DGAP-News: A strong start to 2018 for ZEAL Group

4 May 2018

A strong start to 2018 for ZEAL Group

• EBIT of EUR9.2 million, in line with guidance
• Billings increased 6% to EUR72.8 million
• Total Operating Performance increased to EUR39.8 million, in line with guidance

ZEAL Group, the world's leading lottery innovator, today unveiled strong results for the first three months of 2018, delivering Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) of EUR9.2million (2017: EUR0.2 million).

The Group also generated a 6.4% growth in billings to EUR72.8 million (2017: EUR68.4 million), driven by continued positive performance from new products including, Powerball and Instant Win Games, which encouraged higher customer spend. Average Billings Per User increased to EUR58.02 (2017: EUR54.35).

Total Operating Performance increased to EUR39.8 million (2017: EUR24.1 million), in line with guidance and positively impacted by the reduction in exceptional prize pay-outs during the quarter (2018: EURNil; 2017: EUR15.0 million).

Continued investment in new products and marketing delivered 140k new registered customers for the Group and our partners; an increase of 59% year-on-year (2017: 88k).

Jonas Mattsson, Chief Financial Officer, ZEAL Group said: "It has been a strong start to 2018 for ZEAL. Our active strategy of building a more diverse portfolio is paying off, with a larger range of higher jackpot products driving increased customers, spend and billings."

Selected financial results to 31 March 2018:

For 2018, ZEAL Group expects to deliver EBIT in the range of EUR33 million - EUR43 million, and Total Operating Performance (TOP) of EUR150 million - EUR160 million. ZEAL Group expects to pay a dividend of at least EUR1.00 per share in 2018, subject to financial performance.

- ENDS -

Contacts:

Media Relations:
Matt Drage, Head of Corporate Communications
+44 (0) 7976 872 871
matt.drage@zeal-network.co.uk

Investor Relations:
Frank Hoffmann, Investor Relations Manager
+44 (0) 20 3739 7123
frank.hoffmann@zeal-network.co.uk

Notes to Editor:

1. ZEAL is an international group of companies reinventing the world of lottery.
2. Specialising in the online lottery space, the company was founded in 1999 as Tipp24 SE and renamed as ZEAL Network SE in 2014.
3. The company is based in London, and its shares are listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
4. The Group has more than 3.5 million customers globally. Since its incorporation, ZEAL Group has generated stakes of more than EUR3 billion and, across the Group, paid out more than EUR1.5 billion in winnings.
5. ZEAL's associated company, myLotto24, invented the concept of jackpot-matching lottery betting. It holds the sector's record for the single largest payout of EUR48 million.
6. ZEAL's first quarter statement can be accessed at: http://www.zeal-network.co.uk/investors/publications/
7. Total Operating Performance is calculated as the sum of Revenue and Other Operating Income as disclosed in the Interim Consolidated Income Statement.
8. ZEAL Group includes all subsidiaries of ZEAL Network SE and the affiliated companies of the independent shareholding myLotto24 Ltd.