Cherry’s online business up 91% following transformative year of acquisitions

Nordic online gambling operator Cherry AB nearly doubled its online gambling revenue in 2015 following a hectic year of acquisitions.

For the three months ending Dec. 31, Cherry reported total revenue up 72% to SEK 172.5m (US $20.4m), while earnings hit SEK 23.4m, resulting in an after-tax profit of SEK 12.9m versus a net loss of SEK 15.3m one year ago.

The Q4 results were spurred by Cherry’s online operations, which rose 109%, while online earnings hit SEK 15.4m. Online accounted for 73% of group revenue, up from 58% a year ago. By contrast, Cherry’s restaurant casino business saw turnover rise a more modest 5% while earnings slipped 2% to SEK 4.9m.

Yggdrasil Gaming, the B2B online technology provider in which Cherry holds a 90% stake, reported revenue up nearly 700% while earnings improved to SEK 4.9m versus a SEK 1.4m loss one year ago. Yggdrasil recently received a UK operating license and expects to launch with its first UK-facing customers – including online market leader Bet365 – this quarter.