Fortuna performance driven by sportsbook

European bookmaker Fortuna Entertainment Group has announced a 21.2% increase in turnover to €567.2m (£465.7m) for 2013 with a 5.1% increase in gross win to €116.5m (£95.7m). The company also recorded net profit of €15.6m (£12.8m), 26.4% more than in the previous year, thanks to a ‘better operating performance’.

The bookmaker, which operates in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, said the main driver was its online sports betting operations which had experienced a 35.3% jump in gross win for the year. Gross win from retail betting in 2013 amounted to €57.8m (£47.4m) while the figure contributed by Fortuna’s lottery business was €7.6m (£6.2m).

CEO Radim Haluza commented: “I am very pleased with Fortuna´s sales performance driven by a strong growth in online sports betting in all markets. Our key strategy to focus on internet and mobile betting and offer broad LIVE content to our clients has paid off. We hope that we will be able to take advantage of this year´s major sporting events such as the Winter Olympics and World Cup in Brazil in order to retain a strong momentum also in 2014.”

Fortuna’s online business has grown rapidly, hand in hand with the increase in broadband penetration affording access to Fortuna’s website. Over the last two years, Fortuna has undergone a transformation from a retail betting operator to a multi-regional online business.

The firm explained: “During 2013, it has started and completed several investments and innovations of its trading platforms, mobile applications and CRM system. As a result of that, Fortuna managed to increase the number of registered players by 26% over the last year and number of clients betting LIVE increased by 57%. The fastest growing channel in 2013 was mobile. Total number of customers preferring this channel has increased by more than 300%.”