, maintain and enhance our brands depends largely on our ability to continue to successfully provide enjoyable, reliable, trustworthy and innovative products with helpful customer service, as well as our ability to successfully maintain or advance our internal marketing and branding functions and to establish and develop new relationships and build on existing relationships with ambassadors and service providers on which we rely to promote our product offerings. We may introduce new product offerings, programs, terms of service or policies, including those related to loyalty programs, pricing and security, any of which could have an impact on our brands. Similarly, any decisions we make regarding regulatory compliance, intellectual property portfolio management, player privacy, payments and other issues, and any media, legislative or regulatory scrutiny of Flutter, our current or former directors, employees, contractors or vendors, or the online betting and iGaming industry in general, could negatively affect our brands. We operate a multiple-brand strategy in a number of markets and jurisdictions. As a result, certain of our brands will compete with one another and the performance of one brand may impact another in certain markets.
Our brands may also be negatively affected by the actions of customers, employees, contractors or vendors that are deemed to be hostile or inappropriate to other customers, including through the use of certain software to gain an advantage over other customers, or by the use of our product offerings or of companies that provide similar products and services, for illicit, objectionable or illegal ends. In addition, we cannot provide assurance that our current or former directors, officers, employees, ambassadors or service providers will act in a manner that will promote the success of Flutter or its product offerings. Maintaining and enhancing our brands may require us to make or incur substantial investments, costs or fees. If we fail to successfully promote and maintain our brands or if we incur excessive expenses in this effort, it could adversely affect the size, engagement and loyalty of our customer base and result in decreased revenue, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our success may be impacted by our ongoing ability to market to our customers in certain jurisdictions.
Our acquisition and retention of AMPs depends in certain jurisdictions upon our ability to effectively market to our existing and potential customers, including through affiliate marketing. There are limitations to and, in some cases, prohibitions on the online and offline marketing channels that are available to us as a result of applicable laws and regulations. For example, in Australia, since March 2018, the commonwealth government has upheld bans on gambling advertising during live sports broadcasts (including online streaming of sporting events) between 5:00 am and 8:30 pm. Further restrictions on advertising may come into place following a parliamentary inquiry in 2023 into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm. In Italy, an “advertising ban” entered into force at the beginning of 2019. This included a complete ban on direct and indirect advertising, sponsorship, the use of influencers and all other forms of communications with promotional content relating to games or betting with cash winnings. Other jurisdictions, including, for example, Spain, Ireland and Belgium, are also further restricting advertising in their markets.
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Additional restrictions or the loss of marketing channels that are currently available to us may further restrict our ability to attract and maintain AMPs and may have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate revenue in any jurisdiction implementing such restrictions. See “—Our operational efforts to expand our customer base in existing and new geographic markets, particularly with respect to our U.S. business, which is critical to our long-term ambitions, including our efforts to cross-sell to existing customers, may not be successful.”
We may require additional capital to support our growth plans, and such capital may not be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all. This could hamper our growth and materially and adversely affect our business.
We intend to make significant investments to support our business growth and may require additional funds to respond to business challenges, including the need to develop new product offerings and features or enhance our existing platforms, improve our operating infrastructure or acquire complementary businesses, personnel and technologies. Accordingly, we may need to engage in equity or debt financings to secure additional funds, which may involve increased funding costs due to rising interest rates. See “—Financial and Banking Risks Relating to Our Operations—Our strategy could be materially adversely affected by our indebtedness.”
Our ability to obtain additional capital, if and when required, will depend on our business plans, investor demand, our operating performance, capital markets conditions and other factors. If we raise additional funds by issuing equity, equity-linked or debt securities, those securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to the rights of our currently issued and outstanding equity or debt, and our existing shareholders may experience dilution. If we are unable to obtain additional capital when required or on satisfactory terms, our ability to continue to support our business growth or to respond to business opportunities, challenges or unforeseen circumstances could be materially and adversely affected, and our business may be harmed.
We may engage in acquisitions, divestitures or other strategic transactions or alliances, which are subject to domestic and foreign regulatory requirements, and may encounter difficulties in integrating, separating and managing these businesses and therefore we may not realize the anticipated benefits.
We may enter into acquisitions or other strategic transactions, including partnerships, joint ventures, mergers, investments or strategic alliances, as well as evaluate our portfolio for potential divestitures, if appropriate opportunities become available. Any future transactions may pose regulatory, antitrust, integration, tax and other risks. Any of these factors may significantly affect the benefits or anticipated benefits of such transactions and consequently our results of operations. Competition for strategic transactions in our industry has escalated during recent years, and such competition may increase costs of such transactions or cause us to refrain from entering into certain such transactions. Furthermore, any such transactions will require significant management time and resources and may require the diversion of resources from other activities. There can be no assurance that we will identify or successfully complete transactions with suitable candidates in the future, that we will consummate these transactions at rates similar to the past or that completed transactions will be successful. Strategic transactions may involve operational or other changes, significant cash expenditures, debt incurrence, assumed or retained liabilities, operating losses and expenses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Furthermore, we may not realize the degree, or timing, of benefits we anticipate when we first enter into a transaction.
We have entered into a number of business combinations in recent years, including the combination with TSG in May 2020, the acquisition of Junglee Games in January 2021, the acquisition of tombola in January 2022, the acquisition of Sisal in August 2022 and the acquisition of MaxBet in January 2024, as well as the planned acquisitions of NSX Group and Snaitech S.p.A., which we expect to complete in 2025. We regularly evaluate acquisition and other strategic transaction opportunities, which opportunities may be material to our business.
We may be unable to manage recent or future acquisitions profitably or to integrate such acquisitions successfully without incurring substantial costs, delays or other problems. The difficulties of combining the operations of acquired businesses and other risks related to strategic transactions include, among others:
•difficulties in the integration of operations and systems;
•conforming standards, controls, procedures and accounting and other policies, business cultures and compensation structures;
•inheriting internal control deficiencies;
•difficulties in the assimilation of employees, including possible culture conflicts and different opinions on technical decisions and product roadmaps;
•difficulties in managing the expanded operations of a larger and more complex company;
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•challenges in keeping existing customers and obtaining new customers;
•assumption of the liabilities and exposure to unforeseen or undisclosed liabilities of acquired businesses and exposure to litigation or regulatory, tax or other sanctions, civil or criminal penalties or negative consequences such as license revocation or reputational damage;
•the insufficiency or unavailability of indemnifications received from sellers;
•exposure to new or unfamiliar geographies and/or regulatory regimes;
•challenges in managing the increased scope, geographic diversity and complexity of our operations; and
•in the case of joint ventures and other investments, partnerships or alliances, interests that diverge from those of our partners without the ability to direct the management and operations of the joint venture or investment in the manner we believe most appropriate to achieve the expected value.
Many of these factors will be outside our control and any one of them could result in increased costs, decreases in the amount of expected revenues and diversion of management’s time and energy, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, any companies or businesses we acquire or invest in may not achieve levels of profitability or revenue that justify the original investment made by us. The occurrence of any such events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may prioritize customer growth and engagement and the customer experience over short-term financial results.
We may in the future make product and investment decisions that may not prioritize our short-term financial results if we believe that such decisions are consistent with our strategy and long-term goals to benefit the aggregate customer experience, improve our financial performance and maximize shareholder value. For example, we have implemented changes to, including certain reductions in, our loyalty programs to ensure that the distribution of rebates, rewards and incentives is aligned with our goal of incentivizing customers for loyalty and behavior that is positive to the overall customer experience and the particular product offering’s ecosystem (such as the introduction of the PokerStars reward scheme), and we have introduced, and may in the future introduce, other changes, such as adjustments to product pricing. We may also introduce changes to existing product offerings, or introduce new product offerings, that direct customers away from existing product offerings where it has a proven means of monetization, which may reduce engagement with our core product offerings. We also may take steps that limit distribution of certain product offerings, such as on mobile devices, in the short term to attempt to ensure the availability of such product offerings to our customers over the long term. These decisions may not produce the benefits that we expect, in which case our customer growth and engagement, our relationships with third parties, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
The success of existing or future sports betting and iGaming product offerings depends on a variety of factors and is not completely controlled by us.
The sports betting and iGaming industries are characterized by an element of chance. Accordingly, we employ theoretical win rates to estimate what a certain type of sports bet or game, on average, will win or lose in the long run. Although each game or sports bet generally performs within a defined statistical range of outcomes, actual outcomes may vary for any given period. In addition to the element of chance, win rates may also be affected by factors that are beyond our control, such as a customer’s experience and behavior, the mix of games played, the financial resources of customers, the volume of bets placed and the amount of time spent engaging with our product offerings. As a result of the variability in these factors, the actual win rates on our games and sports bets may differ from the theoretical win rates we have estimated and could result in the winnings of our iGaming or sportsbook customers exceeding those anticipated. This variability has the potential to adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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In our iGaming product offerings, operator losses are limited per stake to a maximum payout. When looking at bets across a period of time, however, these losses can potentially be significant. Our quarterly financial results may also fluctuate based on whether we pay out any jackpots to our iGaming customers during the relevant fiscal quarter. As part of our iGaming product offerings, we may offer progressive jackpot games. Each time a progressive jackpot game is played, a portion of the amount wagered by the customer is contributed to the jackpot for that specific game or group of games. Once a jackpot is won, the progressive jackpot is reset with a predetermined base amount. While we maintain a provision for these progressive jackpots in the event we choose to offer them, the cost of the progressive jackpot payout would be a cash outflow for our business in the period in which it is won with a potentially significant adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Winning is underpinned by a random mechanism, thus we cannot predict with absolute certainty when a jackpot will be won. Our success also depends in part on our ability to anticipate and satisfy customer preferences in a timely manner. As we will operate in a dynamic environment characterized by rapidly changing industry and legal standards, our products will be subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. We will need to continually introduce new product offerings and identify future product offerings that complement our existing platforms, respond to our customers’ needs and improve and enhance our existing platforms to maintain or increase our customer engagement and growth of our business. We may not be able to compete effectively unless our product selection keeps up with trends in the digital sports entertainment, betting and iGaming industries in which we compete.
Our operational efforts to expand our customer base in existing and new geographic markets, particularly with respect to our U.S. business, which is critical to our long-term ambitions, including our efforts to cross-sell to existing customers, may not be successful.
As a result of social, political and legal differences between jurisdictions, successful marketing in a new jurisdiction, particularly in new U.S. states we hope to further expand into, will often involve local adaptations to our overall marketing strategy. While we have been successful in entering new geographic markets to date, future entry into new geographic markets may not be successful. In particular, our marketing strategy in new geographic markets may not be well received by target customers or may not otherwise be socially acceptable in that jurisdiction. We may be unable to deal successfully with a new and different local operating environment. We may also be unable, for technological or other reasons, to design and deliver the correct marketing strategy in our key markets to enable us to cross-sell within and across our brands.
In addition, as discussed in more detail in the risk factor entitled “—Risks Relating to Regulation, Licensing, Litigation and Taxation—The successful execution of our growth strategy, particularly with respect to our U.S. business, which is critical to our long-term ambitions, will depend on successfully expanding our provision of online betting and iGaming services into certain new and existing jurisdictions and markets where the regulatory status of the provision of such services has been clarified or liberalized” below, our ability to expand our customer base in new geographic markets may also be impacted by adverse regulatory developments in those markets.
We are subject to risks related to our contractual and strategic relationships with third parties. Events impacting those relationships or agreements could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely on relationships with sports leagues and teams, media partners, casinos, affiliates, high-profile talent, horse racing tracks and other third parties in order to obtain certain licenses, to access certain markets, to promote our brands and our product offerings and to attract customers to our product offerings. These strategic relationships, along with our relationships with providers of online services, search engines, social media, directories and other websites and e-commerce businesses, help drive consumers to our technology and products. For example, we have an ongoing commercial relationship with Sky, which allows us to use the Sky brand (e.g., Sky Betting and Gaming) and to integrate with Sky’s commercial and advertising platforms pursuant to contractual agreements. Certain of the rights granted under these agreements allow us to use Sky Betting and Gaming brands on websites, applications, marketing and promotional materials which also feature our other brands. If customer perception of the Sky brand were to deteriorate (as a result of acts or omissions by Sky, or us, including any acts or omissions which result in a material deterioration in Sky’s reputation), or if Sky was to lose some or all of its material licensing arrangements with respect to sports broadcasting, our ability to attract or retain customers through our Sky Betting and Gaming brand could be negatively impacted, resulting in a consequent loss of revenue and diminishing the value of our arrangements with Sky. Additionally, Sky may terminate the license if we do not comply with the license terms or our contractual arrangements may terminate under certain conditions. Any expiration or termination of our Sky brand license could have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate revenue from the businesses of Sky Betting and Gaming, as well as harm or cause loss of our reputation, brand and associated rights.
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FanDuel has a strategic partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, one of the largest and most experienced gaming companies in the United States. This partnership provides FanDuel with first skin access (i.e., access to the online sports betting and iGaming market of a given state or province through the use of the first skin granted by a state to a land-based gaming entity with an existing license) for online sports betting in all jurisdictions where Boyd Gaming Corporation holds gaming licenses currently, with the exception of Nevada and California. A “skin” permits a license holder to partner with an online operator to offer online sports betting or iGaming services under that entity’s license. Any failure to maintain and manage this relationship could negatively impact our results of operations. See “—Risks Relating to Regulation, Licensing, Litigation and Taxation—The successful execution of our growth strategy, particularly with respect to our U.S. business, which is critical to our long-term ambitions, will depend on successfully expanding our provision of online betting and iGaming services into certain new and existing jurisdictions and markets where the regulatory status of the provision of such services has been clarified or liberalized.”
Furthermore, many of the parties with whom we have advertising arrangements provide advertising services to other companies, including other betting, fantasy sports and iGaming product offerings with whom we compete. While we believe there are other third parties that could drive customers to our product offerings, adding or transitioning to them may disrupt our business and increase our costs. In the event that any of our existing relationships or our future relationships fails to provide services to us in accordance with the terms of our arrangement, or at all, and we are not able to find suitable alternatives, this could impact our ability to attract and consumers in a cost-effective manner and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In the event that Fox exercises the Fox Option, we would be required to sell to Fox a significant minority stake in our FanDuel business. If at that point Fox’s consent is required for actions we wish to take and we are unable to obtain it, we may not be able to pursue elements of our business strategy.
In connection with our acquisition of TSG, we and Fox entered into the Fox Option Term Sheet that, among other things, granted Fox the Fox Option to acquire from us the Fastball Units in FanDuel Parent that were the subject of a put and call option between us and Fastball. In the event that Fox exercises the Fox Option, we could be required to sell a significant minority stake in our FanDuel operations.