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Interim Management Statement

12 Nov 2013 07:00

RNS Number : 7454S
Sportech PLC
12 November 2013
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๏ปฟ

12ย Novemberย 2013

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Interim Management Statement

Sportech PLC ("Sportech" or "the Group")

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Sportech PLC, one of the world's leadingย operators and suppliers ofย pools and toteย betting services, releases its interim management statement for the period from 22 August 2013 to 11 November 2013.

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Tradingย from continuing businesses isย in line withย the Board'sย expectations for the full year.The Group continues to make substantial progress against its strategic objectives and is well positioned to capitalise on future growth opportunities across its key markets.

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Highlights

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โ€ข Investment in the U.S. business is driving growth, with Connecticut's flagshipย sports bar and betting venue redevelopmentย to open next month.

โ€ข Acquisitionofย Data Tote significantly strengthens European Tote operations.

โ€ข Joint venture agreement signed withย Pickliveย to launch an innovative new gaming product targeting the rapidly growing U.S. fantasy sports market.

โ€ข Disposal of loss making e-Gaming division for total consideration of ยฃ3m.

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Sportech Racing

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Trading in our B2B business, Tote Services and Equipment sales, remains in line with expectations. Sportech continues to invest in new online and mobile products in order toย drive improved customer revenues andย cost efficiencies. As exclusive provider of betting systems for California, we were delighted that November's Breeders' Cup meeting held at Santa Anita, California saw a 10% increase in betting turnover ("handle") processed during the two days through our systems to $160 million. Elsewhere in the division, implementation plans and technology development work to supply our two significant contract wins during the period, Penn National and Danske Spil, continue on schedule.

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During September we purchasedย Data Tote, a leading provider of on-track and online Greyhound and Horse Race betting services in Europe, forย an initial consideration ofย ยฃ3.1m.ย This strengthens ourย European operations throughย anย increased customer base and complementary product suite.ย On 4 November the Office of Fair Tradingย announced that it has asked for comments about the transaction and we continue to co-operate with them. Within our US Interactive division, the integration ofย eBet,ย acquired in December 2012ย is completeย andย is deliveringย the expected synergies and business enhancements.

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The Group signed a joint venture agreement with Picklive US at the end ofย September toย target the rapidly growing US fantasy sports market. The website is scheduled to go live in mid 2014.

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In our B2C business, Sportechย Venues, we have seen handle in line with prior year.ย We have continued to invest in the business, and the newย flagshipย sports and betting bar at Windsor Locks, Connecticut within our 38,000 sq ft freehold gaming and entertainment location will open in Decemberย following the completion of theย ยฃ2.4m project.

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Having soft launched earlier in the year, the upgraded version of ourย internet wagering platform will go live in December.ย This is Connecticut's only legal online betting platformย andย a full marketingย campaignย will commence in theย New Year.

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Football Poolsย 

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The Football Pools is in line to meet the Board's expectations for the full year as it continuesย its progress of business rationalisation.ย During the period we commenced the distribution agreement withย France-Pari, following approvals received from Arjel, the French regulator, toย enable French residentsย to bet into our Football Pool.

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e-Gaming

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Ourย loss makingย e-Gaming business was sold on 31 October 2013 toย Netplayย TVย PLC for total cash consideration of ยฃ3m. This followed a detailed strategic review where management concluded that the business was not of sufficient scale to compete in a highly competitive UK market with impending UK Point of Consumption tax.

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VAT Claim

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On 7 March 2013 we outlined that the Group was successful in its VAT claim for ยฃ95m including simple interest (the "Claim") at the First-tier Tribunal's Tax Chamber ("FTT"). In June, Sportech was notified that Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs had been given leave to appeal this decision to the Upper Tribunal with the appeal hearing due to be held on 29 andย 30 April 2014. The Group continues to explore options available to secure financial benefit in the event of the favourable decision of the FTT being ultimately reversed.

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Summary

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The Group continues to perform operationally in line with expectations and has made substantial strategic progress during the period.ย The Group is well positioned to capitalise on future growth opportunities across its key markets.

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-ย Endsย -

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For further information, please contact:

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Sportech PLC 020 7268 2400

Ian Penrose, Chief Executive, Cliff Baty, Chief Financial Officer

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Brunswick Group LLP 020 7404 5959

Mike Smith, Tom Williams sportech@brunswickgroup.com

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About Sportech PLC

Sportech PLC is a sports gaming and entertainment company and one of the world's leading pool betting organisations, focusing on highly regulated markets worldwide. Sportech provides betting technology for football (soccer), horseracing and, through its recent acquisition of Data Tote Limited, the majority of the UK and Ireland's greyhound tracks. Sportech PLC processes over $13 billion in bets annually with a presence in 30 countries. Sportech is headquartered in London, England with operational offices in Liverpool, Bristol, Atlanta, Connecticut, California, New Jersey, Netherlands, Germany and Ireland. For more information aboutย Sportech PLC, please visitย www.sportechplc.com.ย 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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END
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