Veikkaus’ interim report Q1/2018: Veikkaus invests in gaming control tools

• Turnover EUR 805.6 million (–1.0%).
• Financial profit EUR 256.0 million (+2%).
• The Lucky Games turnover developed positively (EUR 303.5 million, +4.2%). Especially Eurojackpot had a good start of the year (EUR 76.8 million, +30.1%).
• Digital gaming increased by 10 percent.
• Of the total turnover, 56.1% came from the points of sale and 43.9% from the digital channels.
• The new game restriction system concerning online gaming was introduced. Over one million customers have made their gaming subject to money transfer limits.
• 44.9% of gaming takes place identified (+4.0 percentage points).

Veikkaus’ President and CEO Olli Sarekoski:

"Veikkaus’ year 2018 has started according to expectations; we have focused on the adoption of the new responsible gaming tools that were launched at the end of 2017. Last December, Veikkaus introduced tools for online gaming control, which are unique in the international setting. They include uniform money transfer and loss limits that are compulsory to all. We have received positive response from our customers concerning the gaming restrictions, and well over one million customers have set their personal money transfer limits.

Veikkaus continues to invest in encouraging more players to play identified. Identified gaming enables us to make the gaming control tools available also in point-of-sale gaming. At present, 44.9 percent of all gaming takes place identified (+4.0 percentage points). Although Veikkaus cannot control the development alone, one of our core long-term strategic goals is to achieve comprehensive identification in Veikkaus games by the year 2023.

In the period between January and March, we reached a profit of EUR 256.0 million, as planned. The players’ increased interest towards Lotto and Eurojackpot increased the turnover of the Lucky Games business operations group by 4.2 percent. The 90-million-euro jackpot, which was won in the city of Loimaa, boosted Finns’ interest in the game, and Eurojackpot’s turnover increased by 30.1 percent as compared with the same period last year.

The focus of gaming is shifting towards digital games. Digital gaming increased by 10 percent during the first quarter of the year. We are competing over our customers’ time against global online game provision. The total Finnish gaming market amounted to an estimated EUR 487 million (+1%) in terms of GGR in the period between January and March, and Veikkaus’ share of the total market was nearly 90 percent. By versatile game offerings, we want to direct gaming towards responsible domestic channels. We have also decided to revise the company strategy in 2018, to respond to the profound changes in our operating environment.”