Gambling.com Group reported a 39% year-on-year increase in revenue, reaching $40.6 million in Q1. The online betting affiliate group put its success down to strategic acquisitions that have expanded its portfolio.
Revenue from sports data services rose 405% to $9.9 million following the acquisition of Odds Holdings in January this year. Odds Holdings is the parent company of OddsJam and OpticOdds. OddsJam offers odds comparison across over 100 online sports betting sites and works on a subscription model, offering various tools to aid bettors and gambling companies.
CEO Charles Gillespie commented, “We entered 2025 with our marketing business at all-time highs and an enhanced suite of sports data services following the acquisition of OddsJam and OpticOdds.”
“We now have meaningful recurring subscription revenue, which we expect to account for well over 20% of our 2025 revenue, bringing increased revenue visibility and a complimentary, high margin and high growth source of profit and cash flow,”
Increased costs lead to increased profits
Subscription services accounted for 24% of the company’s revenue in the quarter, while free cash flow increased by 25% to $10.3 million. This was despite rises in operating costs due to the company’s expansion. Operating expenses rose to $28.4 million due to higher personnel costs and amortisation of other acquisitions, including XLMedia’s European and Canadian assets.
Adjusted EBITDA saw a large increase of 56% to $15.9 million. In its published report, Gambling.com Group reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, projecting revenue between $170 million and $174 million and adjusted EBITDA between $67 million and $69 million.
“We continue to expect 2025 to be another year of record revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow as we leverage the skills and expertise of our talented team with a larger product offering to drive growth across all our reporting regions,” Gillespie said.
“Each day we are moving closer to our goal of generating $100m in annual adjusted EBITDA,” he added.
Other gambling affiliates struggle and cut costs
While Gambling.com has increased costs and reaped rewards, other gambling affiliate groups have been forced to cut back and reduce staff. Raketech, Gentoo, and Catena Media all saw revenue declines in Q1 and have trimmed their operations.
Changing regulations in Brazil contributed to a loss of customers for Gentoo, while Catena’s acquisition of SEO-driven websites failed to make an impact. Gambling.com has shown that a more reliable strategy is to focus on more sustainable sources of income that do not rely on constantly changing regulations and SEO algorithms.
Expansion of the US gambling market to include Missouri sports betting this year could have a further positive impact on the company. Overall, the gambling affiliate industry is worth an estimated $17 billion and is expected to grow to $27 million by 2027.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling.
