According to the financial results of The Stars Group, sports betting and casino games significantly outperform poker, which is relegated to third place. Most of the profit comes from the acquisition of Sky Betting and Gaming last year.
A significant drop for poker
In one year, the revenues of The Stars Group (TSG) show an increase of 51% coming mainly from sports betting and casino games. This increase can be explained in particular by the purchase of Sky Betting and Gaming. Thanks to this transaction, the group was able to rebound quickly after a decline of around 2%. It must be said that the parent company of PokerStars has suffered a crossing of the desert for some time. Internationally, the operator represents one of the main activities earning the most profits. Faced with these difficulties, several elements were taken into account, in particular the unfavorable increase in the price of currencies and the increase in competition. As a result, some establishments have been forced to withdraw from the market, such as the red pike room, which has distanced itself from Switzerland and Slovakia. Not to mention the still strict regulations regarding gambling in Russia and Norway. In the end, income from poker stagnated at 11.7%, or $ 191.5 million. The situation remains even more critical in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Faced with this observation, it must be recognized that the poker sector in no way represents the source of income for society. In the second quarter, the report revealed $ 637.6 million, 36% of which came from sports betting and 31% from casino games. As for poker, the activity shows only a contribution of 30% against the 53% of the year 2018. And this situation should not change anytime soon since The Stars Group plans to ally with partners specialized especially in betting sportsmen. For example, a partnership with Fox Sports was finalized last May. This collaboration will allow the brand to take advantage of offers from Fox Bet, a platform accessible to punters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.