Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You should read the following discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations of Flutter Entertainment plc and its consolidated subsidiaries in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties about our business and operations. Our actual results and the timing of selected events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those we describe under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report. See “Cautionary Statement About Forward-Looking Statements.”
Our Business
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.
We are the industry leader by size with 13.9 million AMPs and $14,048 million of revenue globally for fiscal 2024. See “—Key Operational Metrics” below for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
Our strategy involves expanding our Group’s player base and growing player value through product innovation and efficient player incentive spend, while also increasing the efficiency of our marketing investment and operating leverage to deliver high net income (loss) margins and Adjusted EBITDA Margins.
We believe that we are well-positioned to capitalize on the future long-term growth of the markets we operate in due to the following:
Access to significantmarket opportunity: The U.S. market is expected to continue to experience significant growth as additional U.S. states are expected to legalize sports betting and iGaming. Outside of the U.S., the market is already very large and continues to grow.
Diversified product and geographic portfolio at scale:We operate in a wide range of markets and offer a broad range of products. This level of diversification gives us exposure to fast-growing markets, and we also believe that it mitigates the impact on the overall Group of regulatory or other changes in individual markets. As a scale operator, we benefit from the “flywheel effect” where higher revenue growth enables greater operating leverage. This in turn enables us to invest more in our products and player proposition.
The Flutter Edge: We refer to our Group’s global differentiator across product, technology, expertise and scale provided by empowering our local hero brands with the benefits of a global leader as the “Flutter Edge.” It represents the symbiotic relationship between our teams and divisions, with all contributing to and benefitting from the Flutter Edge.
Optimal strategy to deliver success: We have a clearly defined Group strategy to enable us to deliver on our strategic priorities:
Win in the U.S. by (i) extending FanDuel Sportsbook's lead as the primary sportsbook in the U.S., (ii) cementing FanDuel Casino's position as the #1 casino brand and operator by gross gaming revenue and (iii) extend and deepen customer engagement through our Flywheel businesses, (iv) transforming our earnings profile through operating leverage. We believe that we have a sustainable winning strategy driven by (i) the most efficient acquisition engine, (ii) a superior product proposition, (iii) a world class generosity proposition, and (iv) the best pricing in the market, enabled by our leading talent, technology and data platform and enhanced approach to government and public affairs.
Win in rest of world by (i) consolidating our gold medal position in core markets, (ii) grow local hero brands through a combination of organic investment and M&A and (iii) enhance the earnings profile through diversification and cost efficiencies.
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Opportunity for long-term growth through our financial growth engine
We believe that we are well-positioned to capitalize on the future long-term growth of the markets we operate in, through our financial growth engine. This is built on:
•Sustainable revenue growth: We seek to expand the Group’s player base and grow player value through product innovation and efficient player incentive spend. We believe that there are significant revenue growth opportunities for both our U.S. and ex-U.S. businesses. As more U.S. states have legalized sports betting and iGaming, our U.S. business has grown revenue by 32%, from $4,404 million in fiscal 2023 to $5,798 million in fiscal 2024. Excluding the U.S. business, we have grown revenue by 12%, from $7,386 million in fiscal 2023 to $8,250 million in fiscal 2024, and we believe that our International “Consolidate and Invest” markets, which include Italy, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Spain, Serbia, Morocco, Brazil and India, provide the platform for continued high levels of future growth.
•Margin benefits: We seek to increase the efficiency of our marketing investment and operating leverage to deliver high net income (loss) margins and Adjusted EBITDA Margins. The Group’s net income (loss) margins and Adjusted EBITDA Margins have been negatively impacted in recent years by significant investments in marketing and customer acquisition in the U.S. division. As we deliver against our U.S. strategy, the net income (loss) margin and Adjusted EBITDA Margin of the U.S. division have improved and we expect this trajectory to continue and drive further improvement in our consolidated net income (loss) margin and Adjusted EBITDA Margin over time.
•Significant cashflow generation: Although acquisitions have resulted in increased long-term debt in recent years, we believe that sustained revenue growth and margin benefits will combine with low levels of capital intensity due to the scalable nature of our technology platforms, and positive working capital from our growing business, will permit us to reduce our leverage ratio and generate significant cash flow over time and unlock capital allocation opportunities for the Group. As of the end of fiscal 2024 and 2023, we had total long-term debt of $6,736 million and $7,056 million, respectively.
•Disciplined capital allocation: We aim to create long-term value through disciplined capital allocation, including:
(i)Disciplined organic investment: We believe that our player acquisition cost, lifetime value and player relationship management models and algorithms provide a disciplined evaluation framework enabling high returns from our investment in player growth and retention.
(ii)Value creative M&A: We have clear criteria for acquiring bolt-on, “local-hero” brands, with podium (i.e. top-three) positions in high-growth markets. These local heroes are then complemented in the post-acquisition period by the benefits of the Flutter Edge. Our acquisitions of FanDuel, Adjarabet, Junglee Games, tombola, Sisal, and MaxBet are examples of this strategy. We believe that there remains significant further M&A potential to add market-leading businesses in regulated markets where the Group does not currently have a presence.
(iii)Returns to shareholders: We expect that the Group’s projected cash generation will permit us to return to shareholders capital that cannot be effectively deployed in organic investment or value creative M&A. We have recently announced a share repurchase program through which we expect to return up to $5 billion to shareholders over the next few years. See “— Liquidity and Capital Resources” below for additional information regarding the share repurchase program.
We had a net income (loss) per share of $0.24, $(6.89) and $(2.44) for fiscal 2024, fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022, respectively.
The combination of margin benefits, cashflow generation and disciplined capital allocation is expected to drive earnings per share growth and long-term value creation.
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Our Products and Geographies
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.
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 our UKI, International and Australia segments).
During fiscal 2022, fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024, we operated 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 their respective geographic markets. Our divisions were: (i) U.S., (ii) the United Kingdom and Ireland (“UKI”), (iii) International and (iv) Australia, which aligned with our four reportable segments.
(i)U.S.: 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.
The U.S. division consists of the following brands: FanDuel and TVG. As of December 31, 2024, our FanDuel online sportsbook was available in 23 states (Vermont and North Carolina were added in the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024 and the District of Columbia in the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2024), 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.
(ii)UKI: 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.
(iii)International: Our International division includes our operations 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 and Junglee Games and most recently MaxBet which we acquired an initial 51% controlling stake in January 2024. MaxBet is a leading omni-channel sports betting and gaming operator in Serbia, creating an opportunity to accelerate growth and deliver a gold medal position in the Balkans region. In addition, effective from 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.
We plan to continue to diversify internationally and are taking our online offering into regulated markets with a strong gambling culture and a competitive tax framework under which we have the ability to offer a broad betting and iGaming product range.
Our International division constituted $3,257 million (or 23%) of our revenue for fiscal 2024.
(iv)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.
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Listing of Our Ordinary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange
On January 29, 2024, our ordinary shares began trading on the NYSE under the symbol “FLUT.”
Non-GAAP Measures
We report our financial results in this Annual Report in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”); however, management believes that certain non-GAAP financial measures provide investors with useful information to supplement our financial operating performance in accordance with GAAP. We believe Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, both on a Group-wide basis and segment basis, provide visibility to the performance of our business by excluding the impact of certain income or gains and expenses or losses. Additionally, we believe these metrics are widely used by investors, securities analysts, ratings agencies and others in our industry in evaluating performance.
Beginning January 1, 2024, the Group revised its definition of Adjusted EBITDA, which is the segment measure that management uses to evaluate performance and allocate resources. Adjusted EBITDA now excludes share-based compensation as management believes including share-based compensation can obscure underlying business trends as share-based compensation could vary widely among companies due to differing plans that result in companies using share-based compensation awards differently, both in type and quantity of awards granted.
Segment results for the year ended December 31, 2024, have been revised to reflect the change in operating segment measurement and change in operating segment composition.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are not liquidity measures and should not be considered as discretionary cash available to us to reinvest in the growth of our business, or to distribute to shareholders, or as a measure of cash that will be available to us to meet our obligations.
Our non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies, have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation. Additionally, we do not consider our non-GAAP financial measures as superior to, or a substitute for, the equivalent measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.
To evaluate our business properly and prudently, we encourage you to review the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report, and not rely on a single financial measure to evaluate our business. We also strongly urge you to review the reconciliations between our most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP measures and our non-GAAP measures set forth in “—Supplemental Disclosure of Non-GAAP Measures” below.
Key Operational Metrics
AMPs is defined as 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 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.
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We present AMPs for each of our product categories, for each of our divisions and for the consolidated Group as a whole as we believe this provides useful information for assessing underlying trends. At the product category level, a player is generally counted as one AMP for each product category they use. In circumstances where a player uses multiple product categories within one brand, we are generally able to identify that it is the same player who is using multiple product categories and therefore count this player as only one AMP at each of the division and Group levels while also counting this player as one AMP for each separate product category that the player is using. For example, a player who uses FanDuel Sportsbook in the sportsbook product category and FanDuel Casino in the iGaming product category, in each case within the U.S. division, would appropriately count as one AMP for each of the sportsbook product category and the iGaming product category but only as one AMP for the U.S. division and one AMP for the Group as a whole. As a result, the sum of the AMPs presented at the product category level in each of our U.S., UKI and International divisions, where we offer multiple product categories (and in contrast to our Australia division, where we only offer our sportsbook product category), is greater than the total AMPs presented at the division level. For example, we reported within our U.S. division for fiscal 2024, AMPs of 3.1 million for our sportsbook product category, AMPs of 0.8 million for our iGaming product category and AMPs of 0.5 million for our other product category, while reporting AMPs for our U.S. division of 3.8 million (which figure is lower than the sum of 4.4 million that would be calculated by adding AMPs presented at the product category levels). Because the AMPs we present for the consolidated Group as a whole simply represent the sum of the AMPs we present for each of our four divisions, the sum of the AMPs we present for each of our product categories at the Group level will also exceed the total AMPs we present for the consolidated Group as a whole.
Notwithstanding the methodology described in the immediately preceding paragraph, our AMPs information is based on player data collected by each of our brands, which generally each employ their own unique data platform, and reflects a level of duplication that arises from individuals who use multiple brands. More specifically, we are generally unable to identify when the same individual player is using multiple brands and therefore count this player multiple times. For example, a player who uses Sky Betting & Gaming Sportsbook in the sportsbook product category and Paddy Power Casino in the iGaming product category, in each case within the UKI division, would appropriately count as one AMP for each of the sportsbook product category and the iGaming product category; however, this player would also count as two AMPs (rather than one AMP) for the UKI division and two AMPs (rather than one AMP) for the Group as a whole. In addition, a player who uses Sky Betting & Gaming Sportsbook in the sportsbook product category and Paddy Power Sportsbook in the sportsbook product category, in each case within the UKI division, would count as two AMPs (rather than one AMP) for the sportsbook product category, two AMPs (rather than one AMP) for the UKI division and two AMPs (rather than one AMP) for the Group as a whole. We are unable to quantify the level of duplication that arises as a result of these circumstances, but do not believe it to be material and note that it arises primarily in our UKI division, where we offer multiple successful brands within multiple product categories, but where we believe that most players tend to utilize only one brand given each brand has its own separate registration system and player platform.
In addition to the duplication that arises when the same individual player is using multiple brands as described in the immediately preceding paragraph, we do not eliminate from the AMPs information presented for the Group as a whole duplication of individual players who use our product offerings in multiple divisions during the reported period. For example, a player who uses Betfair Casino in the iGaming product category within the UKI division and PokerStars Sports in the sportsbook product category within the International division would appropriately count as one AMP for each of the iGaming product category and the sportsbook product category and would appropriately count as one AMP for each of the UKI division and the International division; as a result, this player would count as two AMPs (rather than one AMP) for the Group as a whole. We are unable to quantify the level of duplication that arises as a result of these circumstances, but do not believe it to be material and note that players must demonstrate residency within the geography covered by a division to sign up for an account, and accordingly such duplication could only arise in the circumstance of an individual player having multiple residences across different divisions.
We do not believe that the existence of player duplication as described in the previous two paragraphs undercuts the meaningfulness of the AMPs data that we present for assessing underlying trends in our business, and our management uses this AMPs data for this purpose.
Stakes represent the total amount our players wagered in sportsbook and is a key volume indicator for our sportsbook products. The variability of sporting outcomes can result in an impact to sportsbook revenue that may obscure underlying trends in the sportsbook business relating to growth in amounts wagered and, accordingly, staking data can provide additional useful information. We do not utilize staking information to track performance of our iGaming products. Because our iGaming business is not subject to the same variability in outcomes, management is able to assess trends in our iGaming business by analyzing AMPs and revenue changes, without the need to collect or analyze stakes and believes that collecting and analyzing stakes data in our iGaming business would not provide meaningful incremental information regarding trends in such business that is not already provided by collecting and analyzing our iGaming AMPs and revenue data.
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Sportsbook net revenue margin is defined as sportsbook revenue as a percentage of the amount staked. This is a key indicator for measuring the combined impact of our overall margin on sportsbook products and levels of bonusing.
Acquisitions and Disposals
In certain periods under discussion below, we have entered into acquisitions and disposals. This approach is consistent with our business strategy of investing to build leadership positions in regulated markets globally. We intend to continue to make similar investments in the future in attractive, fast-growing markets where growing our business organically is typically slower or more difficult to achieve. These acquisitions and disposals affect various aspects of our results of operations and either increase or decrease our results of operations for the periods in which their results are combined with (or removed from) our consolidated financial statements. Acquisitions, in particular, can involve significant investments to integrate the business of the acquired company with our business, and such costs may vary significantly from period to period. Accordingly, the impact of acquisitions and divestments may result in our financial information for such periods being less comparable to, or not being comparable at all, to prior financial periods.
The acquisitions and disposals that we completed in the periods under discussion are noted below:
•In January 2024, we acquired an initial 51% controlling stake in MaxBet, a leading omni-channel sports betting and gaming operator in Serbia for cash consideration of $143 million (€131 million). The share purchase agreement includes call and put options to acquire the remaining 49% stake in 2029.
•On August 4, 2022, we completed the acquisition of Sisal, Italy’s leading iGaming operator, from CVC Capital Partners Fund VI for cash consideration of $2,037 million.
•On July 1, 2022, we acquired the remaining 49.0% stake in Adjarabet, one of the largest iGaming operators in the regulated Georgian market, for consideration of $251 million, bringing our holding in Adjarabet to 100%, an increase from our previous controlling interest of 51.0%, which we acquired in February 2019.
•On January 10, 2022, we acquired tombola, one of the leading online bingo operators in the UK market. The purchase comprised of a cash payment of $557 million.
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), 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). 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.
Trends and Factors Affecting Our Future Performance
Significant trends and factors that we believe may affect our future performance include the items noted below. For a further discussion of trends, uncertainties and other factors that could affect our operating results see “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”
Industry Opportunity and Competitive Landscape
We operate within the global sports betting and iGaming market and offer a wide range of innovative products through a portfolio of Flutter brands. Our strategic objectives are to (i) extend our leadership position in the U.S. and (ii) win leadership positions in the rest of our global markets. We believe our unparalleled portfolio of products, diversified geographic footprint and the benefit of the combined power of the Group, which we refer to as the Flutter Edge, provide our key competitive advantages which empower Flutter’s brands to deliver sustainable value in this market.
The sports betting and iGaming market is becoming increasingly competitive. This competition takes place at both a local and an international level. Operators attract players to their apps and websites with the implication that the barriers to a player switching between competing operators are low. We believe our competitive advantages provided by the Flutter Edge equip our brands with access to talent, technology, product and capital, which, in turn, position us well to capture market share in the future.
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Regulatory Environment
We operate in a highly regulated industry, where laws and legislations are ever-changing. On the one hand, this provides us with opportunities for expansion of our footprint into new markets. For example, in the U.S., we launched our online sportsbook products in New York, Louisiana, Wyoming, Kansas and Maryland in fiscal 2022, Ohio and Massachusetts in fiscal 2023 and Vermont, North Carolina and the District of Columbia in fiscal 2024, following the recent relaxation of state regulations.
The regulatory environment can, however, also place limitations on the online and offline marketing channels or alter the way in which players engage with our products in certain markets. For example, in Italy, an “advertising ban” has been in force since 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. Also, in UKI, regulatory changes and safer gambling initiatives being introduced by operators are also leading to slower market growth.
The diversified nature of the Group’s revenue streams, from both a geographic and product perspective, help mitigate the impact of any single adverse regulatory change, while also providing access to markets with different growth profiles.
Impact and Remediation of Internal Controls Deficiencies
As discussed in Part I, we have identified deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that constitute material weaknesses. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Ownership of Our Ordinary Shares—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.”
In order to remediate the identified deficiencies, management has developed a comprehensive remediation plan. Details of the material weaknesses and the remediation plan are set out in “Item 9A. Controls and Procedures”. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, the Company has not incurred material costs as part of its remediation efforts; however, we cannot provide an estimate of costs expected to be incurred in connection with the implementation of this remediation plan. We expect the remediation to be time consuming and place significant demands on the Company’s financial and operational resources, but we do not believe the costs involved are reasonably likely to be material. Management does not believe that the material weaknesses had a material impact on the financial condition, results of operations or cash flows of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Key Components of Revenue and Expenses
Revenue
We are engaged in the business of digital sports entertainment and gaming, earning revenue from a variety of sports betting and gaming products. Our main revenue streams are as below.
Sportsbook
Sportsbook involves the player placing a bet (wager) on various types of sporting events at fixed odds determined by the Group. Bets are made in advance of the sporting event that will determine the outcome of the wager. The player places their bet in the custody of the Group until the event occurs and the result of the sporting event is determined. Our revenue represents the net win or loss from the outcome of a sporting event, net of new player incentives and player retention incentives.
iGaming
iGaming consists of a full suite of casino games, such as roulette, blackjack, slot games, bingo and rummy, along with poker and lottery products. Casino games involve players placing wagers to play an online game against the Group. Our revenue represents the net win or loss from a game, net of new player incentives and player retention incentives.
Online poker is a peer-to-peer game offered through multiple platforms within the Group where individuals engage in gameplay against other individuals, and not against the Group. The Group collects a percentage of a game’s wagers up to a capped amount in ring games and a tournament entry fee for scheduled tournaments and sit and go tournaments.
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The Group is a lottery operator in Italy and has a wide-ranging portfolio of draw-based (National Numeric Totalizer Gaming products) and instant lottery games that are distributed through affiliated sales points both offline and online. The Group earns a fixed percentage of the collection made through its distribution network. Revenue from draw-based games is recognized upon the execution of the draw. The Group earns a reseller commission where products are distributed through its websites and apps and a facility fee where products are distributed through its affiliated sales points.
Other Revenue
Exchange Betting
The Group’s Betfair Exchange offers a platform for players to bet on the outcome of discrete events, typically sports or racing events. Players bet against each other and not against the Group. The Group earns a commission on the players winnings, net of discount which vary based on a player’s betting activity.
Pari-mutuel Wagering
Pari-mutuel wagers are sent into commingled pools at the host racetrack and are subject to all host racetrack rules and restrictions. Revenue represents a percentage of the wager from pari-mutuel wagers on horse and greyhound races, which depends on the racetrack, type of wager accepted and the associated state regulations.
Other
The Group also generates revenue from its DFS platform, consultancy and support services to the casinos that operate live poker tours and events, various sponsorships and interest on player deposits.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales primarily consists of gaming taxes, license fees, platform costs directly associated with revenue-generating activities (including those costs that were originally capitalized for internally developed software) payments to third parties for providing market access, royalty fees for the use of casino games, payment processing fees, direct costs of sponsorships, usage costs (including data services), revenue share payments made to third parties that refer players to the platform, payments for geolocation services of online players and amortization of certain capitalized development costs related to our platforms. Cost of sales also includes compensation, employee benefits and share-based compensation of revenue-associated personnel, including technology personnel engaged in the maintenance of the platforms. It also includes property costs and utility costs for retail stores.
Technology, Research and Development Expenses
Technology, research and development expenses include compensation, employee benefits and share-based compensation for technology developers and product management employees as well as fees paid to outside consultants and other technology related service providers. These expenses are not directly associated with revenue generating activities and are intended to improve and facilitate the player experience, ensuring the quality and safety of the player experience on our online sports betting and iGaming platform and protecting and maintaining our reputation. It also includes depreciation and amortization related to computer equipment and software used in the above activities together with equipment lease expenses, connectivity expenses, office facilities and office facility maintenance costs related to the above activities.
Sales and Marketing Expenses
Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of expenses associated with advertising, sponsorships, market research, promotional activities, amortization of trademarks and customer relations, and the compensation and employee benefits of sales and marketing personnel, including share-based compensation expenses. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and are included in sales and marketing expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss).
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses include compensation, employee benefits and share-based compensation for executive management, finance administration, legal and compliance, human resources, facility costs, professional service fees and other general overhead costs, including depreciation and amortization.
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Other (Expense) Income, Net
Other (expense) income, net includes foreign exchange gain/(loss) on financing instruments associated with financing activities, changes in the fair value of the Fox Option, investments, derivative instruments, contingent considerations, gain/(loss) on disposals and settlement of long-term debt.
Interest Expense, Net
Interest expense, net includes interest expenses, unwinding of discounts on long-term debt and bank guarantees, offset by interest income.
Income Tax Benefit (Expense)
Income tax benefit (expense) represents income tax benefit (expense) generated in jurisdictions where the Group operates. Our effective tax rates will vary depending on the relative proportion of foreign to domestic income, interest, penalties, changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in unrecognized tax benefits and changes in tax laws.
Operating Results
Operational and Financial Metrics for the Group
The following table presents our AMPs for the Group, by total Group and by product category for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
Group AMPs by Product Category 1
(1)In circumstances where a player uses multiple product categories within one brand, we are generally able to identify that it is the same player who is using multiple product categories and therefore count this player as only one AMP at the Group level while also counting this player as one AMP for each separate product category that the player is using. As a result, the sum of the AMPs presented at the product category level presented above is greater than the total AMPs presented at the Group level. AMPs presented above reflects a level of duplication that arises from individuals who use multiple brands or use product offerings in multiple divisions. See “—Key Operational Metrics” above for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
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The following table presents a summary of our financial results for the periods indicated and is derived from our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
Technology, research and development expenses (820) (765) (552)
Operating profit (loss) $ 869 $ (549) $ (88)
Other (expense) income, net (434) (157) 5
Income (loss) before income taxes $ 16 $ (1,091) $ (295)
Income tax benefit (expense) 146 (120) (75)
Net income (loss) margin 1 1.2 % (10.3) % (3.9) %
(1)Net income (loss) margin is net income (loss) divided by revenue.
(2)Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are non-GAAP financial measures. See “—Supplemental Disclosure of Non-GAAP Measures” for additional information about these measures and reconciliations to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.
Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Our total revenue grew by 19%, to $14,048 million for fiscal 2024 from $11,790 million for fiscal 2023, with AMPs up 13% to 13.9 million and AMP growth across all segments. The key drivers of Group revenue growth were (i) continued strong online revenue growth of our U.S. segment, with revenue 32% higher period on period, despite unfavorable sports results primarily relating to the NFL season during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, (ii) UKI market share growth from sustained market leadership driving increases in UKI revenue by 18%, including the benefit of favorable sports results during fiscal 2024 and (iii) a strong International performance particularly in Italy and the addition of Maxbet, which represented 1% of total Group revenue for fiscal 2024. The impact of sports results in fiscal 2024, which is calculated as the difference between our expected net revenue margin for the period and our actual net revenue margin had an approximately 3% negative impact on total revenue growth for fiscal 2024, primarily due to unfavorable sports results in the U.S. segment relating to the NFL season in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Cost of sales increased by 18%, to $7,346 million for fiscal 2024 from $6,202 million for fiscal 2023, broadly in line with the increase in revenue, to result in cost of sales as a percentage of revenue at 52% for fiscal 2024, which is slightly decreased compared with 53% for fiscal 2023.
Technology, research and development expenses increased by 7%, to $820 million for fiscal 2024 from $765 million for fiscal 2023, primarily driven by continued investment in product development to enhance the customer proposition of our brands across the Group and increased labor costs as we continue to scale our business in the U.S.
Sales and marketing expenses decreased by 15%, to $3,205 million for fiscal 2024 from $3,776 million for fiscal 2023. Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of revenue was 23% for fiscal 2024, a decrease of 900 basis points from 32% compared with fiscal 2023. This decrease was driven by (i) significant economies of scales achieved in existing states with continued disciplined player acquisition investment in the United States partly offset by new state launches and (ii) an impairment loss of $725 million related to PokerStars’ trademark recognized in fiscal 2023.
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General and administrative expenses increased by 13%, to $1,808 million for fiscal 2024 from $1,596 million for fiscal 2023. The increase was primarily as a result of (i) the continued expansion of our U.S. business; (ii) advisory fees related to activities associated with the change in the primary listing of the Group; and (iii) an increase in labor cost due to greater investment in the Group’s workforce.
Operating profit (loss) increased by $1,418 million, to a profit of $869 million for fiscal 2024 from a loss of $549 million for fiscal 2023, as a result of the factors above.
Other expense, net increased by $277 million to $434 million in fiscal 2024 from $157 million in fiscal 2023. This increase was primarily driven by (i) an increase in the fair value loss of $261 million on the Fox Option liability for fiscal 2024; and (ii) a decrease in foreign exchange gain of $29 million for fiscal 2024 partially offset by a decrease in financing related fees not eligible for capitalization of $21 million for fiscal 2024 when compared to fiscal 2023.
Interest expense, net increased by $34 million, to $419 million for fiscal 2024 from $385 million for fiscal 2023, primarily as a result of the issuance of $525 million aggregate principal amount of USD-denominated senior secured notes due 2029 (the “USD Notes”) and €500 million aggregate principal amount of EUR-denominated senior secured notes due 2029 (the “EUR Notes” and, together with the USD Notes, the “Notes”) in April 2024, which was partially offset by $26 million increase in interest income for fiscal 2024.
Income tax benefit (expense) increased by $266 million to $146 million of income tax benefit for fiscal 2024 from $120 million income tax expense for fiscal 2023. The movement is primarily due to the change in valuation allowance, related to the release in U.S. federal and state deferred tax assets, as well as the change in amount and jurisdictional mix of profits in which the Group has a taxable presence and tax impact of discrete adjustments.
Net income (loss) increased by $1,373 million, or 113%, to a net income of $162 million for fiscal 2024 from a net loss of $1,211 million for fiscal 2023, and net income (loss) margin increased to 1.2% net income margin from 10.3% net loss margin for fiscal 2023, as a result of the factors above.
Adjusted EBITDA increased by 26%, to $2,357 million for fiscal 2024 from $1,875 million for fiscal 2023. Adjusted EBITDA Margin increased by 90 basis points to 16.8% from 15.9% reflecting the revenue performance and operating cost savings in sales and marketing expenses as outlined above.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Our total revenue grew by 25%, to $11,790 million for fiscal 2023. The growth was mainly driven by continued expansion of our player base, with AMPs up 20% to 12.3 million and AMP growth across all segments. Our U.S. segment was a key driver of this growth, with revenue 42% higher year on year despite the impact of adverse sports results. Sports results are calculated as the difference between our expected net revenue margin for the period and our actual net revenue margin, which were particularly pronounced in the quarter ended December 31, 2023 and had an approximately 7.8 percentage point growth impact. Revenue growth outside of the U.S. of 16% year on year was partly driven by strong growth in UKI and in our “Consolidate and Invest” markets within International. We also benefited from the full year consolidation of the Sisal business acquired during fiscal 2022, which generated $1,218 million of revenue in fiscal 2023 and added 7.1 percentage points to Group revenue growth. On a pro forma basis, including Sisal as if it were consolidated for the entirely of both fiscal 2022 and 2023, Group revenue grew 17% compared with the prior year. This was partly offset by a decrease in revenue in our Australia segment, particularly in racing due to a reduced level of player engagement following easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Cost of sales increased by 29% to $6,202 million or by 200 basis points as a percentage of revenue to 53% for fiscal 2023. The increase was primarily driven by the annualization of point of consumption tax rate changes in Australia which were increased during the second half of fiscal 2022.
Technology, research and development expenses increased by 39%, to $765 million for fiscal 2023, primarily driven by the full year consolidation of Sisal and continued investment in product development to enhance the customer proposition of our brands across the Group, and particularly for FanDuel in our U.S. segment.
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Sales and marketing expenses increased by 25% to $3,776 million for fiscal 2023 primarily due to an impairment loss of $725 million related to PokerStars’ trademark. This reflects the changes we are implementing to optimize the PokerStars business model such as focused investment in our “Consolidate and Invest” markets while reducing sales and marketing expense in our “Optimize and Maintain” markets. The sales and marketing expense increase also included disciplined investment in the continued expansion of our footprint across the U.S. and in our UKI segment to drive market share gains. Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of revenue of 32% remained consistent by 20 basis points compared with fiscal 2022 as the impact of the impairment loss offset the efficiencies delivered across our business as a result of (i) a greater proportion of our revenue coming from existing states in the U.S. where the proportionate levels of marketing spend are lower, as well as the benefit from the efficiencies of national advertising; (ii) a more personalized approach to spend within UKI; and (iii) more targeted investment in our International segment.
General and administrative expenses increased by 36% to $1,596 million for fiscal 2023. The increase was primarily as a result of (i) the continued expansion of our U.S. business; (ii) the full year consolidation of the Sisal business acquired during fiscal 2022; and (iii) an increase in corporate overhead due to greater investment in Group resource, technology, and research and development initiatives. The increase also reflects fees associated with the U.S. listing of Flutter shares of $86 million and the Fox Option arbitration proceedings of $30 million.
Operating profit declined by $461 million to $549 million for fiscal 2023, primarily due to the impairment loss of $725 million relating to the PokerStars trademark which more than offset the strong revenue growth across the Group during the year.
Other expense, net increased by $162 million from an income in fiscal 2022 of $5 million to an expense in fiscal 2023 of $157 million. This increase was primarily driven by (i) the impact of a fair value loss on the Fox Option Liability in fiscal 2023 of $165 million, when compared with a gain of $83 million in fiscal 2022, and (ii) an increase of $145 million related to the fair value gain on derivative instruments to $7 million in fiscal 2023, from $152 million in fiscal 2022. The increase in expense was partly offset by a reduction in expense related to the recognition of a foreign exchange gain of $43 million in fiscal 2023 as compared with a loss of $162 million in fiscal 2022.
Interest expense, net increased by $173 million to $385 million for fiscal 2023 primarily as a result of an increase in long-term debt associated with the acquisition of Sisal, along with a higher cost of servicing existing debt during the year.
Income tax expense increased by $45 million to $120 million for fiscal 2023. The movement is primarily due to the change in the mix of profits in the jurisdictions in which the Group has a taxable presence as well as the tax effect of acquisition related intangible assets and internal intangible asset transfers.
Net loss increased by $841 million for fiscal 2023 primarily due to the impairment loss of $725 million which more than offset the strong revenue growth across the Group during the year, while net loss margin increased by 600 basis points to 10.3% as a result of the factors above.
Adjusted EBITDA increased by 46% to $1,875 million for fiscal 2023 reflecting the revenue performance and cost trends outlined above. Adjusted EBITDA Margin increased by 230 basis points from 13.6% to 15.9% primarily due to (i) a reduction in sales and marketing expense as a percentage of revenue of 480 basis points for the Group driven by a greater proportion of our revenue coming from existing states in the U.S. division, where the proportionate levels of marketing spend are lower than in new states; and (ii) economies of scale driven by expansion into new states in the U.S. These were partially offset by the impact of the annualization of point of consumption tax rate increases in Australia which came into effect during the second half of fiscal 2022.
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Operational and Financial Metrics by Segment
U.S.
The following table presents a summary of our operational metrics for the U.S. segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
U.S. AMPs by Product Category(1)
Sportsbook net revenue margin 7.9 % 7.5 % 7.3 %
(1)Total U.S. AMPs is not a sum total of the AMPs for each product category because in circumstances where a player uses multiple product categories within one brand, we are generally able to identify that it is the same player who is using multiple product categories and therefore count this player as only one AMP at the U.S. division level while also counting this player as one AMP for each separate product category that the player is using. As a result, the sum of the AMPs presented at the product category level presented above is greater than the total AMPs presented at the U.S. division level. AMPs presented above reflects a level of duplication that arises from individuals who use multiple brands or use product offerings in multiple divisions. See “—Key Operational Metrics” above for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
The following table presents our revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the U.S. segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
U.S.
Adjusted EBITDA Margin 8.7 % 5.3 % (5.6) %
Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Total revenue for our U.S. segment grew by 32% to $5,798 million for fiscal 2024 from $4,404 million for fiscal 2023, reflecting AMP growth of 20%. Sportsbook revenue increased by 31%, with amounts staked increased by 24% to $50,876 million and AMPs 23% higher at 3.1 million from strong growth in both new and existing states. Sportsbook net revenue margin increased to 7.9% for fiscal 2024 compared to 7.5% for fiscal 2023. This reflected continued expansion of our expected sportsbook net revenue margin, driven by our market leading pricing capabilities and innovative product offerings, partly offset by unfavorable sports results relating to the NFL season during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. There was a 70 basis points adverse impact from unfavorable sports results compared with the prior period (sports results for fiscal 2024: 120 basis points unfavorable; for fiscal 2023: 50 basis points unfavorable).
iGaming revenue for fiscal 2024 increased by 46% to $1,524 million from $1,045 million for fiscal 2023, driven by an increase in AMPs of 36% period on period to 0.8 million for fiscal 2024. This reflected our focus on improving customer experiences and product innovation including the launch of exclusive new slot games and exclusive content. In addition, market leading generosity continued to drive customer strong direct casino and cross-sell customer engagement.
Other revenue for fiscal 2024 decreased by 9% period on period driven by a decline in DFS where a portion of our DFS player base has migrated some or all of their play to our sportsbook product.
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Adjusted EBITDA for the U.S. was $507 million for fiscal 2024, a $275 million increase compared to fiscal 2023. Adjusted EBITDA Margin improved to 8.7% for fiscal 2024 from 5.3% in fiscal 2023. These improvements were driven by (i) an increase in revenue as a result of the factors above; and (ii) significant economies of scales achieved in sales and marketing expenses through continued disciplined player acquisition investment in existing states, partly offset by (i) the impact of adverse sports results on revenue; (ii) increased taxes in Illinois which came into effect from July 1, 2024; (iii) new state launches; and (iv) an increase in technology, research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses reflecting the investment to scale our product and technology capabilities.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Total revenue for our U.S. segment grew by 42% to $4,404 million for fiscal 2023 reflecting AMP growth of 40%. Sportsbook revenue increased by 46%, with amounts staked up 42% to $41,016 million. Revenue and stakes increased due to (i) the expansion of our online footprint to three new states in fiscal 2023 (Ohio, Massachusetts and Kentucky), including successful conversion of a high proportion of our DFS player base in these states to sportsbook products; (ii) a full year’s contribution from the five states opened in fiscal 2022; and (iii) continued strong online growth in pre-2022 state launches with revenue growth of approximately 25%. Sportsbook AMPs were 55% higher at 2.6 million in fiscal 2023. Sportsbook net revenue margin increased to 7.5% in fiscal 2023 compared to 7.3% in fiscal 2022, primarily due to improvements in our pricing and risk management capabilities and product proposition, partially offset by an increase in new player incentives and customer friendly sports results. The impact of sports results, calculated as the difference between our expected net revenue margin and actual net revenue margin during fiscal 2023, was 50 basis points of adverse impact in fiscal 2023 compared with 10 basis points of favorable impact in fiscal 2022.
iGaming revenue for fiscal 2023 increased by 52% driven by both player growth and higher levels of engagement. Our focus on a broadened product portfolio and investing in the FanDuel Casino brand to acquire direct casino players led to a 49% increase in AMPs to 571 thousand for fiscal 2023.
Other revenue for fiscal 2023 decreased by 9% driven by a decline in DFS where a portion of our DFS player base have migrated some or all of their play to our sportsbook product.
Adjusted EBITDA for the U.S. was $232 million for fiscal 2023, a $407 million increase compared to fiscal 2022. Adjusted EBITDA Margin improved to 5.3% for fiscal 2023 from (5.6)% in fiscal 2022. This improvement was driven by operating leverage in (i) sales and marketing expenses which reduced as a percentage of revenue by 10.7% percentage points to 26.1% in fiscal 2023 and (ii) general and administrative expenses. The improvement was partially offset by higher technology, research and developments costs to ensure we continue to deliver new products for our customers.
UKI
The following table presents a summary of our operational metrics for the UKI segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
UKI AMPs by Product Category(1)
Sportsbook net revenue margin 13.8 % 11.8 % 10.7 %
(1)Total UKI AMPs is not a sum total of the AMPs for each product category because in circumstances where a player uses multiple product categories within one brand, we are generally able to identify that it is the same player who is using multiple product categories and therefore count this player as only one AMP at the UKI division level while also counting this player as one AMP for each separate product category that the player is using. As a result, the sum of the AMPs presented at the product category level presented above is greater than the total AMPs presented at the UKI division level. AMPs presented above reflects a level of duplication that arises from individuals who use multiple brands or use product offerings in multiple divisions. See “—Key Operational Metrics” above for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
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The following table presents our revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the UKI segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
UKI
Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Total revenue for our UKI segment increased by 18% to $3,598 million for fiscal 2024 from $3,047 million for fiscal 2023, with AMPs growth of 7% to 4.2 million, largely benefitting from the UEFA European Football Championship ("Euros") and strong iGaming AMP growth.
Sportsbook revenue increased by 16% to $1,691 million for fiscal 2024 from $1,463 million for fiscal 2023, mainly due to the Euros and an increase in net revenue margin of 200 basis points period on period to 13.8%. This was driven by the continued expansion of our expected net revenue margin due to greater adoption of higher margin same game parlay bet types. We also benefited from 150 basis points of favorable sports results period on period (sports results for fiscal 2024: 140 basis points favorable; for fiscal 2023: 10 basis points unfavorable). Sports results were particularly favorable during the Euros and the English Premier League for fiscal 2024.
iGaming revenue increased by 24%, to $1,741 million for fiscal 2024 from $1,404 million for fiscal 2023, driven by AMP growth of 13% through compelling promotions, free-to-play content and consistent delivery of product improvements which drove strong cross-sell rates.
Other revenue decreased by 8%, to $166 million for fiscal 2024 from $180 million for fiscal 2023, driven by the Betfair Exchange.
Adjusted EBITDA was $1,117 million in fiscal 2024, a 23% increase from $911 million for fiscal 2023. Adjusted EBITDA Margin increased by 110 basis points to 31.0%. The improvements were driven by (i) increase in revenue as a result of the factors above; and (ii) a reduction in cost of sales and research and development expenses as a percentage of revenue.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Total revenue for our UKI segment increased by 14% to $3,047 million for fiscal 2023 with AMP growth of 5% to 3.9 million. A strong performance by Flutter brands across both retail and online channels led to market share gains and strong revenue growth of 11% and 15%, respectively.
Adjusted EBITDA for UKI was $911 million in fiscal 2023, a 17% increase compared to fiscal 2022 reflecting the online and retail performances. Adjusted EBITDA Margin improved by 80 basis points to 29.9%. The improvement in margin was driven by efficiencies delivered within sales and marketing expenses, which reduced as a percentage of revenue by 90 basis points to 19.4%.
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International
The following table presents a summary of our operational metrics for the International segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
International AMPs by Product Category(1)
Sportsbook net revenue margin 12.1 % 12.4 % 10.5 %
(1)Total International AMPs is not a sum total of the AMPs for each product category because in circumstances where a player uses multiple product categories within one brand, we are generally able to identify that it is the same player who is using multiple product categories and therefore count this player as only one AMP at the International division level while also counting this player as one AMP for each separate product category that the player is using. As a result, the sum of the AMPs presented at the product category level presented above is greater than the total AMPs presented at the International division level. AMPs presented above reflects a level of duplication that arises from individuals who use multiple brands or use product offerings in multiple divisions. See “—Key Operational Metrics” above for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
The following table presents our revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the International segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
International
Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Total revenue for our International segment increased by 13% to $3,257 million for fiscal 2024 from $2,892 for fiscal 2023, reflecting a 15% increase in AMPs. Revenue in our “Consolidate and Invest” markets grew 18% reflecting (i) good revenue growth in Italy (+9%) despite unfavorable sports results in the first quarter of 2024, (ii) the acquisition of MaxBet in January 2024 which contributed $207 million in revenue for fiscal 2024, and (iii) strong revenue growth in our other “Consolidate and Invest” markets including Turkey (+11%), Georgia (+19%) and Spain (+10%).
Sportsbook revenue increased by 21% to $730 million for fiscal 2024 from $603 million for fiscal 2023. This was mainly due to stakes increasing by 24% to $6,044 million including the benefit of the Euros, which was partly offset by the decrease in sportsbook net revenue margin of 30 basis points to 12.1%. The unfavorable sports results of fiscal 2024, primarily in Italy, led to a 20 basis point positive impact from sports results period on period (for fiscal 2024: 10 basis points unfavorable impact; for fiscal 2023: 30 basis points unfavorable impact).
iGaming revenue increased by 10% to $2,389 million for fiscal 2024 from $2,172 million for fiscal 2023, driven by the addition of MaxBet, strong revenue growth in Sisal and a 16% increase in AMPs.
Other revenue for fiscal 2024 increased by 18% driven by the new concession in Morocco.
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Adjusted EBITDA for International was $653 million for fiscal 2024, a 16% increase from $562 million for fiscal 2023. Adjusted EBITDA Margin increased by 60 basis points to 20% for fiscal 2024. These increases were primarily driven by (i) the increase in revenue as a result of the factors above; (ii) cost savings from the closure of FOX Bet in August 2023 and the optimization of the PokerStars business model; and (iii) a one-off credit of $18 million from a historic legal case.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Total revenue for our International segment increased by 35% to $2,892 million for fiscal 2023. This was driven by an increase in AMPs of 30% primarily reflecting the full year consolidation of Sisal in fiscal 2023, which has delivered strong growth since joining the Group. During fiscal 2023, Sisal contributed $1,218 million of revenue compared with $465 million in fiscal 2022 and added 35 percentage points to the International segment’s revenue growth.
Sportsbook revenue increased by 80% with stakes up 52% and sportsbook net revenue margin growth of 190 basis points. The impact of sports results, calculated as the difference between our expected net revenue margin and actual net revenue margin during fiscal 2023, was broadly in line with the prior year with 30 basis points of adverse impact in fiscal 2023 compared with 70 basis points of adverse impact in fiscal 2022. iGaming revenue increased by 28%. This primarily reflects the addition of Sisal and growth in our “Consolidate and Invest” markets above.
Other revenue for fiscal 2023 increased by 9% driven by the increase in Betfair Exchange revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA for International was $562 million for fiscal 2023, a 71% increase compared to fiscal 2022. Adjusted EBITDA Margin increased by 410 basis points to 19.4% for fiscal 2023. The increase in margin was primarily driven by a reduction in sales and marketing expense as a percentage of revenue of 680 basis points to 16%. This was due to continued execution on our strategy of focused investment in our “Consolidate and Invest” markets such as Turkey and India, while optimizing our spend in our “Optimize and Maintain” markets. This more than offset an increase in cost of sales as a percentage of revenue due to the consolidation of Sisal, which has a higher cost of sales and investment an increase in general and administration expenses during the year.
Australia
The following table presents a summary of our operational metrics for the Australia segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
Sportsbook net revenue margin 12.9 % 12.0 % 11.2 %
(1)See “—Key Operational Metrics” above for additional information regarding how we calculate AMPs data, including a discussion regarding duplication of players that exists in such data.
The following table presents our revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the Australia segment for fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Fiscal
Australia
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Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Australia revenue decreased by 4% to $1,395 million for fiscal 2024 from $1,447 million for fiscal 2023, with AMPs increasing by 5%, to 1.2 million in the period, due to strong engagement on sports during fiscal 2024. The decrease in sportsbook revenue was driven by a 10% decrease in amounts staked to $10,813 million for fiscal 2024, due to a continued softer racing market environment, in line with expectations, compared to fiscal 2023. This was partly offset by sportsbook net revenue margin increasing by 90 basis points to 12.9% for fiscal 2024, such increase primarily driven by a continued expansion in our structural revenue margin. Sports results for fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023 had a 60 basis points favorable impact, respectively.
Adjusted EBITDA for Australia was $295 million for fiscal 2024, a 17% decrease from $357 million in fiscal 2023. Adjusted EBITDA Margin decreased 360 basis points to 21.1%. The period-on-period movement reflected the decrease in revenue as a result of the factors above and the impact of increased taxes in Victoria.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Australia revenue was 7% lower in fiscal 2023 at $1,447 million. This was despite a 2% increase in AMPs to 1.11 million, as we continue to retain customers at a high rate. The decrease in sportsbook revenue was driven by a 13% decline in amounts staked to $12,051 million in fiscal 2023, which was driven by a softer racing market in fiscal 2023, when compared to fiscal 2022, which benefited from higher levels of customer engagement during COVID- related restrictions in the early part of that year. This was partly offset by an 80 basis points increase in sportsbook net revenue margin to 12.0%. The increase in net revenue margin was driven by improvements in our pricing and risk management capabilities. The impact of sports results, calculated as the difference between our expected net revenue margin and actual net revenue margin during fiscal 2023, was 60 and 50 basis points of favorable impact in fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022, respectively.
Adjusted EBITDA for Australia was $357 million for fiscal 2023, a 26% decrease on fiscal 2022. Adjusted EBITDA Margin decreased 660 basis points to 24.7%. The decrease in margin was primarily driven by (i) lower revenue; (ii) point of consumption tax rate increases introduced during the second half of fiscal 2022; (iii) higher technology, research and development costs to enable more customer facing content; and (iv) inflationary cost pressures resulting in higher general and administrative expenses. We believe that the challenging market, along with increased regulatory and compliance costs, will reduce Australian profitability further in fiscal 2024.
Supplemental Disclosure of Non-GAAP Measures
Adjusted EBITDA is defined on a Group basis as income (loss) before income taxes; other (expense) income, net; interest expense, net; depreciation and amortization; transaction fees and associated costs; restructuring and integration costs; legal settlements; gaming taxes expenses; impairment of property and equipment and intangible assets and share-based compensation charge. Adjusted EBITDA Margin is Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are non-GAAP measures and should not be viewed as measures of overall operating performance, indicators of our performance, considered in isolation, or construed as alternatives to operating profit (loss) or net income (loss) measures, or as alternatives to cash flows from operating activities, as measures of liquidity, or as alternatives to any other measure determined in accordance with GAAP.
These non-GAAP measures are presented solely as supplemental disclosures to reported GAAP measures because we believe that this non-GAAP supplemental information will be helpful in understanding our ongoing operating results and these measures are widely used by analysts, lenders, financial institutions, and investors as measures of performance. Management has historically used Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin when evaluating operating performance because we believe that they provide additional perspective on the financial performance of our core business.
Beginning January 1, 2024, the Group revised its definition of Adjusted EBITDA, which is the segment measurement management uses to evaluate performance and allocate resources. Adjusted EBITDA now excludes share-based compensation as management believes the inclusion of share-based compensation can obscure underlying business trends because share-based compensation could vary widely among companies due to differing plans that result in companies using share-based compensation awards differently, both in type and quantity of awards granted.
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In presenting Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, in addition to share-based compensation as described above, the Group excludes other certain items:
•Transaction fees and associated costs and restructuring and integration costs, which include charges for discrete projects or transactions that significantly change our operations, are excluded because they are not part of the ongoing operations of our business, which includes normal levels of reinvestment in the business.
•Legal settlements and gaming tax disputes, which include charges for specific investigations and litigation, are excluded due to the difficulty in predicting their timing and scope and because they are considered by management to be outside the normal course of business.
•Other (expense) income, net is excluded because it is not indicative of our core operating performance.
•Impairment of property and equipment and intangible assets, which may arise from time to time that would impact comparability. We do not consider impairment when evaluating the Company’s performance, when making decisions regarding the allocation of resources, in determining incentive compensation, or in determining earnings estimates.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are not measures of performance or liquidity calculated in accordance with GAAP. They are unaudited and should not be considered as alternatives to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss) as indicators of our operating performance. In addition, other companies in the betting and gaming industry that report Adjusted EBITDA may calculate Adjusted EBITDA in a different manner and such differences may be material. The definition of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin may vary from the definitions of Adjusted EBITDA used in our debt agreements.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin have further limitations as an analytical tool. Some of these limitations are:
•they do not reflect the Group’s cash expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditure or contractual commitments;
•they do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, the Group’s working capital needs;
•they do not reflect interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on the Group’s debt;
•they do not reflect shared-based compensation expense, which is primarily a non-cash charge that is part of our employee compensation;
•although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements;
•they are not adjusted for all non-cash income or expense items that are reflected in the Group’s statements of cash flows; and
•the further adjustments made in calculating Adjusted EBITDA are those that management consider not to be representative of the underlying operations of the Group and therefore are subjective in nature.
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The following table reconciles net income (loss), the most comparable GAAP financial measure, to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the fiscal years presented:
December 31,
Add back:
Other (expense) income, net 434 157 (5)
Transaction fees and associated costs 1 54 92 43
Legal settlements 3 — — (44)
Impairment — 725 —
(1)Comprises advisory fees related to implementation of internal controls, information system changes and other strategic advisory related to the change in the primary listing of the Group, and transaction costs for Snaitech and NSX for the year ended December 31, 2024. In addition, in prior years, transaction fees and associated costs comprised (i) transaction fees related to the listing of Flutter’s ordinary shares in the U.S. of $86 million for the year ended December 31, 2023; and (ii) Fox Option arbitration proceedings of $30 million and acquisition-related costs in connection with tombola and Sisal of $11 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
(2)During the year ended December 31, 2024, costs of $135 million (year ended December 31, 2023: $132 million and year ended December 31, 2022: $121 million) primarily related to various restructuring and other strategic initiatives to drive synergies. These actions include efforts to consolidate and integrate our technology infrastructure, back-office functions and relocate certain operations to lower cost locations. They also included business process re-engineering cost, planning and design of target operating models for the Group's enabling functions and discovery and planning related to the Group's anticipated migration to a new enterprise resource planning system. The costs also included severance expenses, advisory fees and temporary staffing cost. The programs are expected to run until 2027. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, costs primarily related to restructuring and other strategic initiatives to drive increased synergies arising primarily from the acquisitions of TSG and Sisal.Costs also included implementation costs of an enterprise resource planning system that could not be capitalized.
(3)Relates to release of legacy TSG legal provisions of $44 million for fiscal 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
Our principal sources of liquidity are our cash and cash equivalents, cash generated from operations, and borrowings from various financial institutions and debt investors. We expect to continue to have cash requirements to (i) support working capital needs and capital expenditures, (ii) to pay interest and service our long-term debt, (iii) to service our obligations under our operating leases, and (iv) to repurchase our ordinary shares subject to economic and market conditions and our capital requirements, and otherwise as described below under “—Other Purchase Obligations.” We believe we have the ability and sufficient capacity to meet these cash requirements in the short term and long term by using available cash, internally generated funds and borrowings under the Group’s $1.32 billion (£1.05 billion) committed revolving credit facility. As of December 31, 2024, we had $1,531 million of cash and cash equivalents, of which $188 million was held in pound sterling (“GBP”), $227 million was held in euro (“EUR”), $815 million was held in U.S. dollar (“USD”), and $301 million was held in other currencies, and outstanding long-term debt of $6,736 million.
We experience a largely predictable degree of seasonal cash flows as our sports betting operations are subject to a seasonal variation dictated by the sporting calendar and are affected by the scheduling and live broadcasting of major sporting events. In some instances, the scheduling of major sporting events occurs seasonally (e.g., the NBA, the NFL, MLB, the NCAA, the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and horse racing) or at regular but infrequent intervals (e.g., the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Football Championship). See Part I, “Item 1. Business—Seasonality.”
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Long-term Debt
Syndicated Facility Agreement (the “Term Loan B Agreement”)
On March 14, 2024, we refinanced the USD First Lien Term Loan B due 2028 by entering into the First Incremental Assumption Agreement (the “ First Incremental Assumption Agreement”) to the TLA/TLB/RCF Agreement dated as of November 24, 2023 as discussed below. As the terms of First Incremental Term B Loans were not substantially different from those of the original USD First Lien Term Loan B due 2028, the refinance was treated as continuation of the original debt instrument for accounting purposes.
On April 29, 2024,we used the proceeds of the Notes as described below to repay the EUR First Lien Term Loan B due 2026 under the Term Loan B Agreement.
Term Loan A, Term Loan B and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”)
In November 2023, we entered into the TLA/TLB/RCF Agreement (as amended by the First Incremental Assumption Agreement, dated as of March 14, 2024, the First Repricing Agreement dated as of December 19, 2024 and the Second Incremental Assumption Agreement dated of December 19, 2024, the “Credit Agreement”) with J.P. Morgan SE as the administrative agent and Wilmington Trust (London) Limited, acting as the collateral agent, and the lenders named therein in connection with the Term Loan A Facilities, Term Loan B Facilities and a multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not in excess of $1.32 billion (£1.05 billion).
As of December 31, 2024, we have an outstanding balance of: (i) $1.3 billion (£1.0 billion) under our GBP First Lien Term Loan A 2028, which matures in November 2028; (ii) $395 million (€380 million) under our EUR First Lien Term Loan A 2028, which matures in November 2028; (iii) $166 million under our USD First Lien Term Loan A 2028, which matures in November 2028 and (iv) $3.9 billion under our USD First Lien Term Loan B 2030 which matures in November 2030.
In March 2024, we entered into the First Incremental Assumption Agreement to the TLA/TLB/RCF Agreement under which we obtained a fungible incremental term loan which increased the aggregate principal amount of USD First Lien Term Loan B 2030 by $514 million. The incremental term loan was used to refinance the USD First Lien Term Loan B 2028 incurred by us pursuant to the Term Loan B Agreement.
An amount equal to 0.25% of the aggregate principal amount of USD First Lien Term Loan B 2030 is repayable in quarterly installments on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year with the balance due on maturity. The aggregate principal amount of the GBP First Lien Term Loan A 2028, EUR First Lien Term Loan A 2028 and USD First Lien Term Loan A 2028 and the principal is repayable at maturity.
The GBP First Lien Term Loan A 2028 has an interest rate of SONIA plus a margin of 1.75% with a SONIA floor of 0%. The EUR First Lien Term Loan A 2028 has an interest rate of EURIBOR plus a margin of 1.75% with a EURIBOR floor of 0%. The USD First Lien Term Loan A 2028 has an interest rate of daily compound SOFR plus 0.10% plus a margin of 1.75% with a SOFR floor of 0%. Prior to the repricing of the USD First Lien Term Loan B 2030 on December 19, 2024, the USD First Lien Term Loan B 2030 had an interest rate of Adjusted Term SOFR (provided that in no event shall such Adjusted Term SOFR rate with respect to the First Incremental Term B Loans be less than 0.50%) plus an applicable margin equal to 2.25% (or 2.00% upon the Net First Lien Leverage Ratio decreasing to 2.55:1 or below). Following the repricing, the USD First Lien Term Loan B 2030 has an interest rate of Adjusted Term SOFR plus an applicable margin equal to 1.75% (with no increase or decrease as a result of changes to the net first lien leverage ratio). Interest on each of the facilities is payable on the last day of each interest period. Facilities drawn down may be prepaid at any time in whole or in part without premium or penalty on three business days’ (or such shorter period as the administrative agent may agree) prior notice (but, if in part, by a minimum of $1 million or its currency equivalent).
In December 2024, we entered into the Second Incremental Assumption Agreement to the TLA/TLB/RCF Agreement under which the Group obtained a fungible incremental revolving loan which increased the aggregate principal amount of the GBP Revolving Credit Facility 2028 by £50 million.
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The Revolving Credit Facility 2028 may be utilized by the drawing of cash advances, the issuance of letters of credit and/or the establishment of ancillary facilities with lenders on a bilateral basis. Each cash advance under the Revolving Credit Facility 2028 is to be repaid in full on the maturity date being July 2028 (subject to an automatic maturity extension to November 2028 following the repayment of the TLB Stub in full). Amounts repaid may be re-borrowed. A commitment fee of 35% of the margin then applicable on the available undrawn commitment is payable quarterly in arrears during the availability period, or on the last day of the availability period, which is one month prior to the maturity date. A utilization fee is also payable in the range of 0.00% to 0.30% per annum based on the proportion of revolving credit facility loans to the total Revolving Credit Facility 2028 commitments. The utilization fee accrues from day to day and is payable in arrears on the last day of each successive period of three months that ends during the availability period. At December 31, 2024, we had no outstanding principal amount under the Revolving Credit Facility. We had an undrawn capacity of $1.32 billion (£1.05 billion) on the Revolving Credit Facility with $13 million (£10 million) of capacity reserved for the issuance of guarantees as of December 31, 2024.
The Term Loan A facilities, Term Loan B facilities and the GBP Revolving Credit Facility 2028 are secured (i) initially by the same guarantees and collateral pledged by any obligor under the Term Loan B Agreement and (ii) shortly following the repayment of the TLB Stub in full, by a first priority security interest (subject to permitted liens) (x) over the shares held by an obligor in another obligor and (y) in respect of obligors organized or incorporated in the United States, substantially all of our assets (subject to certain exceptions) in accordance with the Agreed Guarantee and Security Principles (as defined in the TLA/TLB/RCF Agreement).
The Credit Agreement contains a number of affirmative covenants as well as negative covenants which limit our ability to, among other things: (i) incur additional debt; (ii) grant additional liens on assets and equity; (iii) distribute equity interests and/or distribute any assets to third parties; (iv) make certain loans or investments (including acquisitions); (v) consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all assets; (vi) pay dividends on or make distributions in respect of capital stock or make restricted payments; and (vii) modify the terms of certain debt or organizational documents, in each case subject to certain permitted exceptions. The Credit Agreement requires us to ensure that the ratio of consolidated net borrowings to consolidated EBITDA as defined therein (the net total leverage ratio) is not greater than 5.20:1 on a bi-annual basis. As of December 31, 2024, we were in compliance with the covenant.
Senior Secured Notes
On April 29, 2024, the Group issued $525 million aggregate principal amount of USD-denominated senior secured notes due 2029 (the “USD Notes”) and $500 million aggregate principal amount of EUR-denominated senior secured notes due 2029 (the “EUR Notes” and, together with the USD Notes, the “Notes”), each issued at 100% of their nominal par value, by its subsidiary Flutter Treasury DAC (the “Issuer”). The Group used the proceeds of the Notes to repay borrowings under the EUR First Lien Term Loan B due 2026 under the existing syndicated facility agreement dated July 10, 2018, and to repay borrowings under the GBP Revolving Credit Facility due 2028, and pay certain costs, fees and expenses in connection with the offering of the Notes. In connection with the Notes, we incurred issuance costs of $13 million which have been deducted from such Notes initial net carrying amount and amortized as additional interest expense over the life of the Notes.
The USD Notes bear interest at a rate of 6.375% per annum and the EUR Notes bear interest at a rate of 5.000% per annum, both payable semi-annually in arrears. The Notes are senior secured obligations and rank pari passu in right of payment with all existing and future senior debt of the Issuer that is not subordinated to the Notes. The Notes are secured on a first-ranking basis by security interests granted over the collateral that also secure, as applicable, the obligations of the Group under the Credit Agreement.
Prior to April 15, 2026, the Issuer is entitled, at its option, to redeem all or a portion of the Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding the date of the redemption, plus the applicable “make-whole” premium. In addition, prior to April 15, 2026, the Issuer is entitled to redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of each series of Notes using the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings at a price equal to 106.375% of the principal amount of the USD Notes and 105% of the principal amount of the EUR Notes being redeemed, plus, in each case accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding, the date of the redemption, subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture that governs the Notes. Furthermore, at any time prior to April 15, 2026, the Issuer is entitled, during each twelve month period, commencing April 29, 2024, to redeem up to 10% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding of each series of Notes at a redemption price equal to 103% of the principal amount redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption. On or after April 15, 2026, the Issuer may redeem some or all of the Notes at redemption prices as set forth in the Indenture that governs the Notes.
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Following repayment of the EUR First Lien Term Loan B due 2026 and the USD First Lien Term Loan B due 2028, the facilities under the Credit Agreement and the Notes are secured by a first priority security interest (subject to permitted liens) (x) in respect of obligors organized or incorporated outside of the United States, over the shares held by an obligor in another obligor and (y) in respect of obligors organized or incorporated in the United States, substantially all of our assets (subject to certain exceptions), in each case, in accordance with the Agreed Guarantee and Security Principles (as defined in the Credit Agreement). As of December 31, 2024, the Group was in compliance with all applicable debt covenants.
Amended and Restated Commitment Letter
On October 23, 2024, we entered into an amended and restated commitment letter with certain banks to obtain binding commitments in respect of a senior secured first lien term loan comprising an aggregate Euro principal of €2.5 billion (the “Facility”) to fund, among others, the strategic acquisition of Snaitech S.p.A which was announced by the Group in September 2024. If implemented, the Facility will (i) mature 12 months from first utilization of the Facility, subject to an extension option of six months which can be exercised twice and (ii) bear interest at a per annum rate equal to EURIBOR (with a 0.00% EURIBOR floor) plus an applicable margin equal to 1.25% per annum, subject to an increase of 0.20% per annum on the last day of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the second complete quarter following first utilization of the Facility. The increase shall be 0.40% per annum instead of 0.20% per annum from the date being twelve calendar months after first utilization of the Facility. The other terms of the Facility will be on substantially similar terms to that of the Credit Agreement dated as of November 24, 2023.
Long-term Debt
As of December 31, 2024, we had an aggregate principal amount of long-term debt of $6.8 billion, with $39 million due within 12 months. In addition, we are obligated to make periodic interest payments, depending on the terms of the applicable debt agreements. Based on applicable interest rates and scheduled debt maturities as of December 31, 2024, our total interest obligation on long-term debt totaled $395 million payable within 12 months, net of hedging. Actual future interest payments may differ from these amounts based on changes in floating interest rates or other factors or events. Excluded from these amounts are other costs related to indebtedness.
Leases
We have lease arrangements primarily for offices, retail stores and data centers. As of December 31, 2024, the Group had operating lease obligations of $547 million with $151 million payable within 12 months.
Share Repurchases
On September 25, 2024, our Board authorized a share repurchase program (the “2024 Share Repurchase Program”) of up to $5 billion of our ordinary shares. While the authorization does not have a stated expiration date, we expect the 2024 Share Repurchase Program to be deployed over the next three to four years. The timing and the actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors, including legal requirements, price, economic and market conditions and our capital requirements. We may from time to time in the future repurchase shares on the open market on a case by case basis or on a non-discretionary basis pursuant to a plan or in any other manner designed to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, through block trades, in privately negotiated transactions, by effecting a tender offer, through the purchase of call options or the sale of put options, or otherwise, or by any combination of the foregoing. During fiscal 2024, the Company repurchased 444,746 ordinary shares under the 2024 Share Repurchase Program for a total of $121 million.
Other Purchase Obligations
As of December 31, 2024, material cash requirements from known contractual and other obligations relating to sponsorship agreements, marketing agreements and media agreements aggregated $4,628 million, with $1,600 million payable within 12 months. Capital expenditure commitments contracted for but not yet incurred as of December 31, 2024, was $41 million.
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Cash Flow Information
The following table summarizes our consolidated cash flow information for the periods presented:
Year ended December 31,
Net cash provided by (used in):
Fiscal 2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal 2024 increased by $665 million, or 71%, to $1,602 million compared to $937 million for fiscal 2023.
The improvement in our cash flows from operating activities was primarily driven by (i) an improvement in our operating profit and (ii) a cash inflow of $245 million from player deposits for fiscal 2024 versus a cash outflow of $383 million for fiscal 2023 largely due to the payment of lottery winnings by Sisal in fiscal 2023, which was at a high point as a result of the rollover of the lottery jackpot of December 31, 2022. The improvement was partially offset by (iii) a payment of $213 million on settlement of derivatives in fiscal 2024 compared with a receipt of $215 million on maturity of derivatives in fiscal 2023 and (iv) an increase in cash outflow on prepaid expenses and other current assets.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities for fiscal 2024 increased by $209 million, or 35%, to $811 million compared to $602 million for fiscal 2023, primarily driven by cash payments of purchase consideration, net of cash acquired, for acquiring MaxBet and BeyondPlay and an increase in capital expenditure.
Financing Activities
For fiscal 2024, net cash used in financing activities increased by $356 million, or 315%, to $469 million compared to $113 million for fiscal 2023. The increase was primarily driven by a net repayment of long-term debt fiscal 2024 compared to a net proceeds from issuance of long-term debt in fiscal 2023 offset by cash used in acquiring the redeemable non-controlling interest in Junglee in fiscal 2023.
Fiscal 2023 Compared to Fiscal 2022
Operating Activities
Net cash generated from operating activities for fiscal 2023 decreased by $226 million, or 19%, to $937 million compared to $1,163 million for fiscal 2022, reflecting a decrease in operating assets and liabilities, of $270 million due to a decrease in the player deposit liability largely due to the payment of lottery winnings by Sisal, (which was at a high point as a result of the rollover of the lottery jackpot as of December 31, 2022), and differences in the scheduling of sporting events around the balance sheet date offset by an increase in the accrual of employee benefits and indirect taxes payable, as well as a decrease in other assets as a result of the settlement of derivative instruments.
The decrease in cash flows from operating assets and liabilities was offset by a $44 million increase in cash flow from operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $1,915 million, or 76%, for fiscal 2023, to $602 million compared to $2,517 million for fiscal 2022, primarily driven by cash payments of the purchase consideration, net of cash acquired, for acquiring Sisal and tombola in fiscal 2022.
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Financing Activities
For fiscal 2023, net cash used in financing activities was $113 million compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $1,783 million for fiscal 2022. The change was primarily driven by an increase in net proceeds from borrowings in fiscal 2022, offset by cash used in acquiring the redeemable non-controlling interest in Adjarabet in fiscal 2022.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of the date of this Annual Report, we do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that are material to investors.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Fox Option Liability
In connection with our acquisition of TSG, we and Fox entered into the Fox Option Term Sheet that, among other things, granted Fox an 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.
As of December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the option price was $4.5 billion and $4.3 billion, respectively. Such price is subject to a 5% annual compounding carrying value adjustment. Fox has until December 2030 to exercise the Fox Option. Cash payment is required at the time of exercise and the Fox Option can only be exercised in full. Exercise of the Fox Option requires Fox to be licensed and should Fox not exercise within this timeframe, the Fox Option shall lapse.
The Fox Option is measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings. As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the fair value of the Fox Option amounts to $810 million and $400 million, respectively, which was determined using an option pricing model.
Our use of the option pricing model requires the input of subjective assumptions, including the expected term of the option, expected volatility of the price of investor units in FanDuel, the discount for lack of marketability (“DLOM”), the discount for lack of control (“DLOC”), and the probability of a market participant getting licensed. The assumptions used in our option pricing model represent management’s best estimates.
Changes in assumptions, each in isolation, may change the fair value of the Fox Option. Generally, a decrease in the equity value of the investor units, volatility and the probability of Fox getting licensed and an increase in DLOM and DLOC may result in a decrease in the fair value of the Fox Option. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of the Fox Option Liability, the fair value of the Fox Option Liability may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of the Fox Option Liability may differ significantly from the value that would have been used had a readily available market existed for FanDuel. In addition, changes in the market environment and other events that may occur over the life of the Fox Option may cause the losses ultimately realized on the Fox Option to be different than the unrealized losses reflected in the valuations currently assigned. Please see Note 20 “Fair Value Measurements” to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report. The range in fair value as of December 31, 2024, is $197 million to $2,512 million, assuming a 10% increase/decrease in the equity value of the investor units and using the upper and lower end of the ranges of volatility, DLOC and DLOM, as disclosed in Note 20 to the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, and for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.
Valuation of Assets and Liabilities Acquired in a Business Combination
The accounting for a business combination requires the excess of the purchase price for an acquisition over the net book value of assets acquired to be allocated to identifiable assets, including intangible assets. Valuations are performed by independent valuation specialists under management’s supervision. We use various recognized valuation methods including present value modelling.
Significant estimates and assumptions that we must make in estimating the fair value of acquired trademarks, technology, customer relationships, and other identifiable intangible assets include future cash flows that we expect to generate from the acquired assets, including expected revenue growth rates, estimated royalty rates, customer attrition rates and discount rates.
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The fair value of the acquired trade name and technology is generally estimated using the relief from royalty method, which calculates the cost savings associated with owning rather than licensing the trade name and technology. Assumed royalty rates are applied to the projected revenues for the remaining useful life of the trade name and technology to estimate the royalty savings. The fair value of customer relationships is estimated using the multi-period excess earnings method. The multi-period excess earnings method model estimates revenues and cash flows derived from the primary asset and then deducts portions of the cash flow that can be attributed to supporting assets, such as trade name, technology and working capital that contributed to the generation of the cash flows. The resulting cash flow, which is attributable solely to the primary asset acquired, is then discounted at a rate of return commensurate with the risk of the asset to calculate a present value. The fair value of licenses (lottery gaming and betting concessions) was estimated using the replacement cost method. The replacement cost is based on estimates of current cost of renewing the existing concessions and is compared to amounts paid for similar assets in market transactions for consistency. Please see Note 12 “Business Combinations and Disposals” to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report.
We believe that the estimated fair values assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are based on reasonable assumptions that a marketplace participant would use. While we use our best estimates and assumptions to accurately value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date, our estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. If the subsequent actual results and updated projections of the underlying business activity change compared with the assumptions and projections used to develop these values, we could record impairment charges. In addition, we have estimated the economic lives of certain acquired assets and these lives are used to calculate depreciation and amortization expense. If our estimates of the economic lives change, depreciation or amortization expenses could be accelerated or slowed.
Goodwill
We test goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis in the fourth fiscal quarter and between annual tests whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of a reporting unit may exceed its fair value. Our four reporting units are equivalent to our operating segments.
We may first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis of determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test or unconditionally bypass the qualitative assessment and proceed directly to performing the first step of the goodwill impairment test. The qualitative assessment includes, but is not limited to, reviewing factors such as macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, our financial performances and other events, such as changes in our management and strategy. If we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than the carrying amount, then the quantitative goodwill impairment test is performed.
Under the quantitative goodwill impairment test, we measure the fair value of the reporting units. As quoted market prices are not available for our reporting units, the valuation of the respective reporting unit is estimated using both income-based and market-based valuation methods. The income-based valuation method utilizes a discounted cash flow model that requires several assumptions, including future sales growth and operating margin levels as well as assumptions regarding future industry-specific market conditions. Each reporting unit regularly prepares discrete operating forecasts and uses these forecasts as the basis for the assumptions in the discounted cash flow analysis. Within the discounted cash flow models, we use a discount rate, commensurate with its cost of capital but adjusted for inherent business risks, and an appropriate terminal growth factor. We also reconcile the estimated aggregate fair value of our reporting units resulting from these procedures to our overall market capitalization.
Depending upon the results of that measurement, any excess of the goodwill carrying amount over the implied fair value may be required to be recognized as an impairment loss, and the carrying value of goodwill will be written down to fair value.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, based on the qualitative goodwill impairment test performed for the year ended December 31, 2024, we have determined that the goodwill of U.S., International, UKI and Australia were not impaired. We continually monitor our reporting units for impairment indicators and update assumptions used in the most recent calculation of a reporting unit’s fair value as appropriate.
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Impairment of PokerStars Acquired Intangible Assets
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, PokerStars undertook a strategy and operational model assessment aimed at maximizing the value of PokerStars’ proprietary poker assets, by efficiently leveraging the existing technology solutions and marketing resources across the Group and unlocking synergies with other Flutter brands in their existing markets to deliver sustainable growth consistent with our International segment strategy to combine global scale with local presence. A decision was made in December 2023 to move away from the existing capital intensive PokerStars technology in order to improve efficiency and performance of the business by leveraging technology and marketing resources across the Group, thereby unlocking synergies with other Flutter brands. This decision led the Group to revaluate its asset grouping of PokerStars’ acquired intangible assets. In determining the asset grouping, we assessed the revenue dependency and level of shared costs between assets. As a result of the change in strategy and operational model, we concluded that the acquired intangible assets representing customer relations should now be allocated to four distinct asset groups. Prior to the change in strategy and operational model, the acquired intangibles were included in a single asset group. The PokerStars trademark was not allocated to any of the four distinct asset groups as it is able to generate identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities under the new strategy and operational model.
We performed a qualitative assessment on the four asset groups and PokerStars trademark, considering historical performance, market outlook and updates to future operating plans, to determine if there was any triggering event for impairment testing arising from the change in the strategy and operational model. Based on this assessment, we concluded that there were triggering events for impairment testing for both the trademark and the customer relationships allocated to an asset group comprising global shared poker liquidity markets. After performing a recoverability test, we concluded that the carrying amount of this asset group is recoverable with the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset group exceeding its carrying amount by 94% as of December 31, 2023.
The carrying amount of the PokerStars trademark was determined to be not recoverable as it exceeded the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from its use, which reflected the impact of lower projected royalty revenue consequent to the decision to change the strategy and operational model, and therefore an impairment loss was measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the PokerStars trademark exceeded its fair value.
In measuring the impairment loss of the PokerStars trademark, we utilized the relief from royalty method under the income approach to estimate the fair value. Assumptions inherent in estimating the fair value include revenue forecast, royalty rate of 5.0%, income tax rate of 12.5%, and discount rate of 12.5%. We selected the assumptions used in the financial forecasts using historical data, supplemented by current and anticipated market conditions and estimated growth rates. Financial forecasts beyond the period covered by the plans were estimated by extrapolating the projections based on the plans using a steady growth in line with the long-term average growth for the countries in which the trademark is used. As detailed in Note 11 “Intangible Assets, Net” of our audited consolidated financial statements, we recorded an impairment loss of $725 million related to the PokerStars trademark.
We considered the royalty rate and discount rate used to estimate the fair value of the PokerStars trademark are the most material assumptions. The range in fair value as of December 31, 2023, was $337 million to $533 million, assuming a 100-basis-point increase in the discount rate and 250-basis-point increase in the royalty rate.
Litigation and Claims
We are regularly involved as plaintiffs or defendants in claims and litigation related to our past and current business operations. We establish an accrued liability for legal claims and indemnification claims when we determine that a loss is both probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Our estimates are based on all known facts at the time and our assessment of the ultimate outcome. As additional information becomes available, we reassess the potential liability related to our pending claims and litigation and may revise our estimates The amount of any loss ultimately incurred in relation to matters for which an accrual has been established may be higher or lower than the amounts accrued for such matters. The estimates require significant judgment, given the varying stages of the proceedings, the numerous yet-unresolved issues in many of the claims and the uncertainty of the various potential outcomes of such claims. We vigorously defend ourselves against improper claims, including those asserted in litigation. Due to the unpredictable nature of litigation, there can be no assurance that our accruals will be sufficient to cover the extent of our potential exposure to losses. Any fees, expenses, fines, penalties, judgments or settlements which might be incurred by us in connection with the various proceedings could affect our results of operations and financial condition. Please see Note 21 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report.
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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market Risk
Market risk relates to the risk that changes in prices, including sports betting prices or odds, interest rates, and foreign currency exchange rates will impact our income or the value of our financial instruments. Market risk management has the function of managing and controlling our exposures to market risk to within acceptable limits, while at the same time ensuring that returns are optimized.
The management of market risk is performed by the Group under the supervision of the Risk and Sustainability Committee of the Board and management’s Treasury Committee (the “Treasury Committee”) and according to the guidelines approved by them. The Group utilizes derivatives where there is an identified requirement to manage profit or loss volatility. The Group does not hold derivative financial instruments of a speculative nature or for trading purposes.
There have been no material changes to our market risk during the fiscal year 2024.
Sportsbook Prices/Odds and iGaming
Managing the risks associated with sportsbook bets is a fundamental part of our business. We have a separate risk department which has responsibility for the compilation of bookmaking odds and for sportsbook risk management. We employ theoretical win rates to estimate what a certain type of sportsbook bet, on average, will win or lose in the long run. Our risk department is responsible for the creation and pricing of all betting markets and the trading of those markets through their lives. A mix of traditional bookmaking approaches combined with risk management techniques from other industries is applied to our business, and extensive use is made of mathematical models and information technology. We have set predefined limits for the acceptance of sportsbook bet risks. Stake and loss limits are set by reference to individual sports, events and bet types. These limits are subject to formal approval by the Risk and Sustainability Committee. Risk management policies also require sportsbook bets to be hedged with third parties in certain circumstances to limit potential losses.
Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, player deposits and derivatives. We maintain cash and cash equivalents with various domestic and foreign financial institutions of high credit quality. We perform periodic evaluations of the relative credit standing of all of the aforementioned institutions through regular monitoring of credit ratings, credit default swaps and other public information, and take action to adjust exposures to ensure that exposures to lower-rated counter parties are kept to an acceptable level. We have set conservative credit rating and tenor-based limits for exposures to counter parties as part of our treasury policy. Investments are held primarily in money market funds, short duration corporate and government bonds, all of which are investment grade, based on ratings assigned by credit agencies.
Our sports betting, gaming, lottery and poker businesses are predominantly cash and card based, requiring players to pay in advance of us satisfying our performance obligation. Accounts receivable predominately consist of receivables from our point of sales affiliates in Italy. Procedures and controls exist in selection of point of sales affiliates with limits in place for acceptance of wagers on gaming terminals, when applicable, as well as daily checks on credit trends, including blocking gaming terminals if there are unpaid amounts. During fiscal 2024 and 2023, we did not have any one player that accounted for 10% or more of total revenues.
Currency Risk
We are exposed to foreign currency risk in respect of balances that are denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the recording entity. A change in exchange rates between the functional currency and the currency in which a transaction is denominated increases or decreases the expected amount of functional currency cash flows upon settlement of the transaction. That increase or decrease in expected functional currency cash flows is a foreign currency transaction gain or loss and is included in determining net income (loss) for the period in which the exchange rate changes.
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To minimize the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on the Group’s results, the Group looks to match foreign currency denominated liabilities with foreign currency denominated assets where possible. For the Group’s material currencies and where cost effective to do so, we seek to mitigate the impact of changes in currency rates by borrowing centrally in foreign currency denominated debt (after considering the impact of hedging arrangements) in the same proportion as the Adjusted EBITDA earned by our foreign operations in those currencies, thus ensuring the foreign currency denominated debt is repaid with receipts from foreign currency earnings. Subject to operating within limits stipulated in our treasury policies, and, above these limits, with the Treasury Committee approval, we may use forward contracts and other derivative instruments as permitted by our treasury policies to reduce foreign currency exposure. Surplus net foreign currency inflows are predominantly sold at spot rates.
We are also exposed to the net investment in our foreign operations. Such an exposure is a result of the translation of the net investment into the Group's reporting currency. Accordingly, changes in exchange rates, and in particular the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, will negatively affect our revenue gross and operating profits as expressed in U.S. dollar.
We may enter into cross currency swaps and forwards with financial institutions to protect against foreign exchange risks associated with certain existing assets and liabilities, forecasted future cash flows and net investments in foreign subsidiaries. In addition, we have entered, and in the future may enter, into foreign currency contracts to offset the foreign currency exchange gains and losses on our foreign currency denominated debt and net investment in foreign operations.
To provide an assessment of the foreign currency risk, we performed a sensitivity analysis to assess the potential impact of a 10% fluctuations in GBP, EUR, AUD and USD exchange rates against functional currencies. These exchange rates were applied to our total foreign currency monetary assets and liabilities denominated in GBP, EUR, AUD and USD. These changes would have resulted in foreign currency exchange gains and losses of $192 million, $165 million and $20 million as of December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively.
Based upon the current levels of net foreign assets, a hypothetical 10% strengthening of the U.S. dollar as compared to functional currencies of our foreign operations as of December 31, 2024 would result in an approximate $957 million positive translation adjustment recorded in other comprehensive income. Conversely, a hypothetical 10% appreciation of the U.S. dollar as compared to these currencies as of December 28, 2024 would result in an approximate $957 million negative translation adjustment recorded in other comprehensive income.
Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to changes in interest rates includes fluctuations in the amounts of interest paid on our long-term indebtedness, as well as the interest earned on our cash and investments. We manage our exposure to changes in interest rates through offsetting exposures and the use of derivative instruments. As of fiscal 2024 and 2023, the Company had unhedged outstanding floating rate long term debt with varying maturities for an aggregate carrying amount of $3,093 million and $3,185 million, respectively. We may in the future enter into interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risk on our outstanding long-term debt. Interest rate swaps allow us to effectively convert fixed-rate payments into floating-rate payments or floating-rate payments into fixed-rate payments. Gains and losses on term debt are generally offset by the corresponding losses and gains on the related hedging instrument. A 100-basis point increase in market interest rates would cause interest expense on our long-term debt as of December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 to increase $31 million, $37 million and $47 million on an annualized basis, respectively.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk
See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
See the Financial Statements beginning on page 103.
Consolidated Balance Sheets 103
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) 104
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 107
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 109
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors Flutter Entertainment plc:
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Flutter Entertainment plc. and subsidiaries (“the Company”) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive (loss), changes in shareholders’ equity and redeemable non-controlling interests, and cash flows for each of the years in the three‐year period ended December 31, 2024, and the related notes (collectively, “the consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three‐year period ended December 31, 2024, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of a critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Valuation of FOX’s option to acquire stake in FanDuel
As discussed in Note 20, Flutter has an agreement with the FOX Corporation (FOX) that provides FOX with an option (the Fox Option) to acquire an 18.6% equity interest in FanDuel Group LLC, Flutter’s US subsidiary. As the Company is the writer of this option, the settlement obligation is recorded as a liability on its balance sheet and adjusted to fair value through the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive (Loss).
We identified the assessment of the valuation of the Fox Option as a critical audit matter. A high degree of auditor judgment was required in evaluating certain key assumptions used to determine the fair value of the option, specifically, the discounts applied for lack of control and marketability, licensing probability, implied volatility rates and enterprise value of FanDuel. Minor changes to these assumptions could have a significant effect on the valuation.
The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the Company's licensing probability assumption by comparing the assumption to contractual and regulatory requirements and available industry data. We involved valuation professionals with specialized skill and knowledge who assisted in:
–evaluating the discounts applied for lack of control and marketability by comparing against comparable market data; and
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–evaluating the implied volatility rates and enterprise value of FanDuel using market comparables and other publicly available market data.
/s/ KPMG
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2018.
Dublin, Ireland
March 4, 2025
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FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
($ in millions except share and per share amounts)
As of December 31,
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,531 $ 1,497
Cash and cash equivalents – restricted 48 22
Player deposits – cash and cash equivalents 1,930 1,752
Player deposits – investments 130 172
Accounts receivable, net 98 90
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 607 443
Investments 6 9
Property and equipment, net 493 471
Operating lease right-of-use assets 507 429
Deferred tax assets 267 24
Other non-current assets 175 100
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Operating lease liabilities 119 123
Long-term debt due within one year 53 51
Operating lease liabilities – non-current 428 354
Deferred tax liabilities 605 802
Other non-current liabilities 935 580
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 21)
REDEEMABLE NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS 1,808 1,152
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Shares held by employee benefit trust, at cost 2024: nil, 2023: nil — —
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,927) (1,483)
Total Flutter Shareholders’ Equity 9,293 10,044
Non-controlling interests 166 172
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS)
($ in millions except share and per share amounts)
Year ended December 31,
Technology, research and development expenses (820) (765) (552)
Other (expense) income, net (434) (157) 5
Income (loss) before income taxes 16 (1,091) (295)
Income tax benefit (expense) 146 (120) (75)
Adjustment of redeemable non-controlling interest to redemption value 66 (2) 63
Net income (loss) attributable to Flutter shareholders 43 (1,222) (432)
Earnings (loss) per share
Other comprehensive (loss) income, after tax:
Effective portion of changes in fair value of cash flow hedges (12) (121) 80
Fair value of cash flow hedges transferred to the income statement 32 93 (72)
Changes in excluded components of fair value hedge (1) — —
Foreign exchange gain on net investment hedges 73 30 (145)
Fair value movements on available for sale debt instruments — 5 (4)
Other comprehensive (loss) income (462) 364 (1,037)
Total comprehensive loss for the year $ (300) $ (847) $ (1,407)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY AND REDEEMABLE NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS
($ in millions except share amounts)
OrdinaryShare Shares held byemployee benefit
Shares issued on exercise of employee share options — 463,568 — — — 9 — — 9 — 9
Business combinations 5 — — — — — — — — 153 153
Equity-settled transactions - vesting — — — (55,537) 9 — — (9) — — —
Dividend paid to non-controlling interests (7) — — — — — — — — — —
Acquisition of redeemable non-controlling interests (251) — — — — — — — — — —
Other Comprehensive (Loss) (111) — — — — — (926) — (926) — (926)
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OrdinaryShare Shares held byemployee benefit
Acquisition of redeemable non-controlling interests (95) — — — — — — — — — —
Business combinations 110 — — — — — — — — — —
Dividend paid to non-controlling interests — — — — — — — — — (16) (16)
Other Comprehensive (Loss) (11) — — — — — (444) — (444) (7) (451)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
($ in millions) Year ended December 31,
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Impairment loss — 725 —
Change in fair value of derivatives 2 (7) (152)
Non-cash interest expense (income), net 19 (12) 7
Non-cash operating lease expense 142 117 96
Unrealized foreign currency exchange (gain) loss, net (15) (225) 196
Loss on disposals 7 5 —
Share-based compensation – equity classified 196 180 132
Share-based compensation – liability classified 6 10 49
Loss on extinguishment of long-term debt 7 6 65
Change in contingent consideration (3) (2) (6)
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Player deposits 33 (1) (72)
Accounts receivable (11) 23 (12)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets (73) 146 (97)
Accounts payable (7) (4) (24)
Operating leases liabilities (148) (113) (73)
Net cash provided by operating activities 1,602 937 1,163
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchases of property and equipment (144) (159) (122)
Purchases of intangible assets (136) (175) (100)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (160) — (2,095)
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment — — 7
Cash settlement of derivatives designated in net investment hedge 10 — —
Net cash (used in) investing activities (811) (602) (2,517)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from issue of ordinary share upon exercise of options 30 13 9
Acquisition of non-controlling interests — (95) (251)
Distributions to non-controlling interests (16) — (7)
Payment of contingent consideration — — (11)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (469) (113) 1,783
NET INCREASE IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH 322 222 429
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH — Beginning of year 3,271 2,990 2,681
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH — End of year $ 3,509 $ 3,271 $ 2,990
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FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (continued)
($ in millions)
Year ended December 31,
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH comprise of:
Cash and cash equivalents—restricted 48 22 16
Player deposits – cash and cash equivalents 1,930 1,752 2,008
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH End of year $ 3,509 $ 3,271 $ 2,990
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Operating cash flows from operating leases 174 133 92
NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of property and equipment with accrued expense 15 — 21
Adjustments to lease balances as a result of remeasurement 47 22 18
Business acquisitions (including deferred consideration) 2 — —
Proceeds from issuance as part of debt restructuring — 5,267 —
Principal amount of extinguishment as part of debt restructuring — 4,622 —
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT PLC
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1.ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Flutter Entertainment plc (the “Company” or “Flutter”) and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the “Group”) is a global online sports betting and iGaming entity, operating some of the world’s most innovative, diverse and distinctive online sports betting and gaming brands such as FanDuel, Sky Betting & Gaming, Sportsbet, PokerStars, Paddy Power, Sisal, tombola, Betfair, TVG, Junglee Games, Adjarabet and MaxBet. As of December 31, 2024, the Group offers its products in over 100 countries. The Company is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in the Republic of Ireland with operational headquarters in New York.
Public Listing on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”)
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. On May 31, 2024, the Group moved its primary listing to the NYSE following the approval of shareholders at the Company’s Annual General Meeting held on May 1, 2024. In addition, the Company maintains a listing on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. The Company cancelled the secondary listing of its ordinary shares on Euronext Dublin with effect from January 29, 2024.
2.SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation — The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These consolidated financial statements do not constitute statutory financial statements for the purpose of the Companies Act 2014 of Ireland. 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 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.
Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported and disclosed in the consolidated financial statements. Significant estimates include, but are not limited to, the impairment assessment of acquired goodwill and intangible assets, determination of the valuation of level 3 financial instruments relating to the redeemable non-controlling interest at fair value, the Fox Option, the valuation of intangible assets acquired as part of a business combination, deferred tax assets and liabilities, unrecognized tax benefits and the determination of loss contingencies. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, and makes adjustments when facts and circumstances dictate. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ from those estimates.
Principles of Consolidation — The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and other subsidiaries where the Company directly or indirectly holds a controlling interest. All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Fair Value Measurements — Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis in the Consolidated Balance Sheets are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair values. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or an exit price that would be paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The authoritative guidance on fair value measurements establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements as follows:
Level 1 — Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date;
Level 2 — Inputs are observable, (other than Level 1 quoted prices) unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, unadjusted quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the related assets or liabilities; and
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Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market data for the related assets or liabilities.
The categorization of a financial instrument within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis relate primarily to (i) assets and liabilities acquired in connection with business combinations, and (ii) long lived assets and goodwill, which are remeasured when the fair value is below carrying value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For these assets, the Group does not periodically adjust carrying value to fair value, except in the event of impairment.
Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents represent cash and highly liquid investments with an original contractual maturity at the date of purchase of three months or less and excludes customer monies, which are disclosed as Player Deposits. Cash and cash equivalents were $1,531 million as of December 31, 2024 and $1,497 million as of December 31, 2023, which comprise cash and call deposits with an original maturity of three months or less and money market funds.
Player Deposits – Cash and Cash Equivalents — Player deposits represent cash deposited by players in order to engage in our revenue-generating offerings and are held in various segregated bank accounts maintained and legally owned by the Group, but not used by the Group for general corporate purposes. The corresponding liability is recorded in player deposit liability, which represents the balances of players of the various platforms. A substantial portion of the player deposits which have a corresponding liability relating to our sports betting and iGaming operations are restricted from general corporate use by local licensing rules. Player deposits—cash and cash equivalents were $1,930 million as of December 31, 2024, and $1,752 million as of December 31, 2023.
Concentration of Credit Risk — Financial instruments that potentially subject the Group to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, and player deposits. The Group maintains cash and cash equivalents with various domestic and foreign financial institutions of high credit quality.
The Group performs periodic evaluations of the relative credit standing of all relevant institutions through regular monitoring of credit ratings, credit default swaps and other public information, and takes action to adjust exposures to ensure that exposures to lower rated counter parties are kept to an acceptable level.
The Group’s sports betting and iGaming businesses are predominately cash and card businesses requiring players to pay in advance of the Group satisfying its performance obligation. Accounts receivable predominately consist of receivables from the Group’s point of sales affiliates in Italy. Procedures and controls exist in selection of point of sale affiliates with limits in place for acceptance of wagers on gaming terminals when applicable as well as daily checks on credit trends including blocking gaming terminals if there are unpaid amounts. During the years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023, the Group did not have any players that account for 10% or more of total revenues. Accounts receivable, net were $98 million as of December 31, 2024 and $90 million as of December 31, 2023.
Business Combinations — The Company accounts for business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting, in accordance with ASC 805, which requires assets acquired and liabilities assumed to be recognized at their fair values as of the acquisition date. Any fair value of purchase consideration in excess of the fair value of the assets acquired less liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill. The fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are determined based upon the valuation of the acquired business and involve management making significant estimates and assumptions.
Property and Equipment, net — Property and equipment, net are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided for using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Costs of maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the lives of the respective assets are expensed as incurred. Upon retirement or sale, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the resulting gain or loss is reflected in general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss).
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