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Golden Rim Resources Ltd

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FY2018 Annual Report · Golden Rim Resources Ltd
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Annual Report and Accounts

2018

Gaming Realms is a developer, publisher and licensor 
of mobile games, building an international portfolio 
of highly popular gaming content and brands.  
Our vertically integrated approach, as well as investment 
in our proprietary mobile platform and successful brand 
partnerships, gives us complete control to offer highly 
popular games to a very broad audience.

Contents
Strategic Report
1  Highlights
2 
4   Chairman’s Statement
5   Chief Executive’s Review
6  
8  

At a Glance  

Financial Review
Principal Risks and Uncertainties

Corporate Governance
10   Board of Directors and Executive Management
12   Directors’ Report
13   Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities
14   Corporate Governance 

Financial Statements
18   Independent Auditor’s report
21   Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
22   Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
23   Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
24   Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
25   Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
57   Parent Company Statement of Financial Position
58   Parent Company Statement of Changes in Equity
59   Notes to the Parent Company Financial Statements
62   Company Information

www.gamingrealms.com

Strategic Report

Corporate Governance

Financial Statements

1

Highlights

2018 Financial Highlights:

Total profit of 

Net cash inflow 

£0.9m 

(2017: £8.2m loss)

£0.2m 

(2017: £1.3m outflow)

Total adjusted EBITDA loss 

£0.5m 

(2017: £0.8m profit)

 » Continuing Adjusted 
EBITDA loss £0.1m  
(2017: £2.8m loss)

Licensing 

£1.0m 

Adjusted EBITDA profit  
(2017: £0.2m loss) including 
intra group revenue

 » Continuing revenue 

down by 19% to £6.2m 
(2017: £7.6m)  

Licensing revenue increased 

 167% 

to £2.2m (2017: £0.8m) 

Social Publishing

£1.6m 

Adjusted EBITDA profit  
(2017: £0.1m loss)

Social Publishing revenue 
decreased by 

43% 

to £3.9m (2017: £6.9m), 
with 63% reduction in costs

2018 Operational Highlights:

Games licensing and publishing

Platform and Real Money Gaming (“RMG”)

Own game content and IP generated 

41% 

(2017: 38%) of RMG and 
Social Publishing revenue 

 » Affiliate Marketing 

business sale completed in 
March 2018 for proceeds 
of £2.4m

Launched with 

 13

new partners for 
Slingo Originals content

Licensed a further 

 19

games to our partners

 » Sale of part of the B2C 
RMG business to River 
iGaming plc (“River”) 
completed in August 
2018 for minimum 
proceeds of £8.4m

 » Proposed sale of 

 » Game library growth to 
30 proprietary games 
on our Grizzly platform 
(2017: 19), of which 
28 are licensed to 
operators via our remote 
game server (“RGS”)

 » Total game library 

growth to 812 games 
on our Grizzly platform 
(2017: 683)

remaining B2C RMG 
business to River in 2019

 » Launch of Casonic as first 
overseas platform deal

 
2

At a Glance

Innovation 

Gaming Realms develops, publishes and licenses mobile gaming content. 

As the creator of a variety of Slingo™, bingo, slots and other casual games, we use our 
proprietary content to create a ‘Slingo’ genre of games for our partners internationally. 
Gaming Realms has partnered with some of the most successful and popular global 
platforms and operators.

Integrated game development, licensing and publishing

Game development

Brand licensing

2 Mobile games studios:

Victoria, 
Canada

London/
Colchester  
UK

Rationale for sale  
of B2C RMG business

 » The Company has previously set out its 

strategy to focus its resources on content 
development and the international licensing 
of the Slingo brand and intellectual property 

 » 2018 has seen high growth for licensing 

with consolidation in the New Jersey market 
as well as growth with tier 1 operators in the 
UK and Europe

 » The Group has been unable to invest fully 
into all its activities in 2018 with RMG 
requiring platform investment in new 
Gambling Regulations, increase in Point of 
Consumption as well as increasing cost per 
acquisition of new players 

IP licensor
 » North American Lottery Printed Scratch 

Games – Scientific Games

 » Global Electronic Gaming Machines – 

Scientific Games

 » Global Lottery Mobile Instant Games – IWG

 » Social Slot Games – Zynga Inc.

Game licensing

Content licensor
 » Social Puzzle Games – Electronic Arts Inc.

 » Bingo – Pala Interactive

 » iGaming Library – US and EU

• US – Caesars Interactive, Resorts Inc, Pala 
Interactive, Rush Street, Golden Nugget, 
Ocean Resorts, Bwin, Betfair and Hard Rock

• Europe – GVC, LadbrokesCoral, 888, 

JackpotJoy, Bet Victor, SkillOnNet, BeGame, 
Rank and William Hill

Brand partnerships

 » Endemol – Deal or No Deal

 » Fremantle – Britain’s Got Talent, the X Factor, 

Take Me Out, The Price Is Right

 » ITV – Love Island, Dancing On Ice,  
The Only Way is Essex, Hell’s Kitchen

 » Sony – Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

 » Scientific Games – Monopoly,  

Rainbow Riches

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 20183

Addressable online  
market worth $21bn  
gives opportunity

 » $21bn Global market for online casinos, 

lottery, bingo

 » 10% growth per annum 

 » Mobile share increasing to 51% of 

interactive by 2023

 » Offline market for gaming machines 

worth $104bn

 » 3% growth rate Globally 

 » GMR currently has 3.5% New Jersey & 1% 
UK Online slot market worth £1.7bn*

 » iLottery & Landbased are also markets 

which suit Slingo

*  Gambling compliance

Online Global Market Breakdown

8%

5%

4%

6%

27%

50%

Betting

Casino

Poker

Bingo

Skill / Other gaming / 
Lotteries Resales

Sale Lotteries

Offline Global Market Breakdown

15%

28%

33%

28%

2%

Betting

Casino

Gaming Machines

Bingo / Other gaming 

Lotteries

According to iGaming  
tracker we are 

No.8 

Casino supplier in UK

Strategy to repeat UK 
success in new markets

Our key focus areas

Original game content  
and IP development
We build original content from our 
Colchester and Victoria game studios 
incorporating social meta games and real 
money mechanics with well-known brands.

Data and algorithmic 
optimisation
‘It’s all about the data’ – we put the customer 
first, developing engaging content and 
using data to enhance marketing and player 
retention.

Advanced mobile  
gaming platform
We have invested significantly in our RGS 
in order to increase the distribution of our 
games.

Responsible  
gambling
Despite the fact we have executed an 
agreement to dispose of our online casino 
operations, Gaming Realms has been 
committed, in the year and subsequently, 
to providing an environment for customers 
to play responsibly and securely. Since 
commencing operations, we have had 
measures in place to encourage responsible 
play – to keep it fun – and have provided 
tools to help keep customers’ gaming and 
spending within their control. 

Gaming Realms has worked closely with 
other operators to help develop and shape 
a responsible approach to customers across 
the industry. Internally, we regularly conduct 
training for all our employees to raise 
awareness of problem gambling. 

Our marketing and advertising strategies 
comply with the Committee of Advertising 
Practice (‘CAP’), the Broadcast Committee of 
Advertising Practice (‘BCAP’) and the Industry 
Group for Responsible Gambling (‘IGRG’) 
advertising codes. Gaming Realms has also 
implemented new policies in response to the 
published guidelines from the UK Gambling 

Strategic partners  
and licensing
Partners include Fremantle, Zynga, IWG, 
Pala Interactive and Scientific Games

Not only do we leverage our own IP across 
multiple brands, but we also license Slingo 
into markets adjacent to the Group’s core 
mobile gaming business.

Commission and the Competition and 
Markets Authority to ensure our terms are 
clear and fair.

In addition, we fund research, education 
and treatment of problem gambling through 
donations to GambleAware.

In 2018 we made several improvements to 
our processes to improve risk profiling and 
alerts for customers who may exhibit signs 
of problem gambling. We also established 
a dedicated team to focus on identifying 
concerns around problem gambling, source 
of funds and affordability.

All our customers have access to tools to help 
manage their gameplay, including:

 » Session reminders – alerting customers when 

they’ve been playing for a set period

 » Deposit Limits – customers can set daily, 

weekly or monthly deposit limits

 » Cool down – customers may configure a 

period of time in days or weeks during which 
play on any of our sites will be stopped

 » Self-exclusion – customers may exclude 

themselves permanently or for a set period 
from all our sites

 » In addition to self-exclusion we were an 
early adopter of GAMSTOP, UK’s national 
self-exclusion scheme, where players can 
exclude themselves from all UK registered 
operators.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance4

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018

Chairman’s Statement

Delivering growth

Michael Buckley
Chairman

The operating plan for 
2019 adopted by the 
Board, is to continue the 
development and licence 
of mobile focused games 
using our unique Slingo 
brand, with increased 
income from our game 
portfolio through 
international distribution. 

During 2016 and 2017 it became increasingly 
difficult to operate profitably within the UK 
online gaming market. This was due initially to 
competition from the plethora of operators, 
coupled with pressure on margins from the 
introduction of Point of Consumption Tax.

Continued increases in costs to be borne 
by operators has only increased with the 
passage of time; 

 » Point of Consumption Tax has increased 

by 40% in April 2019

 » Changes in European data laws

 » Provisions to combat money laundering

 » Regulations relating to responsible gaming 

and gambling

All of these items encompassing new legislation 
and regulations, have increased costs to the 
point where a smaller B2C gaming company 
finds it difficult to operate at a profit in the UK, 
let alone grow the business for the future.

Given the adverse changes in the B2C 
marketplace, your Board decided towards the 
end of 2017 that the best course of action 
was to sell the larger part of our B2C sites 
and concentrate on game development and 
distribution to a worldwide audience. This 
resulted in a deal with River which closed 
in August 2018, and was followed by an 
announcement on 22 February 2019 of a 
further sale to River of all the remaining assets 
involved in operating B2C sites in the UK online 
market, subject to a number of conditions, for 
an aggregate consideration of £11.5m. We 
expect to complete this disposal very shortly.

This introduction is intended to give 
shareholders an outline and some 
background to the difficulties your Company 
has faced, and which have led to the 
reorganisation which is nearing completion. 

Your Board is also considering its options to 
sell or rationalise the Social Publishing division. 
This process, coupled with the imminent sale 
of the B2C RMG assets, will lead to a dramatic 
reduction in overall Company costs, with a 
decrease in employees of over 60%.

The Group will then concentrate on game 
development and international licensing 
using primarily its Slingo brand, and this 
division which is experiencing healthy growth 
will become its main focus. An increasing 
number of gaming companies are signing up 
to distribute our content on their sites, both 
in the UK and overseas. We are licensed as a 
game supplier in New Jersey, USA, where our 
games account for approximately 3.5% of sales 

from slot products. The Company is engaged 
in applying for a license in Pennsylvania and 
will continue to pursue direct opportunities 
outside the UK to distribute its games. 

The Group delivered an Adjusted EBITDA loss 
for 2018 of £0.5m (2017 £0.8m profit). These 
results mask the excellent progress made 
by our Licensing division, where revenue 
increased by 167% to £2.2m (2017: £0.8m) 
with an EBITDA surplus of £1.0m (2017: 
£0.2m loss) before allocation of central costs. 
The Licensing division went live with 17 new 
partners during the year, and our library of 
proprietary games increased to 28 games from 
9 games at the start of the year under review. 
A number of new deals with game distributors 
have been announced during 2019, which 
will further increase worldwide exposure and 
income from our games once the necessary 
integrations have been completed.

Further details on the 2018 results are 
contained in the Statements from the Chief 
Executive and Finance Director which follow.

Outlook for 2019
The operating plan for 2019 adopted by the 
Board, is to continue the development and 
licence of mobile focused games using our 
unique Slingo brand, with increased income 
from our game portfolio through international 
distribution. Capitalising on our success in 
New Jersey, we intend to enter any new states 
in America which regulate online gaming. 

With regard to the future, I am pleased to 
welcome Chris Ash to the Board of Directors. 
Chris has a long and successful history in 
online game development and distribution, 
and I am sure will make a valuable contribution 
to this ongoing Company activity.

Once the sale of the remaining B2C RMG 
business is completed and we conclude on 
the Social Publishing strategy, your Board 
believes shareholders can look forward to 
a period of increasing stability. This will 
show growth in Licensing income and a 
very significant reduction in Group costs, 
and a trend towards group profitability.

In our 2019 Interim Results, we will report 
on the cash availability post transaction, 
forecast working capital needs, and the 
Board’s intentions with regard to any surplus.

Michael Buckley
Chairman

27 June 2019

5

Chief Executive’s Review

A focused strategy

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

We continue to build 
proprietary ‘Slingo 
Originals’ content and 
increase its distribution 
with new partnerships.

Overview 
In 2018, the Group’s strategy continued 
to build its proprietary ‘Slingo Originals’ 
content and increase its distribution with 
new partnerships. The Group also disposed of 
non-core assets as it moved away from being 
a RMG operator in order to focus on content 
licensing.

The Group’s decision to dispose of its B2C 
RMG operations has been driven by further 
regulatory headwinds and the recent increase 
in Point of Consumption Tax effective from 
1 April 2019. The first phase of this asset 
disposal was completed in August 2018, 
with the sale of four B2C brands to River. 
We also streamlined our Social publishing 
business further, resulting in positive EBITDA 
of £1.6m (2017: £0.1m loss). However, after 
capitalisation the net cash inflow was £0.3m 
(2017: £1.3m outflow). 

We have invested resources into new 
proprietary games and introduced a further 
19 games to the market, bringing the total 
number of licensed games at the end of 
2018 to 28 (2017: 9). At the same time, we 
increased our content distribution and were 
live with 17 partners at the end of 2018 
(2017: 4). Partners we have gone live with 
during the year include GVC, 888, Rank as 
well as Golden Nugget and Hard Rock Casino. 

This increase in taking our Slingo Originals 
games to market, as well as launching 
with new partners, has resulted in revenue 
growing 167% to £2.2m (2017: £0.8m). Our 
Licensing business also became profitable 
in the year, generating an Adjusted EBITDA 
of £1.0m (2017: £0.2m loss) before the 
allocation of central costs.

In 2019, to date, we have grown revenues 
in the online casino market in New Jersey 
and now account for c.3.5% of the growing 
market. We have also signed deals with 
several ‘tier 1 operators’ in Europe and 
are now live with William Hill and Gaming 
Innovation Group. We are aiming to finalise 
our integration with NYX, which will vastly 
increase our international footprint, by Q3 
2019. Relax Gaming will also give us reach 
into new markets, in particular with the large 
tier 1 Scandinavian operators. Our games are 
also now certified for the newly regulated 
Swedish market, as well as with the Maltese 
regulator, and we are planning to obtain 
licences in other regulated jurisdictions 
in 2019.

We are excited to announce that we are 
due to release our Monopoly Slingo game 
to the international market in Q3 2019. We 
expect this to deliver increased revenue and 
also greater exposure on our partner sites. 
We are already creating a ‘Slingo’ genre of 
games and this very much complements 
our portfolio of unique IP and a well-known 
gaming brand. 

Market overview
The games market is a very crowded 
environment, in which most operators have 
700 plus games available on their sites. We 
are seeing that Slingo can cut through this 
with its unique brand and format. As such 
we are seeing enhanced placements on our 
partner sites. With the increase in Point of 
Consumption Tax, together with increased 
regulation in the UK, it is becoming more 
important to grow our revenues outside the 
UK market. We have a good footprint in the 
New Jersey market and have also gone live 
with Gaming Innovation Group, as well as 
currently integrating into Relax Gaming and 
NYX – both of whom allow access to a much 
larger market for Slingo.

Key goals for 2019
1.  To complete the sale of the B2C RMG 

operations

2.  Conclude on options to sell or rationalise 

the Social Publishing division

3.  Continue the strategic investment in 

Slingo Originals content, with a view to 
branded partnerships with other brand 
owners 

4.  Increase new licensees for Slingo Original 

content

5.  Further expansion of strategic brand 

licensing in adjacent markets

This strategic report was approved on behalf 
of the Board on 27 June 2019.

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

27 June 2019

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance6

Financial Review

A strong performance

Mark Segal
Chief Financial Officer

Overview
Following the global high 
margin opportunities in 
game content licensing 
and the 2019 sale of 
the majority of the RMG 
CGU the Directors believe 
the Group is in a strong 
position and expects 
to continue to be cash 
generative for 2019.

Overview
The operations of the Group have changed 
significantly in 2018 and into 2019 as the 
Group has continued with its strategy of 
disposing of non-core assets and focusing 
its resources on Licensing.

Gaming Realms delivered a profit after tax 
of £0.9m (2017: £8.2m loss) due to the sale 
of B2C RMG and Affiliate Marketing assets 
in year. We have treated the B2C RMG and 
Affiliate Marketing segments as discontinued 
operations in the current year and the 
comparative period. 

Adjusted EBITDA totalled £0.5m loss 
(2017: £0.8m profit) as a result of declining 
revenues off the back of reduced marketing 
spend. 

Profit on disposal initially totalled £12.5m 
in RMG for the disposal of four of our B2C 
brands in August 2018. Regulatory pressures 
adversely impacted the performance of these 
brands post sale, therefore at the year-end 
we impaired the investment in associate by 
£2.8m and recognised a fair value loss on 
contingent earn-out consideration of £1.9m. 
This has resulted in a net realised profit for 
the transaction of £7.8m.

Continuing operations
Continuing operations generated Adjusted 
EBITDA loss of £0.1m (2017: £2.8m loss).

EBITDA from continuing operations was 
a £0.6m loss (2017: £3.7m loss) including 
restructuring costs of £0.2m.

Year-on-year revenue declined 19% to 
£6.2m (2017: £7.6m) due to the declining 
performance in Social Publishing, partially 
offset by the growth in Licensing.

Marketing for the year totalled £0.7m 
(2017: £2.3m) as the Group restricted  
spend for the Social Publishing business.

Administrative expenses reduced to £4.9m 
(2017: £7.5m) as a result of restructuring the 
Social Publishing business in 2017 including 
the closure of our Seattle office.

Licensing 
Licensing revenue increased 167% to £2.2m 
(2017: £0.8m) due to the continued success 
of distributing our proprietary games via 
our RGS to key operators in Europe and 
New Jersey. 

During 2018 we went live with an additional 
13 partners in Europe and New Jersey 
bringing the total to 17 (2017: 4).

Social Publishing 
Social publishing achieved profitability in 
2018, delivering Adjusted EBITDA profit of 
£1.6m (2017: Adjusted EBITDA loss £0.1m) 
as a result of reducing marketing spend 
by 81% and administrative expenses by 
71%. Despite the significant reduction in 
marketing investment, Social publishing 
revenue decreased at a lower rate of 43% 
to £3.9m (2017: £6.9m).

During 2017, Gaming Realms closed its 
Seattle operations resulting in significant 
cost savings for 2018 of £2.5m.

Impairment of Social Publishing goodwill of 
£1.7m was recognised in the year as a result 
of revised forecasts based on the reduced 
performance of this segment.

Discontinued operations
Discontinued operations relate to B2C 
RMG and Affiliate Marketing. Profit after tax 
from discontinued operations was £6.6m 
(2017: £0.2m) including profit on disposal 
of £12.5m, write down of contingent 
consideration of £1.9m, impairment of 
associate of £2.8m, and loss for the year  
of £1.0m.

Discontinued operations have been discussed 
in more detail in note 20.

Real money gaming
Revenue fell by 28% to £16.4m (2017: 
£22.7m) due to ongoing reductions in 
marketing of 46% to £4.4m as a result of 
regulatory pressures (2017: £8.0m).

In August 2018 four of the Group’s B2C RMG 
brands were sold to River generating an initial 
profit on disposal of £12.5m. The Group 
continues to operate these brands via a white 
label agreement until River obtains their own 
operating licence, recognising revenue and 
costs with net profit passed back to River 
after retaining a platform fee. As a result, 
additional operational costs of £1.4m were 
incurred, being the profit share payable  
to River. 

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Page title7

£2.2m

licensing revenue  
(2017: £0.8m)

 13

new partnerships

£1.6m

social publishing Adjusted EBITDA profit 
(2017: Adjusted EBITDA loss £0.1m)

Post year end the Group has entered into 
an agreement for the sale of the remaining 
B2C RMG business to River for £11.5m, 
which includes settlement of the remaining 
proceeds from the 2018 disposal and the 
Group’s associate interest in River UK Casino. 
This sale is subject to regulatory approvals. 
As a result, this segment has been disclosed 
as a discontinued operation.

Operating expenses include point of 
consumption tax, third party royalties and 
transaction costs which have reduced due to 
declining revenues. Operating costs in total 
have increased 3% to £9.2m (2017: £8.9m) 
as a result of the additional £1.4m profit 
share payable to River.

This segment became EBITDA loss making 
in 2018 due to declining revenues, the 
new profit share to River coupled with 
fixed administrative costs increasing 5% 
on prior year.

Affiliate Marketing
The Affiliate Marketing business was sold 
in March 2018 for £2.4m after generating 
revenues of £0.2m in 2018 (2017: £1.3m). 
The loss on disposal was £0.1m.

expects to continue to be cash generative 
for 2019. As a result, the Directors consider 
that the Group has adequate resources to 
continue its normal course of operations for 
the foreseeable future. 

Cashflow, Balance Sheet and 
Going Concern
Net cash (note 19) increased by £0.2m in 
2018 (2017: decreased by £1.3m). The 
current year cash position was boosted by 
the sale of the Affiliate Marketing business 
for £2.4m plus the sale of certain B2C RMG 
assets to River for £4.2m cash in 2018. 
The post year end sale agreement with 
River will, subject to completion, generate 
an additional £11.5m, of which £1.5m is 
deferred to 2020.

Net assets totalled £17.7m (2017: £16.4m). 

Dividend
During the year, Gaming Realms did not pay 
an interim or final dividend. The Board of 
Directors are not proposing a final dividend 
for the current year.

Corporation and  
deferred taxation
The Group received £0.1m (2017: £0.4m) in 
research and development credits in Canada 
and has recognised an unwind of deferred 
tax of £0.3m (2017: £0.2m) which arose on 
prior year business combinations.

Following the global high margin opportunities 
in game content licensing and the 2019 sale of 
the remaining B2C RMG segment the Directors 
believe the Group is in a strong position and 

Mark Segal
Chief Financial Officer

27 June 2019

The table below sets out the split of revenue and Adjusted EBITDA on a continuing and discontinued basis:

 Discontinued 

 Continuing 

2018 
Revenue 

Marketing expense 

Operating expense 

Administrative expense 

Share-based payments 

Adjusted EBITDA 

 Real money 
gaming 
 £’000 

 Affiliate
 Marketing 
 £’000 

 Total 
discontinued 
2018 
 £’000 

 Licensing 
 £’000 

 Social 
Publishing 
 £’000 

16,365

(4,319)

(9,170)

(3,324)

–

(448)

168

(15)

(16)

(116)

–

21

16,533

(4,334)

(9,186)

(3,440)

–

(427)

2,248

–

(200)

(1,055)

–

993

3,921

(414)

(1,092)

(861)

–

1,554

 Discontinued 

Continuing

 Real money
 gaming 
 £’000 

22,718

(8,022)

(8,868)

(3,155)

–

2,673

 Affiliate 
Marketing 
 £’000 

1,323

(128)

(76)

(226)

–

893

 Total 
discontinued
 2017 
 £’000 

24,041

(8,150)

(8,944)

(3,381)

–

3,566

 Licensing 
 £’000 

840

–

(25)

(1,036)

–

(221)

 Social 
Publishing 
 £’000 

6,879

(2,171)

(1,755)

(3,010)

–

(57)

2017 
Revenue 

Marketing expense 

Operating expense 

Administrative expense 

Share-based payments 

Adjusted EBITDA 

 Head 
office 
 £’000 

394

(251)

–

(2,738)

(68)

(2,663)

 Head 
office 
 £’000 

179

(110)

–

(2,721)

150

(2,502)

 Total 
continuing
2018
 £’000 

6,563*

(665)

(1,292)

(4,654)

(68)

(116)

 Total 
continuing
2017
 £’000 

7,898*

(2,281)

(1,780)

(6,767)

150

(2,780)

Total 
2018
 £’000

23,096

(4,999)

(10,478)

(8,094)

(68)

(543)

 Total 
2017
 £’000

31,939

(10,431)

(10,724)

(10,148)

150

786

* 

 Licensing revenue includes £389,464 (2017: £291,506) of inter-segment revenue. This is shown as an Operating Expense under the real money gaming segment 
and eliminates on consolidation.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures and exclude exceptional items, interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation. Exceptional items are items the Group 
considers to be non-recurring or material in nature that may distort an understanding of financial performance or impair comparability. See note 5.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance8

Principal Risks and Uncertainties

The Board constantly monitors and assesses risks and uncertainties within the Group’s 
trading activities. There will always be a level of risk that needs to be evaluated against 
the Group’s potential returns in any activity.

RISK

HOW THIS RISK IS MANAGED

The Group has a compliance team to ensure that all regulatory 
guidelines are met in its gambling operations. The Group also 
maintains close legal counsel to advise on any changes to the 
regulatory framework, as well as updates on territories currently 
outside the Group’s activities.

Regulatory and legislation
Online gambling and gaming is subject to a dynamic and complex 
regulatory regime. 

The Group now holds licenses from the Alderney Gambling Control 
Commission, the UK Gambling Commission and a transactional 
waiver for New Jersey Division for Gaming Enforcement whilst it 
seeks a full New Jersey license.

It is key to the Group to maintain compliance with all licenses 
and any new ones that are required. These are critical to the 
continuing operation of the Group’s gambling activities and also 
the production and supply of its unique content into both its 
operations and other third parties.

Failing to complete River transaction
Risk of failing to complete the transaction to sell real money 
gaming platform and Bear Group subsidiary. The Group is reliant  
on the £11.5m proceeds of the transaction in order to fulfil its 
future strategy.

The Company has worked to produce complete applications to the 
Gambling Regulators in order to gain the required regulatory consents 
and is working closely with River on the integration process. If the 
transaction fails to complete, then the Group will receive the £4.2m 
deferred consideration from the transaction completed with River in 
August 2018.

Taxation risk
From the end of 2014, the gaming industry has been subject to 
point of consumption tax in relation to gambling activities within 
the UK. The rate has increased to 21% in April 2019.

Residency
The Group has legal entities in several jurisdictions, including US, 
Canada and Alderney. Its real money gaming operations are based 
in Alderney where there is a zero rate for corporation tax and 
is outside the scope of VAT. If there was a change to the rate of 
corporate tax or VAT in Alderney, it would have an adverse effect 
on the amount of tax payable within the Group.

The Group has entered into an agreement to sell the B2C RMG 
business in 2019 which will remove the Group’s direct exposure 
to point of consumption tax.

The remaining B2B business operates in multiple jurisdictions  
reducing the impact of UK specific tax. The tax liability is bourne  
by the operator.

The Group has undertaken a detailed transfer pricing exercise to 
ensure that revenue and profits are attributed correctly between the 
operating locations and continues to monitor taxation policies in all 
jurisdictions.

Competition
The online and free to play gaming markets are highly competitive 
in North America and the UK. Failure to be able to hold a 
competitive advantage would result in attracting less players 
and have lower engagement on our apps and sites.

In following the Group’s strategy of developing new unique IP and 
content, the Group feels well placed to be able to compete in the 
markets it operates in. It invests significant resource to be able to 
improve its development and operations.

Diverse products and geographies also help to diversify the risk.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 20189

RISK

HOW THIS RISK IS MANAGED

The Group will continue to closely monitor the situation and respond 
as the timing and terms of the UK’s exit from the EU become clearer.

Brexit
On 23 June 2016 the UK voted to leave the EU. This may reduce 
the Group’s ability to operate on an unfettered basis in certain 
EU markets.

The Group, along with other EU based online gaming operators, 
have previously relied on the ability to challenge such protectionist 
measures through the EU Court of Justice (‘CJEU’). In the event that 
the UK was to leave the EU, unless the Group was to re-domicile 
certain of its subsidiaries within the EU, it would no longer be able 
to rely on such protection. Such a re-domiciliation could give rise to 
higher taxes payable.

Time to market
The Group invests highly in technology and bringing new products 
and games to market. A delay in time to market will result in a loss 
of competitive advantage, a loss in potential revenue and also 
increasing cost of development.

The Group has invested highly in having a dual product track to allow 
its products and games to be ready for both licensing and publishing 
exploitation in the same release.

Extensive work is undergone on the planning stage to ensure that 
timeframes can be met, and products go live at the highest standard.

Dependence on technology
As a provider of online gambling services, the Group’s business is 
reliant on technology and advanced information systems. If the 
Group does not invest in the maintenance and further development 
of its technology systems, there is a risk that these systems may 
not cope with the needs of the business and may fail. The Group 
is reliant on the Internet and is vulnerable to activities such as 
distributed denial of service attacks, other forms of cyber-crime 
and a wide range of malicious viruses.

Dependence on third-party service providers
The Group engages with a number of providers of non-proprietary 
third-party games and payment processing services, as well as 
other important service providers. In the event that there is any 
interruption to the products or services provided by third parties, 
problems in supplying the products, one or more ceased to be 
provided or are provided on onerous terms to the Group, this may 
have an adverse effect on the Group’s business and performance.

The team
The ability to carry out the Groups strategy is dependent on 
the engagement of its senior management team, its technology, 
marketing and operations teams. The Group operates with a small 
team across three main locations.

If key employees leave, there is a risk of loss of knowledge. 

The Group continues to invest in its proprietary platform to ensure the 
necessary features and functionality meet partner needs. In addition, 
it has adopted industry standard protections to detect intrusions or 
other security breaches and implements preventative measures to 
protect against sabotage, hackers, viruses and other cyber-crime.

The Group also holds relevant insurance to cover against this.

The Group uses reliable industry suppliers and ensures that contractual 
agreements with key partners offer adequate protection.

The Group continues to invest in its employees to ensure that it can 
attract, recruit and maintain a high-quality team.

The 2018 Strategic Report on pages 1 to 9, has been approved by the Board of Directors.

On behalf of the Board

Michael Buckley   
Chairman 

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

27 June 2019 

27 June 2019

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
10

Board of Directors and Executive Management

An accomplished team

Board of Directors

MB

Michael Buckley
Non-Executive Chairman

PS

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

MS

Mark Segal
Chief Financial Officer

Michael Buckley was Chairman of Cashcade, 
which he founded with Patrick Southon and 
Simon Collins in 2000. Cashcade became 
a leading UK-based online gaming company 
prior to its sale to PartyGaming plc in 2009 
for an aggregate sale consideration of £96m 
for shareholders.

Michael has invested in and been Chairman 
of a number of public companies. These 
include SelecTV plc, a producer of comedy 
and comedy drama series for television such 
as Lovejoy, Birds of a Feather and The New 
Statesman. SelecTV invested in a consortium 
which in 1991 won the franchise to create 
Meridian Television of which Michael was 
a founding Director. He was also Chairman 
of Pacific Media plc, which invested in a 
number of internet backbone companies 
in Asia during the 1990s as well as creating 
a chain of movie theatres in South East Asia 
in partnership with United Artists Theatre 
Circuit Inc. Michael has held other public 
and private company directorships, having 
obtained a professional qualification as 
a chartered accountant in the UK.

SC

Simon Collins
Non-Executive Director

Simon Collins was the co-founder and 
Commercial Director of Cashcade. He 
formed a range of profitable B2B and affiliate 
relationships for Cashcade and was an early 
adopter of both search engine and social 
network marketing in the monetised digital 
gaming space. In 2008 and 2009, Cashcade 
featured in The Sunday Times Top 20 fastest 
growing technology companies and the 
business won numerous other industry 
awards. Following the sale of Cashcade, 
Simon remained at bwin.party until April 
2011, where he focused on innovation, 
research and development as well as the 
ongoing development of Cashcade’s brand 
in the social networking space. Since leaving 
bwin.party, Simon joined Patrick Southon 
in founding NewGame, an investment fund 
focusing on innovation within the gambling 
sector.

Patrick Southon has been working within 
the online gambling sector for the last 
18 years. He is particularly focused on 
marketing, brand building and media buying. 
Patrick was Managing Director of Cashcade 
and Managing Partner of NewGame an 
investment fund focusing on innovation 
within the gambling sector. His marketing 
expertise allowed Cashcade to build a 
distinctive and prominent brand identity 
around, among others, its flagship ‘Foxy 
Bingo’ brand and turned the company into 
one of the most effective advertisers on 
British television. Based on research by TNS, 
Marketing Magazine cited Foxy Bingo as 
having the best value television advertising 
between 2008 and 2010.

Mark Segal joined Gaming Realms in May 
2013 having left bwin.party as Finance 
Director for the bingo vertical. Previous to 
that Mark was Finance Director of Cashcade 
until it was acquired by PartyGaming plc 
in July 2009. Mark was responsible for the 
full finance function, including commercial 
negotiations, business intelligence and 
operational support in the business, and was 
involved in the sale to PartyGaming plc and 
acquisition by Cashcade of Independent 
Technology Ventures in July 2007. Prior to 
joining Cashcade, in May 2005, Mark spent 
five years at the accountancy firm Martin 
Greene Ravden, where he qualified as 
a chartered accountant in 2003.

MW

Mark Wilson
Non-Executive Director

Mark Wilson is a strategic adviser and 
investor in media, gaming and real estate. 
Mark has held multiple senior leadership 
positions, serving as CEO of Television Games 
Network, Executive Chairman of Music 
Choice International, President of Hubbard 
Enterprises, Managing Member of New 
Mexico Gaming LLC, and General Counsel 
and Corporate Secretary of Churchill Downs. 
He received a Juris Doctorate from the 
University of Louisville.

JR

Jim Ryan
Non-Executive Director

Jim Ryan is the CEO of Pala Interactive, LLC 
a real money gambling operator focused 
on the US regulated online gaming market. 
Prior to Pala Interactive, Jim was the Co-CEO 
of bwin.party digital entertainment plc. 
He has spent the last 14 years of his career 
in leadership roles within the online gaming 
sector. Jim has led a number of the industry’s 
largest merger and acquisition transactions 
which include the merger of PartyGaming plc 
and bwin, the acquisitions of Cashcade (Foxy 
Bingo) and the World Poker Tour and the 
sale of St Minver Limited to GTECH. Jim held 
senior posts at four publicly listed companies. 
In addition to his role of CEO of PartyGaming 
plc and Co-CEO of bwin.party digital 
entertainment plc he was President and Chief 
Executive Officer of Excapsa Software Inc. 
and as Chief Financial Officer of CryptoLogic 
Inc. and Chief Financial Officer of SXC Health 
Solutions Corp and was CEO of St. Minver 
Limited. Jim also held senior management 
posts at Procuron Inc., Metcan Information 
Technologies Inc. and Epson Canada Limited. 
Educated at Brock University (Goodman 
School of Business) in Ontario, Canada, 
where he obtained a business degree with 
first class honours, Jim obtained professional 
qualifications as a chartered accountant 
and certified public accountant from the 
Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Financial Statements

11

Executive Management

SD

Stephen Downer
Chief Operating Officer

JB

Jonny Bennet
Chief Product Officer

Stephen Downer has more than fifteen 
years of experience in online gaming. As 
Director of Gaming at Sky Bet for ten years, 
he launched and ran Sky Vegas, Sky Poker 
and Sky Bingo until 2012. A year later, 
Stephen led Betfair’s online casino launch 
in New Jersey, and more recently managed 
Betfair’s regulated sports betting and gaming 
businesses in Spain, Denmark and Bulgaria.

PT

Philip Tuck
Business Intelligence 
Director

Philip Tuck is a specialist in algorithmic 
development, machine learning, predictive 
modelling, database management/
construction and behavioural science within 
the real money gambling and social gaming 
space. He brings a consistent track record 
of delivering algorithmic CRM systems, 
managing analytics platforms and utilising 
ROI focused BI across a wide range of gaming 
products and companies, including Betfair, 
Ladbrokes and Gaming Realms, and is a 
regular speaker on the gaming and data 
conference circuit.

Jonny creates and leads, high performing, 
agile, cross functional teams. He has 
over 10 years experience working in the 
online gambling sector, across marketing, 
operations and product delivery. He began 
his career at Ladbrokes, before moving to 
be part of the founding team at marketing 
agency, Quickthink Media. Following the 
acquisition of Quickthink Media by Gaming 
Realms in 2014, he led Gaming Realms B2C/
B2B UK casino team before becoming CPO 
where he now leads the product strategy 
and tech delivery across its global real money 
gaming and content distribution platforms 
and Slingo Originals games studio.

TD

Tom Dyson
Operational Director 
of Bear Group Limited

Tom has 10 years’ experience in the gaming 
industry. Having led sales teams at Gambling 
Compliance and ProgressPlay, he took on 
the role of Commercial Director at Nektan 
gaining significant operational experience for 
a B2B/B2C operator. More recently Tom held 
the role of Commercial Director for Optibid, 
a gambling focused digital marketing agency 
where he managed Account Management 
and Sales Teams servicing multiple UK 
facing casino, bingo and sportsbook brands 
before replacing Paul Munro as Managing 
Director for Bear Group in Alderney leading 
the marketing and operational strategy for 
the RMG business within Gaming Realms. 

Strategic ReportCorporate Governance12

Directors’ Report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

The Directors present their Annual Report together with the audited 
financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018.

The Group is dependent on the receipt of deferred consideration 
due following the August 2018 disposal of brands to River, or the 
completion of the proposed sale of the remaining B2C RMG business. 

Principal activities
The Group’s principal activities during the year continued to be that 
of an online casino operator, platform and content developer, licensor 
and the provision and marketing of interactive casino services to 
customers in the UK and Social Publishing on mobile to customers  
in the US and Europe. 

These financial statements present the results of the Group for the 
year ended 31 December 2018.

Names of Directors and dates of any changes
The Directors who served during the year and to the date of this 
report were:

 » Michael Buckley 

 » Jim Ryan

 » Patrick Southon 

 » Mark Wilson

 » Mark Segal 

 » Atul Bali (resigned June 2018)

 » Simon Collins 

 » Chris Bell (resigned June 2018)

 » Chris Ash (appointed 6 June 2019)

Results and dividends
The results for the year are set out on page 21. The Company will 
not be paying a dividend this year.

Post balance sheet events
On 21 February 2019 Gaming Realms Plc entered into an agreement 
(‘Transaction’) with River to sell the remaining B2C RMG operations 
via the sale of its subsidiary Bear Group Ltd, subject to regulatory 
approvals.

The Board appointed Chris Ash as a Non-Executive Director  
on 6 June 2019.

Going concern
Under company law, the Company’s Directors are required to consider 
whether it is appropriate to prepare financial statements on the basis 
that the Group and Company are a going concern. 

The Group meets its day-to-day working capital requirements from 
the cash flows generated by its trading activities and its available cash 
resources. These are supplemented when required by the Group’s 
bank overdraft facility, which is available until August 2019. 

Whilst there are a number of risks to the Group’s trading performance, 
as summarised on page 8, the Group is confident of its ability to 
continue to access sources of funding in the medium term. The Group’s 
strategic forecasts, based on reasonable assumptions, indicate that 
the Group should be able to operate within the level of its currently 
available facilities. After making enquiries and after consideration of 
the Group’s existing operations, cash flow forecasts and assessment 
of business, regulatory and financing risks, the potential risks and 
impacts of Brexit, the directors have a reasonable expectation that 
the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue 
in operational existence for the foreseeable future. 

As of the date of approval of these financial statements, the proposed 
sale of the remaining B2C RMG business to River is yet to complete. 
If this sale does not go through as planned, £4.2m is still receivable 
under the original 2018 sale and is due in August 2019. The Group’s 
facility with its banker expires in August 2019. As such, if there is a 
material delay in either the completion of the sale of the remaining 
B2C RMG business or the receipt of the £4.2m deferred consideration, 
alternative funding arrangements would be required in the interim 
which are not yet in place. This therefore represents a material 
uncertainty which may cast significant doubt over the Group’s 
ability to continue as a going concern.

Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in 
preparing the Annual Report and Accounts.

Disclosures to auditors
The Directors who held office at the date of approval of this 
Directors’ Report confirm that, so far as they are aware, there is 
no relevant audit information of which the Company’s auditor is 
unaware; and each Director has taken steps that ought to have been 
taken as a Director to make themselves aware of any relevant audit 
information and to establish that the Company’s auditor is aware of 
that information.

BDO LLP, have expressed their willingness to continue in office and 
a resolution to reappoint them will be proposed for the Annual 
General Meeting in accordance with Section 489 of the Companies 
Act 2006.

Financial instruments
Details of the Group’s financial risk management objectives and 
policies are included in note 24 to the financial statements. 

Research and development
The Group maintains its level of investment in software development 
activities. In the opinion of the directors, continued investment in this 
area is essential to strengthen the Group’s market position and for 
future growth 

During the year the Group claimed Research and Development relief 
as per note 12.

Future developments
Future developments are discussed in the Chairman’s Statement 
on page 4 and in the Chief Executive’s Review on page 5.

This directors report was approved on behalf of the Board on 
27 June 2019 and signed on its behalf by

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

27 June 2019

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201813

Website publication
The Directors are responsible for ensuring the Annual Report 
and the financial statements are made available on a website. 
Financial statements are published on the Company’s website in 
accordance with legislation in the UK governing the preparation 
and dissemination of financial statements, which may vary from 
legislation in other jurisdictions. The maintenance and integrity 
of the Company’s website is the responsibility of the Directors. 
The Directors’ responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity 
of the financial statements contained therein.

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities

The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and 
the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and 
regulations. 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements 
for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have elected 
to prepare the Group financial statements in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted by the 
European Union and the company financial statements in accordance 
with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United 
Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law. Under company 
law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless 
they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of 
affairs of the Group and Company and of the profit or loss of the 
Group for that period. The Directors are also required to prepare 
financial statements in accordance with the rules of the London 
Stock Exchange for companies trading securities on the Alternative 
Investment Market (‘AIM’).

In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to:

 » select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

 » make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and 

prudent; 

 » state whether they have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as 
adopted by the European Union, subject to any material departures 
disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

 » prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless 

it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue 
in business.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting 
records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company’s 
transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the 
financial position of the Company and enable them to ensure that the 
financial statements comply with the requirements of the Companies 
Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the 
Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention 
and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance14

Corporate Governance

Chairman’s Introduction
The Directors recognise the importance of good corporate governance and have chosen to apply the Quoted Companies Alliance Corporate 
Governance Code (the ‘QCA Code’), which it did so during the last financial year. The QCA Code was developed by the QCA in consultation 
with a number of significant institutional small company investors, as an alternative corporate governance code applicable to AIM companies. 
The underlying principle of the QCA Code is that ‘the purpose of good corporate governance is to ensure that the company is managed in an 
efficient, effective and entrepreneurial manner for the benefit of all shareholders over the longer term’. The Group is not in compliance with all 
aspects of the Code due to the size and relative stage of development of the business, but remains committed to developing its compliance 
position over time as the business grows and matures. The Group is not yet in compliance with the Code principle 7. This will be addressed at 
the next review of the Code in Q4 2019, given the Group’s size and plans for the future, it will also endeavour to have regard to the provisions 
of the UK Corporate Governance Code as best practice guidance to the extent appropriate for a company of its size and nature. To see how 
the Company addresses the key governance principles defined in the QCA Code please refer to the Company’s website and the below table. 
(The Company has not prepared an official Chairman’s corporate governance statement).

The principles of the Quoted Company Alliance (QCA) Code 

QCA Code Principle

What we do and why

1.  Establish a strategy 
and business model 
which promote 
long-term value for 
shareholders

The Company develops, publishes and licenses mobile real money and social games. Through its market 
leading mobile platform and unique IP and brands, Gaming Realms is bringing together media, entertainment 
and gaming assets in new game formats. Our goal is to try to beat the market by investing in unique content 
and relationships with partners.

We do that through:

 » Investing in unique mobile content and features on our gaming platform; 

 » Investing with discipline, because we are able to test new opportunities before we roll them out; 

 » Using data and technology to continuously improve. We are able to AB test all developments in games and 

platform and able to deploy only the best; and

 » We generate revenue by licensing our unique gaming content and Slingo brand to online real money gaming 

operators, social publishing operators and landbased gambling games manufacturers. 

Key challenges in implementing the strategy:

 » Regulatory framework is continually changing for Gambling which requires constant updates and development 

work per territory

 » Continuing to create best in class Games to licence to operators

 » Having technical resource to integrate the games onto Client sites

2.  Seek to understand 

and meet shareholder 
needs and expectations

Please refer to our website for further details on how we comply with this requirement of the QCA code:  
http://www.gamingrealms.com/wp-content/uploads/GMR_Changes_to_corporate_governance_
regime_092018.pdf

3.  Take into account 

wider stakeholder and 
social responsibilities 
and their implications 
for long-term success

4.  Embed effective 

risk management, 
considering both 
opportunities and 
threats, throughout 
the organisation

Please refer to our website for further details on how we comply with this requirement of the QCA code:  
http://www.gamingrealms.com/wp-content/uploads/GMR_Changes_to_corporate_governance_
regime_092018.pdf

The Board recognises that maintaining sound controls and discipline is critical to managing the downside risks 
to our plan. 

To continue the improvement in this area we are adding to our existing controls department, expanding the 
compliance teams to ensure we remain compliant with regulations in all territories we will be working in and 
continued tight control on investment as we continue to develop the platform and the games content.

Both the Board and senior managers are responsible for reviewing and evaluating risk and the Executive 
Directors meet at least monthly to review ongoing trading performance, discuss budgets and forecasts and 
new risks associated with ongoing trading.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201815

QCA Code Principle

What we do and why

5.  Maintain the Board 

as a well-functioning, 
balanced team led by 
the chair

The Board comprises the Non-Executive Chairman, two Executive Directors and three Non-Executive Directors. 
Michael Buckley, the Non-Executive Chairman, is responsible for the running of the Board and Patrick Southon, 
the Chief Executive Officer, has executive responsibility for running the Group’s business and implementing 
Group strategy.

The Directors considered to be independent are Michael Buckley, Jim Ryan and Mark Wilson. Simon Collins was 
considered to be independent post the sale of the B2C real money gaming brands to River in August 2018. He 
has become a full-time employee of River and is now not an executive of the Group.

Key Board activities this year included: 

 » Input into the accelerating growth plan; 

 » Considered our financial and non-financial policies; 

 » Discussed strategic priorities, including disposal during the year; and 

 » Discussed the Group’s capital structure and financial strategy – Reviewed the Group risk register, including 

Compliance – Reviewed feedback from shareholders post full and half year results.

The Board is supported by the Audit, Remuneration and Nominations Committees. The Committees’ roles 
and members are available on the Company’s website.

During the year there were 13 Board meetings. Attendance records were:

Board member

Michael Buckley

Patrick Southon

Mark Segal

Jim Ryan

Mark Wilson

Simon Collins

Atul Bali*

Chris Bell*

Meetings 
attended

12

12

12

9

9

10

5

5

*  Both Atul Bali and Chris Bell resigned during the year and were not eligible to attend all 13 meetings

6.  Ensure that between 
them the Directors 
have the necessary 
up-to-date experience, 
skills and capabilities

The Board is satisfied that, between the Directors, it has an effective and appropriate balance of skills and 
experience, including in the areas of international online gambling, international licensing, finance, innovation, 
and marketing. All Directors receive regular and timely information on the Group’s operational and financial 
performance. Relevant information is circulated to the Directors in advance of meetings. The business reports 
monthly on its headline performance against its agreed budget, and the Board reviews the monthly update on 
performance and any significant variances are reviewed at each meeting.

The Board makes decisions regarding the appointment and removal of Directors, and there is a formal, rigorous 
and transparent procedure for appointments.

Full details of the Board members and their experience and skills can be found on page 10 of the 2018 Annual 
Report or via the Investor link on Gaming Realms plc’s website.

The Board has not sought external advice on any significant matter, apart from advice sought in the normal 
course of business from our auditors, lawyers and tax compliance advice. No external advisors have been 
engaged by the Board of Directors, except as noted above.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance16

Corporate Governance
continued

QCA Code Principle

What we do and why

7.  Evaluate Board 
performance 
based on clear and 
relevant objectives, 
seeking continuous 
improvement

To date, the Board has not had a formal effectiveness review, but intends to carry one out once the roles 
which are currently being recruited are filled.

The Chairman will be undertaking a rolling assessment of the individual contributions of each of the members 
of the team to ensure that:

 » their contribution is relevant and effective; 

 » that they are committed; and 

 » where relevant, they have maintained their independence – That there is succession planning for Board 

members.

Going forward, appraisals will be carried out each year with all Executive Directors.

8.  Promote a culture that 
is based on ethical 
values and behaviours

Gaming Realms takes its ethical values very seriously and, in particular, being in the gaming sector the areas of 
promoting responsible gaming and preventing underage gaming. Staff undergo regular training and processes 
are in place to ensure correct practice.

The culture of the Group is to put the customer, supplier, shareholder and people first. We believe in long-term 
partnerships in all these areas and work to maintain strong relationships.

There is a requirement to include in the Chairman’s corporate governance statement what the Board does to 
monitor and promote a healthy corporate culture. We have not provided a chairman’s corporate governance 
statement but will look to publish such a statement in the future.

Please refer to our website for further details on how we comply with this requirement of the QCA code:  
http://www.gamingrealms.com/wp-content/uploads/ GMR_Changes_to_corpotate_governance_
regime_092018.pdf

The Company communicates with shareholders through the Annual Report and Accounts, full-year and half-
year announcements, the Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’) and one-to-one meetings with large existing or 
potential new shareholders. 

The Board receives regular updates on the views of shareholders through briefings and reports from the 
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and the Company’s brokers. The Company communicates with 
institutional investors through briefings with management. 

In addition, analysts’ notes and brokers’ briefings are reviewed to achieve a wide understanding of investors’ 
views. The Company completes regular employee surveys to maintain an open dialogue with employees.

There is a requirement to prepare both an Audit Committee report and a Remuneration report. These have 
not been done in this report but we will look to publish such reports in the future.

9.  Maintain governance 

structures and 
processes that are 
fit for purpose and 
support good decision-
making by the Board

10.  Communicate 

how the Company 
is governed and 
is performing 
by maintaining 
a dialogue with 
shareholders and 
other relevant 
stakeholders

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201817

Board committees 
The Board is supported by the Audit and Remuneration committees. 
Each committee has access to such resources, information and advice 
as it deems necessary, at the cost of the Company, to enable the 
committee to discharge its duties. 

The Audit Committee have the primary responsibility of monitoring 
the quality of internal controls and ensuring that the financial 
performance of the Group is properly measured and reported on. 
It will receive and review reports from the Group’s management 
and external auditors relating to the interim and annual accounts 
and the accounting and internal control systems in use throughout 
the Group. The Audit Committee will meet not less than twice in 
each financial year and will have unrestricted access to the Group’s 
external auditors. The Audit Committee is chaired by Jim Ryan and 
also comprises Simon Collins and Michael Buckley. 

The Remuneration Committee review the performance of the 
executive directors and make recommendations to the Board on 
matters relating to their remuneration and terms of service. The 
Remuneration Committee also make recommendations to the Board 
on proposals for the granting of share options and other equity 
incentives pursuant to any employee share option scheme or equity 
incentive plans in operation from time to time. The Remuneration 
Committee meet as and when necessary. In exercising this role, the 
directors shall have regard to the recommendations put forward in 
the QCA Guidelines and, where appropriate, the Combined Code 
guidelines. The Remuneration Committee is chaired by Mark Wilson 
and comprises Jim Ryan and Michael Buckley. 

The Company will continue review the corporate governance 
framework as the business grows.

Roles of the Board, Chairman  
and Chief Executive Officer
The Board is responsible for the long-term success of the Company. 
There is a formal schedule of matters reserved to the Board. It is 
responsible for overall Group strategy; approval of major investments 
(whether Capex or Opex); approval of the annual and interim results; 
annual budgets; dividend policy; and Board structure. It monitors the 
exposure to key business risks and reviews the strategic direction of 
all trading subsidiaries, their annual budgets and their performance 
in relation to those budgets. There is a clear division of responsibility 
at the head of the Company. The Chairman is responsible for running 
the business of the Board and for ensuring appropriate strategic focus 
and direction. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for proposing 
the strategic focus to the Board, implementing it once it has been 
approved and overseeing the management of the Company through 
the Executive Team. 

All Directors receive regular and timely information on the Group’s 
operational and financial performance. Relevant information is 
circulated to the Directors in advance of meetings. The business 
reports monthly on its headline performance against its agreed 
budget, and the Board reviews the monthly update on performance 
and any significant variances are reviewed at each meeting. Senior 
executives below Board level maybe invited to attend Board meetings 
where appropriate to present business updates. Board meetings 
throughout the year are held at the Company’s Head Office in 
London. 

Executive Team 
The Executive Team consists of Patrick Southon and Mark Segal with 
input from the vertical directors and teams. They are responsible for 
formulation of the proposed strategic focus for submission to the 
Board, the day-to-day management of the Group’s businesses and its 
overall trading, operational and financial performance in fulfilment 
of that strategy, as well as plans and budgets approved by the Board 
of Directors. It also manages and oversees key risks, management 
development and corporate responsibility programmes. The Chief 
Executive Officer reports to the plc Board on issues, progress and 
recommendations for change. The controls applied by the Executive 
Team to financial and non-financial matters are set out earlier in 
this document, and the effectiveness of these controls is regularly 
reported to the Audit Committee and the Board. 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance18

Independent Auditors’ Report  
to the Members of Gaming Realms plc

Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Gaming Realms plc (the 
‘Parent Company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) for the year ended 
31 December 2018 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of 
Comprehensive Income, the Consolidated and Company Statement 
of Financial Position, the Consolidated and Company Statement of 
Changes in Equity, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and 
notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant 
accounting policies. 

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the 
preparation of the Group financial statements is applicable law and 
International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted by 
the European Union. The financial reporting framework that has 
been applied in the preparation of the Parent Company financial 
statements is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting 
Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 101 Reduced 
Disclosure Framework (United Kingdom Generally Accepted 
Accounting Practice).

In our opinion:

 » the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the 

Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs as at 31 December 2018 
and of the Group’s profit for the year then ended;

 » the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in 

accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;

 » the Parent Company financial statements have been properly 

prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted 
Accounting Practice; and

 » the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 

the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards 
on Auditing (UK) (‘ISAs’ (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities 
under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s 
responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our 
report. We are independent of the Group and the Parent Company 
in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our 
audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical 
Standard as applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other 
ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We 
believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and 
appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Material uncertainty in relation to going concern 
We draw attention to note 1 in the financial statements which 
explains that the business is dependent on the receipt of the deferred 
consideration due following the disposal of brands to River, or the 
completion of the proposed sale of the remainder of the Group’s 
real money gaming business to the same purchaser to enable it 
to continue as a going concern. The matters referred to in note 1 
indicate that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant 
doubt on the Group and Company’s ability to continue as a going 
concern. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter. 

Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional 
judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financial 
statements of the current period and include the most significant 
assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) 
we identified, including those which had the greatest effect on: the 
overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the audit; and 
directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters were 

addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as 
a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide 
a separate opinion on these matters.

Revenue recognition (with reference to note 1)
Key audit matter 
The group has a number of revenue streams, as summarised in 
note 1 to the financial statements. The details of the accounting 
policies applied during the period are given in note 1 to the financial 
statements. 

During the year the Group adopted IFRS 15 (Revenue from Contracts 
with Customers). 

Management make certain judgements around revenue recognition 
and the treatment of contractual arrangements for revenue streams 
entered into, including consideration of where the Group is acting as 
agent or principal with end users. 

Licencing revenues include a number of significant revenues where 
agreements are multi-year and involve IP or content licencing and/
or minimum guarantees or uncertain future events, which will impact 
the timing and extent of revenue recognition. 

Our response
We assessed whether the revenue recognition policies adopted by 
the group comply with IFRS and Industry standards. As part of this we 
obtained and challenged management’s paper on the impact of IFRS 
15 on the revenue recognition and policies adopted.

We reviewed a sample of key contracts entered into during the year 
to assess whether the revenue had been recognised in accordance 
with the group’s accounting policy, to assess the critical estimates 
and judgements, and whether any other terms within the contract 
had any material accounting or disclosure implications.

We challenged the significant judgements relating to revenue in 
the licencing segment, where recognition was based on uncertain 
future events, and considered the disclosure of these milestones and 
judgements in the financial statements. 

Based on the work performed we consider that revenue has been 
recognised appropriately and in accordance with the group’s revenue 
recognition accounting policy.

Impairment of intangible assets  
(with reference to note 14)
Key audit matter 
In accordance with accounting standards, the group monitors the 
carrying value of goodwill and other intangible assets for indications 
of impairment. 

Recoverable amount is the higher or value in use and fair value less 
cost to sell. The group performs annual impairment reviews for each 
CGU. 

Following certain disposals in the year, management reviewed the 
allocation of some shared assets between CGUs, including Slingo IP 
and historic goodwill. 

Impairment reviews require significant judgement from management 
and are based on assumptions in respect of future profitability. The 
identification of each CGU and allocation of assets and liabilities 
between CGUs require significant judgement from management.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201819

Our response
We considered whether there were any indications of impairment 
in respect of intangible assets. 

Recoverable amount was based on value in use. The audit team 
challenged the appropriateness of the key assumptions used in the 
discounted cash flow models prepared by management and applied 
sensitivities to assess the potential impairment of goodwill and those 
assets where indications of impairment were present. Our work was 
based on our assessment of the historical accuracy of the group’s 
estimates in previous periods, our understanding of the commercial 
prospects of the assets, discussions with managements surrounding 
the future plans for the operation, identification and analysis of 
changes in assumptions from prior periods and an assessment of the 
consistency of assumptions across the impairment reviews.

We reviewed the methodology of the reallocation of goodwill and 
intangibles to CGUs following disposals in the year and challenged 
management on its appropriateness. 

We considered the appropriateness of the related disclosures 
provided in the group financial statements in light of the 
requirements of the accounting standards.

Based on the procedures performed, we concur with management’s 
assessment of recoverable amounts and consider the disclosures to 
be appropriate.

Capitalisation of development costs  
(with reference to note 14)
Key audit matter 
The group has material expenditure on the internal development 
of intangible software assets. Such expenditure should only be 
capitalised when it qualifies under the criteria of the accounting 
standards and as such this is an area of judgement. 

Our response
We assessed the design and implementation of the controls over the 
group’s capitalisation cycles. 

Our response
We obtained management’s calculations of the profit on disposal 
of certain elements of the real money gaming segment. We agreed 
that the accounting was in line with the disposal agreements. Where 
proceeds were based on future results of the operation we obtained 
management forecasts and challenged the assumptions supporting 
the forecast, including growth rates and marketing assumptions.

We obtained management’s consideration of the carrying value of the 
investment in River UK Casino and the contingent consideration as 
at the year end and audited the underlying trading forecasts used to 
determine the values. 

We obtained management’s assessment of the goodwill allocation, 
following the partial disposal of the B2C RMG CGU and challenged 
the fair value estimates applied to each element and inputs to these 
calculations, which were either based on value in use or fair value less 
cost to sell approaches.

We challenged the basis that the remaining B2C RMG operations 
were held for sale by the year end and obtained supporting evidence 
including agreed heads of terms with the potential purchaser which 
were signed pre-year end.

Based on our work, we noted no significant issues in this area.

Our application of materiality
We apply the concept of materiality both in planning and performing 
our audit, and in evaluating the effect of misstatements. We consider 
materiality to be the magnitude by which misstatements, including 
omissions, could influence the economic decisions of reasonable 
users that are taken on the basis of the financial statements. In order 
to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that any 
misstatements exceed materiality, we use a lower materiality level, 
performance materiality, to determine the extent of testing needed. 
Importantly, misstatements below these levels will not necessarily 
be evaluated as immaterial as we also take account of the nature of 
identified misstatements, and the particular circumstances of their 
occurrence, when evaluating their effect on the financial statements 
as a whole.

We assessed whether the capitalisation policies adopted by the group 
comply with IFRS and the identified useful lives were in line with our 
expectations and comparable entities.

We agreed a sample of costs capitalised in the year to source 
documentation to check that they met the criteria of the accounting 
standards.

We consider Revenue to be the most appropriate performance 
measure for the basis of materiality in respect of the audit of the 
group, given the stage of development of the Groups’ operations 
and the loss in the year. 

Using this benchmark, we set materiality at £270k (2017: £324k) 
being 1.2% (2017: 1%) of Revenue. 

This also included challenging the project analysis provided by 
management to check that the projects capitalised met the criteria 
of the standards. 

Based on the work performed we consider that costs have been 
capitalised in accordance with the group’s accounting policy.

Materiality in respect of the audit of the Parent Company has been 
set at £256k (2017: £308k) using a benchmark of 2% total assets, 
limited to 95% of group materiality (2017: 2% total assets, limited 
to 95% of group materiality). We consider total assets to be the 
most appropriate measure for the basis of materiality as the Parent 
Company is a holding company.

Disposal of B2C Real Money Gaming operations 
(with reference to note 20)
Key audit matter 
The Group has disposed of certain elements of its real money gaming 
segment during the year. Further to this, management have judged 
that the remainder of the real money gaming segment had either met 
the definition of held for sale as at the year end or where retained the 
element relating to goodwill has been reclassified to the Licensing 
CGU.

As a result of the above, management have made a number of 
judgements and estimates in respect of the amounts recorded in the 
income statement and balance sheet and the allocation between 
continuing and discontinuing operations. 

Performance materiality was set at 75% of materiality for both the 
group and parent company audits. In setting the level of performance 
materiality we considered a number of factors including the expected 
total value of known and likely misstatements (based on past 
experience and other factors) and management’s attitude towards 
proposed adjustments.

Component materiality
We set materiality for each component of the group, other than the 
parent company, in a range of 10-75% of materiality. 

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to 
the Committee all audit differences individually in excess of £13k 
(2017: £16k). We also agreed to report differences below this 
threshold that, in our view, warranted reporting on qualitative 
grounds. 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance20

Independent Auditors’ Report
to the Members of Gaming Realms plc continued

An overview of the scope of our audit
Our group audit was scoped by obtaining an understanding of the 
group and its environment, including the group’s system of internal 
control, and assessing the risks of material misstatement in the 
financial statements at the group level. 

In determining the scope of our audit we considered the level of  
work to be performed at each component in order to ensure 
sufficient assurance was gained to allow us to express an opinion 
on the financial statements of the group as a whole. We tailored  
the extent of the work to be performed on each component, which 
was performed by the group audit team, based on our assessment  
of the risk of material misstatement at each component. 

The Group consists of the parent company and 7 subsidiaries. Four 
of the subsidiaries were considered to be significant components and 
along with the parent company were subject to a full scope audit 
by the group audit team. These procedures covered 100% of revenue, 
100% of profit before tax and 97% of total assets. Other components 
not considered significant were subject to desktop review by the 
group audit team. 

Other information
The Directors are responsible for the other information. The other 
information comprises the information included in the Annual Report 
and Accounts other than the financial statements and our auditor’s 
report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not 
cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise 
explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of 
assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our 
responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, 
consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent 
with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit 
or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such 
material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we 
are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement 
in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other 
information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude 
that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are 
required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the 
Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course  
of the audit:

 » the information given in the strategic report and the Directors’ report 
for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared 
is consistent with the financial statements; and

 » the strategic report and the Directors’ report have been prepared 

in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report  
by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group and the 
Parent Company and its environment obtained in the course of the 
audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic 
report or the Directors’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in 
relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to 
you if, in our opinion:

 » adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns 

adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not 
visited by us; or

 » the Parent Company financial statements are not in agreement with 

the accounting records and returns; or

 » certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are 

not made; or 

 » we have not received all the information and explanations we require 

for our audit.

Responsibilities of Directors
As explained more fully in the Directors’ responsibilities statement 
set out on page 13, the Directors are responsible for the preparation 
of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true 
and fair view, and for such internal control as the Directors determine 
is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are 
free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible 
for assessing the Group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to continue 
as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going 
concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the 
Directors either intend to liquidate the Group or the Parent Company 
or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the 
financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 
financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, 
whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report 
that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level 
of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in 
accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement 
when it exists.

Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered 
material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably 
be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on 
the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the 
financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s 
website : www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description 
forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report
This report is made solely to the Parent Company’s members, as 
a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies 
Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might 
state to the Parent Company’s members those matters we are 
required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other 
purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or 
assume responsibility to anyone other than the Parent Company and 
the Parent Company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this 
report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Dominic Stammers (senior statutory auditor)
For and on behalf of BDO LLP, statutory auditor 
London, UK

27 June 2019

BDO LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales 
(with registered number OC305127).

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the year ended 31 December 2018

Continuing 

Revenue 

Marketing expenses 

Operating expenses 

Administrative expenses 

Impairment of financial asset 

Share-based payments 

Adjusted EBITDA1 total 

Adjusted EBITDA – discontinued 

Adjusted EBITDA – continuing 

Impairment of financial asset 

Restructuring costs 

EBITDA* continuing 

Amortisation of intangible assets 

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 

Impairment of goodwill 

Finance expense 

Finance income 

Loss before tax 

Tax credit 

Loss for the financial year – continuing 

Profit/(Loss) for the financial year – discontinued 

Profit/(Loss) for the financial year – total 

Other comprehensive income 

Items that will or may be reclassified to profit or loss: 

Fair value gain on available for sale assets (pre 31 Dec 2017) 

Exchange gain/(loss) arising on translation of foreign operations 

Total other comprehensive income 

Total comprehensive income 

Profit/(loss) attributable to: 

Owners of the parent 

Non-controlling interest 

Total comprehensive income attributable to: 

Owners of the parent 

Non-controlling interest 

(Loss)/gain per share 

Basic and diluted – continuing 

Basic and diluted – discontinued 

Basic and diluted – total 

21

Note

2018
 £ 

2017
 £ 

3

6,173,196

7,606,110

(665,363)

(2,280,855)

(901,807)

(1,487,905)

(4,870,226)

(7,502,371)

(228,451)

(67,824)

–

4,810

(542,911)

786,402 

427,242

(3,566,356)

(115,669)

(2,779,954)

(228,451)

(216,355)

–

(880,257)

(560,475)

(3,660,211)

(3,535,972)

(4,292,283)

(145,269)

(173,638)

(1,650,000)

–

(576,107)

(752,600)

419,894

239,603

(6,047,929)

(8,639,129)

412,987

612,903

(5,634,942)

(8,026,226)

29

28

5

20

29

5

14

16

14

11

11

12

20

6,564,246

(201,441)

929,304

(8,227,667)

15

– 

207,222 

491,611

491,611

(1,022,056)

(814,834)

1,420,915

(9,042,501)

946,804

(8,225,956)

(17,500)

(1,711)

929,304

(8,227,667)

1,443,741

(9,007,324)

(22,826)

(35,177)

1,420,915

(9,042,501)

Pence

(1.98)

2.31

0.33

Pence

(2.89)

(0.07)

(2.96)

13

1   EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures and exclude exceptional items, depreciation, and amortisation. Exceptional items are those items the Group 

considers to be non-recurring or material in nature that may distort an understanding of financial performance or impair comparability. See Note 5. 

The notes on pages 25 to 56 form part of these financial statements. 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 
as at 31 December 2018

Non-current assets 

Intangible assets 

Other investments 

Property, plant and equipment 

Other assets 

Current assets 

Trade and other receivables 

Deferred consideration 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Assets classified as held for sale 

Total assets 

Current liabilities 

Trade and other payables 

Liabilities classified as held for sale 

Non-current liabilities 

Deferred tax liability 

Other Creditors 

Derivative liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity 

Share capital 

Share premium 

Merger reserve 

Available for sale reserve 

Foreign exchange reserve 

Shares to be issued 

Retained earnings 

Total equity attributable to owners of the parent 

Non-controlling interest 

Total equity 

The notes on pages 25 to 56 form part of these financial statements. 

Note

14

15

16

17

18

20A

19

31 December 
2018
 £ 

31 December 
2017
 £ 

12,848,623

20,464,170

535,130

127,556

132,577

747,222

263,069

163,865

13,643,886

21,638,326

2,681,500

3,759,434

665,690

467,033

3,814,223

–

2,283,302

6,042,736

2,292,881

21

11,392,013

22

21

12

23

23

25

26

26

26

26

26

26

28,850,122

29,973,943

2,484,592

9,269,732

4,830,076

7,314,668

–

9,269,732

607,943

881,512

3,004,602

2,843,529

200,000

600,000

3,812,545

4,325,041

11,127,213

13,594,773

17,722,909

16,379,170

28,442,874

28,442,874

87,198,410

87,198,410

(67,673,657)

(67,673,657)

–

207,222

1,911,453

1,419,842

–

145,000

(32,308,495)

(33,530,345)

17,570,585

16,209,346

152,324

169,824

17,722,909

16,379,170

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 27 June 2019 and were signed on its behalf by:

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Cash flows from operating activities 

Profit/(loss) for the period 

Adjustments for: 

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 

Amortisation of intangible fixed assets 

Impairment 

Share of loss of associate 

Finance income 

Finance expense 

Income tax credit 

Unrealised currency translation gains 

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment 

Profit on disposal of assets 

Fair value movement on contingent consideration 

Cash settlement of director share-based payment 

Share-based payments (release)/expense 

Increase in trade and other receivables 

(Decrease)/increase in trade and other payables 

Net cash flows from operating activities before taxation 

Research and Development tax receipts in the year 

Net cash flows from operating activities 

Investing activities 

Acquisition of associate 

Purchases of property, plant and equipment 

Purchase of intangibles 

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment 

Proceeds from disposal of assets, net of disposal costs 

Interest received 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Financing activities 

Proceeds of Ordinary Share issue 

Proceeds from issue of convertible debt 

Cost relating to issue of convertible debt 

Interest paid 

Net cash from financing activities 

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 

Exchange (gain)/losses on cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 

Significant non-cash transactions are disclosed in note 23 and 20. 

The notes on pages 25 to 56 form part of these financial statements. 

23

 Note 

2018
£

 2017 
 £ 

929,304

(8,227,667)

 16 

 14 

145,269

173,638

4,319,920

4,932,699

 14, 21 

4,479,026

3,127,381

 21 

 11 

 11 

 12 

 16 

172,360

(679,160)

576,107

(412,987)

(11,076)

41,646

 20A, 20B 

(12,421,621)

 21 

 7 

 7, 28 

1,900,065

(145,000)

67,824

–

(239,603)

792,891

(612,903)

(57,957)

11,670

–

–

–

(4,810)

(310,396)

(411,839)

(951,414)

1,166,029

(2,300,133)

133,130

649,529

389,286

(2,167,003)

1,038,815

(3,000)

(34,712)

–

(91,447)

(3,017,674)

(3,197,971)

–

5,725,593

120

382

–

1,294

2,670,327

(3,287,742)

–

–

(24,846)

(232,241)

(257,087)

1,132,499

122,966

(96,763)

(173,192)

985,510

246,237

(1,263,417)

1,319,098

2,597,465

(15,194)

(14,950)

 21 

 16 

 14 

 16 

20

 11 

25

 23 

 23 

 11 

19

1,550,141

1,319,098

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
for the year ended 31 December 2018

 Share 
capital 
 £ 

 Share
 premium 
 £ 

 Merger
 reserve 
 £ 

 Available 
for sale
 reserve 
 £ 

 Foreign
 exchange
 reserve 
 £ 

 Shares to 
be issued 
 £ 

 Retained
 earnings 
 £ 

 Total 
to equity
 holders 
of parents 
 £ 

 Non-
controlling
interest 
 £ 

 Total 
equity 
 £ 

1 January 2017 

27,413,329 87,095,455 (67,673,657)

– 2,408,432

– (25,154,580) 24,088,979

205,001 24,293,980

Loss for the year 

Other comprehensive 
income 

Total 
comprehensive 
income for the year 

Contributions by 
and distributions 
to owners 

Shares issued as part 
of the capital raising 

Share-based payment 
to Director (Note 8) 

Share-based payment 
on share options 
(Note 28) 

–

–

–

–

–

–

1,029,545

102,955

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

207,222

(988,590)

–

–

(8,225,956)

(8,225,956)

(1,711)

(8,227,667)

–

(781,368)

(33,466)

(814,834)

207,222

(988,590)

–

(8,225,956)

(9,007,324)

(35,177)

(9,042,501)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

145,000

–

–

1,132,500

145,000

–

(149,810)

(149,810)

–

–

–

1,132,500

145,000

(149,810)

31 December 2017  28,442,874 87,198,410 (67,673,657)

207,222

1,419,842

145,000 (33,530,345) 16,209,345

169,824 16,379,169

Impact of adoption  
of IFRS 9 

–

–

–

(207,222)

–

–

207,222

–

–

–

1 January 2018 

28,442,874 87,198,410 (67,673,657)

Loss for the year 

Other comprehensive 
income 

Total 
comprehensive 
income/(loss) for  
the year 

Contributions by 
and distributions 
to owners 

Share-based payment 
to Director settled via 
cash (Note 8) 

Share-based payment 
on share options 
(Note 28) 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

31 December 2018  28,442,874 87,198,410 (67,673,657)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

The notes on pages 25 to 56 form part of these financial statements. 

1,419,842

145,000 (33,323,123) 16,209,346

169,824 16,379,170

–

491,611

491,611

–

–

–

–

–

946,804

946,804

(17,500)

929,304

–

491,611

–

491,611

946,804

1,438,415

(17,500) 1,420,915

(145,000)

–

(145,000)

–

67,824

67,824

–

–

(145,000)

67,824

1,911,453

– (32,308,495) 17,570,585

152,324 17,722,909

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201825

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

1. Accounting policies
General information
Gaming Realms Plc (the ‘Company’) and its subsidiaries (together the ‘Group’).

The Company is admitted to trading on AIM of the London Stock Exchange. It is incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The address of its 
registered office is Two Valentine Place, London, SE1 8QH.

The consolidated financial statements are presented in pounds sterling.

Basis of preparation
The Group financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRS’) as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (‘IASB’) and endorsed by the European Union.

The Group financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, except where certain assets or liabilities are held at amortised 
cost or at fair value as described in our accounting policies. 

Basis of consolidation 
The Group financial statements incorporate the financial statements of the Company and entities controlled by the Company (subsidiaries). 
Control is achieved when the Company is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the investee and has the ability 
to affect those returns through its power over the investee. 

The results of subsidiaries acquired or disposed of during the period are included in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income  
from the effective date of acquisition up to the effective date of disposal. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements 
of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies used in line with those used by the Group. 

All intra-Group transactions, balances, income and expenses are eliminated on consolidation. 

Business combinations 
On acquisition, the assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities of a subsidiary are measured at their fair values at the date of acquisition. 
Any excess of the cost of acquisition over the fair values of the identifiable net assets acquired, including separately identifiable intangible 
assets, is recognised as goodwill. Any discount on acquisition, i.e. where the cost of acquisition is below the fair value of the identifiable net 
assets acquired, is credited to the Statement of Comprehensive Income in the period of acquisition. 

Interests in associates
Where the Group has the power to participate in (but not control) the financial and operating policy decisions of another entity, it is classified 
as an associate. Associates are initially recognised in the consolidated statement of financial position at cost. Where the interest in the associate 
arises as a result of the disposal of a subsidiary, the amount recognised as cost is the fair value of the interest retained in the associate.

Subsequently associates are accounted for using the equity method, where the Group’s share of post-acquisition profits and losses and other 
comprehensive income is recognised in the consolidated statement of profit and loss and other comprehensive income (except for losses 
in excess of the Group’s investment in the associate unless there is an obligation to make good those losses).

Profits and losses arising on transactions between the Group and its associates are recognised only to the extent of unrelated investors’ 
interests in the associate. The investor’s share in the associate’s profits and losses resulting from these transactions is eliminated against the 
carrying value of the associate.

Any premium paid for an associate above the fair value of the Group’s share of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities 
acquired is capitalised and included in the carrying amount of the associate. Where there is an indicator that the investment in an associate 
may have been impaired the carrying amount of the investment is tested for impairment in the same way as other non-financial assets.

Adjusted EBITDA
The Group presents adjusted results, as described in note 5, which differ from statutory results due to the exclusion of exceptional items 
and adjustments.

EBITDA is a non-GAAP company specific measure defined as loss before tax adjusted for finance income and expense, depreciation and 
amortisation. 

Adjusted EBITDA excludes non-recurring material items which are outside the normal scope of the Group’s ordinary activities which the 
directors consider to be one-off or material in nature that should be brought to the reader’s attention in understanding the Group’s 
financial performance. 

The adjusting items are separately disclosed in order to enhance the reader’s understanding of the Group’s profitability and cash flow 
generation. 

Adjusting items include EBITDA from discontinued operations, costs arising from a fundamental restructuring of the Group’s operations, 
acquisition costs, and sales proceeds on business asset disposals. 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance26

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

1. Accounting policies (continued)
Going concern
The Group meets its day-to-day working capital requirements from the cash flows generated by its trading activities and its available cash 
resources. These are supplemented when required by the Group’s bank overdraft facility, which is available until August 2019. 

Whilst there are a number of risks to the Group’s trading performance, as summarised on page 8, the Group is confident of its ability to 
continue to access sources of funding in the medium term. The Group’s strategic forecasts, based on reasonable assumptions, indicate that 
the Group should be able to operate within the level of its currently available facilities. After making enquiries and after consideration of the 
Group’s existing operations, cash flow forecasts and assessment of business, regulatory and financing risks, the potential risks and impacts 
of Brexit, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue in operational 
existence for the foreseeable future. 

The Group is dependent on the receipt of deferred consideration due following the August 2018 disposal of brands to River,  
or the completion of the proposed sale of the remaining B2C RMG business. 

As of the date of approval of these financial statements, the proposed sale of the remaining B2C RMG business to River is yet to complete. If this 
sale does not go through as planned, £4.2m is still receivable under the original 2018 sale and is due in August 2019. The Group’s facility with 
its banker expires in August 2019. As such, if there is a material delay in either the completion of the sale of the remaining B2C RMG business or 
the receipt of the £4.2m deferred consideration, alternative funding arrangements would be required in the interim which are not yet in place. 
This therefore represents a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt over the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the Annual Report and Accounts.

Revenue
Revenue is measured based on the consideration specified in a contract with a customer and excludes amounts collected on behalf of third 
parties. The Group recognises revenue when it transfers control over a product or service to a customer.

Performance obligations and timing of revenue recognition
Revenue comprises net gaming revenue derived from real money gaming, licensing of content and IP, and Social Publishing. 

The following is a description of the principal activities – separated by reportable segments – from which the Group generates its revenue. 
For more detailed information about reportable segments see note 10.

Net gaming revenue derived from real money gaming
Net gaming revenue derived from online gambling operations is defined as the difference between the amounts of bets placed by the players 
less amounts won by players. It is stated after deduction of bonuses, jackpots and prizes granted to players.

Revenue is recognised at a point in time when the player activity is concluded.

The Group accounts for revenue as principal where it is the licenced entity in the provision of gaming services to end users and controls the 
service provision. Where the Group is considered to be acting as agent in the service provision, revenues are recognised net.

Affiliate revenue
Affiliate revenue is derived from marketing services provided in relation to online bingo and casino products. The commission revenue is 
calculated either as a percentage of net gaming revenue from the operators or in line with contracts, typically based on fixed price per player. 

Revenue is recognised at a point in time when the marketing services are provided.

Social publishing revenue
Social publishing revenue derives from the purchase of credits and awards on social gaming sites. In addition, revenue is generated from in 
app advertisements. 

Revenue is recognised at a point in time when the user credit has been purchased as there is no further service to be delivered and credits are 
non-refundable. In app advertising revenue is recognised at a point in time when the advertisement is displayed, or offer has been completed 
by the customer and confirmed by third-party reports.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201827

Licensing revenue
Licensing revenue derives from contractual relationships for the right to use of intellectual property and the amount of consideration 
receivable is dependent upon the value of sales the customer makes using the IP.

For content licensing, revenue is recognised in the period that the customers sales occur under the royalty exception. Any minimum 
guarantees are recognised at a point in time when the control of the licence is passed to the customer. 

For brand licensing, revenue is recognised at a point in time when there are no further monetary or financial obligations to be fulfilled by 
the licensor. However, where the Group has ongoing obligations, licensing fees are further analysed for the contractual service provision 
and recognised either at point in time or over time, applying the royalty exception as applicable.

Determining the transaction price
Most of the Group’s revenue is derived from fixed price contracts and therefore the amount of revenue to be earned from each contract 
is determined by reference to those fixed prices and rates. 

Contracts where the transaction price is not fixed are royalties which are accounted for in accordance with the usage-based royalty exception 
in IFRS 15.

Allocating amounts to performance obligations
For most contracts, there is a fixed amount for each wager or credit purchased and only one performance obligation, being the honouring 
of the outcome of the wager/purchase. Therefore, there is no judgement involved in allocating the contract price. 

Licensing contracts work on a sales-based royalty. Therefore, there is no judgement involved in allocating the contract price. 

Goodwill
Goodwill arising on consolidation represents the excess of the cost of acquisition over the Group’s interest in the fair value of the identifiable 
assets and liabilities, including separately identifiable intangible assets, of a subsidiary, associate or jointly controlled entity at the date of 
acquisition. 

Goodwill is initially recognised as an asset at cost and is subsequently measured at cost less accumulated impairment. On disposal of a 
subsidiary, associate or jointly controlled entity, the attributable amount of goodwill is included in the determination of the profit or loss 
on disposal.

Cost comprises the fair value of assets given, liabilities assumed and equity instruments issued, plus the amount of any non-controlling interests 
in the acquiree plus, if the business combination is achieved in stages, the fair value of the existing equity interest in the acquiree. 

Contingent consideration is initially recognised at acquisition date fair value and remeasured subsequently through profit or loss. 

Goodwill is capitalised as an intangible asset with any impairment in carrying value being charged to the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income. Where the fair value of identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities exceed the fair value of consideration 
paid, the excess is credited in full to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income on the acquisition date.

Impairment of non-financial assets
Impairment tests on goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful economic lives are undertaken annually. Other non-financial 
assets are subject to impairment tests whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be 
recoverable. Where the carrying value of an asset exceeds its recoverable amount (i.e. the higher of value in use and fair value less costs to sell), 
the asset is written down accordingly.

Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the impairment test is carried out on the smallest group 
of assets to which it belongs for which there are separately identifiable cash flows; its cash generating units (‘CGUs’). Goodwill is allocated 
on initial recognition to each of the Group’s CGUs that are expected to benefit from a business combination that gives rise to the goodwill.

Impairment charges are included in the income statement, except to the extent they reverse gains previously recognised in other 
comprehensive income. An impairment loss recognised for goodwill is not reversed.

Discontinued operations
The results of operations disposed of or classified as held for sale during the year are included in the consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income up to the date of disposal. A discontinued operation is a component of the Group’s business that represents a separate major line of 
business or geographical area of operations or is a subsidiary acquired exclusively with a view to resale, that has been disposed of, has been 
abandoned or that meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale. 

Discontinued operations are presented in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as a single line which comprises the post-tax 
profit or loss of the discontinued operation along with the post-tax gain or loss recognised on the re-measurement to fair value less costs to sell 
or on disposal of the assets or disposal groups constituting discontinued operations.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance28

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

1. Accounting policies (continued)
Foreign currency
Transactions entered into by Group entities in a currency other than the currency of the primary economic environment in which they operate 
(their ‘functional currency’) are recorded at the rates ruling when the transactions occur. Foreign currency monetary assets and liabilities are 
translated at the rates ruling at the reporting date. Exchange differences arising on the retranslation of unsettled monetary assets and liabilities 
are recognised immediately in the statement of comprehensive income. Foreign exchange differences arising from financing transactions are 
recognised in finance income/loss, differences arising from trading balances are recognised in administration costs.

On consolidation, the results of overseas operations are translated into sterling at rates approximating to those ruling when the transactions 
took place. All assets and liabilities of overseas operations, including goodwill arising on the acquisition of those operations, are translated 
at the rate ruling at the reporting date. Exchange differences arising on translating the opening net assets at opening rate and the results 
of overseas operations at actual rate are recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in the foreign exchange reserve.

Exchange differences recognised as profit or loss in Group entities’ separate financial statements on the translation of long-term monetary 
items forming part of the Parent company’s net investment in the overseas operation concerned are reclassified to other comprehensive 
income and accumulated in the foreign exchange reserve on consolidation.

On disposal of a foreign operation, the cumulative exchange differences recognised in the foreign exchange reserve relating to that operation 
up to the date of disposal are transferred to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as part of the profit or loss on disposal.

Adoption of new and revised standards
In preparing the Group financial statements for the current period, the Group has adopted a number of new IFRSs, amendments to IFRSs and 
IFRS Interpretations Committee (‘IFRIC’) interpretations, none of which has had a significant effect on the results or net assets of the Group. 

IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’
IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’ was issued in July 2014 and replaces IAS 39 ‘Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement’. 

Classification and measurement 
IFRS 9 classification and measurement criteria requires financial instruments to be classified into one of the three categories being amortised 
cost, fair value through other comprehensive income or fair value through profit or loss. 

Financial assets held by the Group consist of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, loans receivable, deferred consideration, contingent 
consideration and other investments. 

The Group measures all financial assets at amortised cost except for derivative financial instruments, contingent consideration and other 
investments, which are measured at fair value through profit or loss. 

The adoption of IFRS 9 has resulted in the Group’s available-for-sale investments measured at fair value through other comprehensive income 
now being measured at fair value through profit or loss with the brought forward available-for-sale reserve reallocated to retained earnings 
as at 1 January 2018.

Financial liabilities held by the Group consist of customer funds, trade payables, long-term borrowings, other short-term monetary liabilities, 
and derivative liabilities. 

The Group measures all financial liabilities at amortised cost except for derivative liabilities which are measured at fair value through profit 
and loss. 

There was no impact on financial liabilities of adopting IFRS 9.

Embedded derivatives are separated and fair-valued through the statement of comprehensive income when they are not closely related 
to their host contracts and meet the definition of a derivative, or where the host contract is not carried at fair value.

Impairment 
IFRS 9 requires the Group to use an expected credit loss model for its financial assets measured at amortised cost, either on a 12-month or 
a lifetime basis. 

The Group financial assets at amortised cost consist of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and loans receivable. None of these 
financial assets have a significant financing component and the Group has applied the simplified approach and record lifetime expected losses 
on all trade receivables measured at amortised cost. Other financial assets are measured using the normal credit loss model.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201829

IFRS 15 ‘revenue from contracts with customers’
IFRS 15 ‘Revenue from contracts with customers’ establishes a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising 
from contracts with customers. Under IFRS 15, an entity recognises revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied, i.e. when ‘control’ of 
the goods or services underlying the particular performance obligation is transferred to the customer.

There were no transition adjustments required. 

For licensing, revenue is recognised at a point in time when there are no further monetary or financial obligations to be fulfilled by the licensor. 
However, where there are ongoing obligations to the Group, licensing fees are further analysed for the contractual service provision and 
recognised either at point in time or over time, applying the royalty exception as applicable.

The ongoing obligations of certain brand licensing arrangements are satisfied over time and the method previously used to measure the 
progress towards complete satisfaction of these performance obligations continues to be appropriate under IFRS 15.

Standards in issue but not yet effective

IFRS 16 ‘Leases’
IFRS 16 ‘Leases’ will replace IAS 17 in its entirety and is effective for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019. This will be 
adopted by the Group for the year ending 31 December 2019. 

The distinction between operating leases and finance leases for lessees is removed and will result in most leases being recognised in the 
Statement of Financial Position as a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. For leases previously classified as operating leases, the lease cost 
will change from an in-period operating lease expense to recognition of depreciation of the right-of-use asset and interest expense on the 
lease liability. 

The Group’s currently classified operating leases include rent payable by the Group for office properties and amounts payable for the use of 
certain computer equipment. 

The Group will apply IFRS 16 using the modified retrospective approach. A lease liability will be recognised equal to the present value of the 
remaining lease payments discounted using an incremental borrowing rate. A right-of-use asset will be recognised equal to the lease liability 
adjusted for prepaid and accrual lease payments. 

At the transition date on 1 January 2019, the Group’s main office lease in London is within 12 months of term end and as such is excluded 
from the transition to IFRS 16. The Group has no other material leases in excess of 12 months except for the office in Seattle, which is sublet  
to a third party. 

As a result the Group do not expect a material change in the results or net position of the consolidated results, however the review is ongoing. 

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents includes cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term highly liquid investments with original 
maturities of three months or less and – for the purpose of the statement of cash flows – bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within 
trade and other payables in current liabilities on the consolidated statement of financial position.

Assets held for sale
Non-current assets and disposal groups are classified as held for sale if the carrying amount will be recovered through a sale transaction rather 
than through continuing use. This condition is regarded as being met only when the sale is highly probable, management is committed to a sale 
plan, the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition and the sale is expected to be completed within one year from the date of 
classification. These assets are measured at the lower of carrying value and fair value less associated costs of sale except where the assets were 
previously classified as available for sale, in which case they are carried at fair value. Following their classification as held for sale, non-current 
assets (including those in a disposal group) are not depreciated.

Share capital
Financial instruments issued by the Group are classified as equity only to the extent that they do not meet the definition of a financial liability 
or financial asset.

The Group’s ordinary shares are classified as equity instruments.

Non-controlling interests
Non-controlling interest is initially recognised at the present ownership instruments’ proportionate share in the recognised amounts of the 
acquiree’s identifiable net assets. The total comprehensive income of non-wholly owned subsidiaries is attributed to owners of the parent and 
to the non-controlling interests in proportion to their relative ownership interests.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance30

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

1. Accounting policies (continued)
Share-based payments
Where equity-settled share options are awarded to employees, the fair value of the options at the date of grant is charged to the consolidated 
statement of comprehensive income over the vesting period. Non-market vesting conditions are taken into account by adjusting the number 
of equity instruments expected to vest at each reporting date so that, ultimately, the cumulative amount recognised over the vesting period 
is based on the number of options that eventually vest. Non-vesting conditions and market vesting conditions are factored into the fair value of 
the options granted. As long as all other vesting conditions are satisfied, a charge is made irrespective of whether the market vesting conditions 
are satisfied. The cumulative expense is not adjusted for failure to achieve a market vesting condition or where a non-vesting condition is not 
satisfied.

Where equity instruments are granted to persons other than employees, the consolidated statement of comprehensive income is charged 
with the fair value of goods and services received.

The fair value of share options issued without market-based vesting conditions is measured by the application of the Black-Scholes option 
pricing model by reference to the grant date of the options. The fair value of share options issued with market-based vesting conditions is 
measured by use of the Monte Carlo method.

Externally acquired intangible assets
Externally acquired intangible assets are initially recognised at cost and subsequently amortised on a straight-line basis over their useful 
economic lives. 

Intangible assets are recognised on business combinations if they are separable from the acquired entity or arise from other contractual/
legal rights. The amounts ascribed to such intangibles are arrived at by using appropriate valuation techniques (see section related to critical 
estimates and judgements below).

Internally generated intangible assets (development costs)
Expenditure on internally developed products is capitalised if it can be demonstrated that:

 » it is technically feasible to develop the product for it to be sold;

 » adequate resources are available to complete the development;

 » there is an intention to complete and sell the product;

 » the Group is able to sell the product;

 » sale of the product will generate future economic benefits; and

 » expenditure on the project can be measured reliably.

Capitalised development costs are amortised over the periods the Group expects to benefit from selling the products developed. 

Development expenditure not satisfying the above criteria and expenditure on the research phase of internal projects are recognised in 
the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as incurred.

The significant intangibles recognised by the Group, their useful economic lives and the methods used to determine the cost of intangibles 
acquired in a business combination are as follows:

Intangible asset

Customer databases

Development costs

Intellectual property

Domain names

Software

Useful economic life

1-2 years

3-5 years

8 years

2-3 years

3-5 years

During the year the Directors re-evaluated the useful economic life of game development costs, included within Development costs, as 5 years 
(2017: 3 years). This resulted in a reduction in amortisation expense of £0.3m.

Research and development tax
Research and development taxation relief is recognised once management considers it probable that any amount claimable will be received.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201831

Deferred taxation
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognised where the carrying amount of an asset or liability in the consolidated statement of financial 
position differs from its tax base, except for differences arising on:

 » the initial recognition of goodwill;

 » the initial recognition of an asset or liability in a transaction which is not a business combination and at the time of the transaction affects neither 

accounting nor taxable profit; and

 » investments in subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities where the Group is able to control the timing of the reversal of the difference and 

it is probable that the difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

Recognition of deferred tax assets is restricted to those instances where it is probable that taxable profit will be available against which the 
difference can be utilised. 

The amount of the asset or liability is determined using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date 
and are expected to apply when the deferred tax liabilities/(assets) are settled/(recovered). 

Property, plant and equipment
Items of property, plant and equipment are initially recognised at cost. As well as the purchase price, cost includes directly attributable costs 
and the estimated present value of any future unavoidable costs of dismantling and removing items. The corresponding liability is recognised 
within provisions.

Depreciation is provided on all property, plant and equipment at rates calculated to write off the cost less estimated residual value, of each 
asset evenly over its expected useful life as follows:

Office, furniture and equipment

20% per annum straight-line

Computer equipment

33% per annum straight-line

Leasehold improvements

Over the life of the lease

Player liabilities
Liabilities to players comprise the amounts that are credited to customers’ accounts including provision for bonuses granted by the Group. 
These amounts are repayable in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions. 

2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements
The Group makes certain estimates and assumptions regarding the future. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated based on 
historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. 
In the future, actual experience may differ from these estimates and assumptions. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk 
of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.

Estimates
(a) Impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets
Goodwill and other intangible assets are reviewed for impairment and their values are written-down on the basis of the Group’s expectations 
of future economic benefits expected to be received. Any process which attempts to estimate future outcomes to determine the recoverable 
amount is subject to uncertainty. The recoverable amount is determined based on the lower of value in use calculations, which require the 
estimate of future cash flows and the choice of discount rate to calculate the present value of the cash flows, and fair value less costs to sell. 
Calculations are based on management’s forecasts for the period, and past experience of the same or similar assets. Where it is believed that 
the estimation uncertainty can give rise to material differences in asset carrying values, this will be stated in the relevant notes to the financial 
statements. See note 14.

(b) Amortisation of development costs
Capitalised development costs are subject to amortisation over the estimated useful life and reviewed for impairment whenever events or 
changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The estimated useful life of these assets is based on 
management’s estimates of the period over which the assets are expected to generate revenue and are periodically reviewed to confirm they 
are still appropriate. As a result of this review, the useful economic life of game development costs has been re-assessed from 3 to 5 years.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance32

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements (continued)
(c) Fair value measurement
A number of assets and liabilities included in the Group’s financial statements require measurement at, and/or disclosure of, fair value.

The fair value measurement of the Group’s financial and non-financial assets and liabilities utilises market observable inputs and data as far 
as possible. Inputs used in determining fair value measurements are categorised into different levels based on how observable the inputs used 
in the valuation technique utilised are (the ‘fair value hierarchy’):

 » Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical items (unadjusted);

 » Level 2: Observable direct or indirect inputs other than Level 1 inputs; and

 » Level 3: Unobservable inputs (i.e. not derived from market data).

The classification of an item into the above levels is based on the lowest level of the inputs used that has a significant effect on the fair value 
measurement of the item. Transfers of items between levels are recognised in the period they occur.

The Group measures a number of items at fair value:

 » Financial instruments (note 23); 

 » Assets and liabilities classified as held for sale (note 21);

 » Contingent consideration (note 21); and

 » Investment in associate (note 21) – Initial recognition of interests in associates are recognised at the fair value of interest retained.

For more detailed information in relation to the fair value measurement and sensitivities of the items above, please refer to the applicable 
notes.

(d) Arrangement with JackpotJoy group
The arrangements entered into with JackpotJoy Group in 2017 are complex. The initial recognition involves estimating the fair value of the 
derivative liability, and estimating the initial carrying value of the loan liability using a suitable discount rate. The values computed reflected the 
directors’ expectations of the timing and quantum of expected cash outflows on the loan and the probability of the conversion option being 
exercised. If these estimates change this will have an impact on the carrying amounts of the conversion option and the loan. The ‘free services’ 
revenue element of the agreement is designated as the residual value on initial recognition. See note 23 for further detail.

Judgements
(a) Revenue recognition
The treatment of group revenues as agent or principal in the service delivery can be a complex judgement dependent on the terms of the 
agreement with the partner. The Group accounts for revenue as principal where it is the licenced entity in the provision of gaming services 
to end users and controls the service provision. Where the Group is considered to be acting as agent in the service provision, revenues are 
recognised net.

(b) Capitalisation of development costs
The identification of development costs that meet the criteria for capitalisation is dependent on management’s judgement and knowledge of 
the work done. Development costs of gaming software platforms are separately identified. Key judgements relate to the separately identified 
projects, the expected future benefits and the useful economic life and are based on the information available at each period end. Economic 
success of any development is assessed on a reasonable basis but remains uncertain at the time of recognition. Development costs capitalised 
total £3.0m (2017: £3.2m). See note 14.

(c) Deferred tax
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognised for temporary differences and for tax loss carry-forwards. The assessment of temporary 
differences and tax loss carry-forwards is based on management’s estimates of future taxable profits against which the temporary differences 
and loss carry-forwards may be utilised.

The Group has not recognised a deferred tax asset in respect of their losses as there is no track record of taxable profits at this time. Deferred 
tax assets will be recognised when the Group has established a track record of expected future taxable profit. The total unrecognised deferred 
tax asset was £5.6m (2017: £5.1m). See note 12.

(d) Allocation of Goodwill
Goodwill is allocated on initial recognition to each of the Group’s CGUs that are expected to benefit from a business combination that gives rise 
to the goodwill. On disposal of part of a CGU, management exercise significant judgement in the treatment of goodwill. Goodwill is allocated 
to the disposed operations on a relative fair value of the disposed and retained operations within the CGU. See note 20 for further details.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201833

(e) Discontinued operations
The Directors have assessed the B2C RMG CGU to be held for sale as at 31 December 2018. Judgement is involved to determine if ‘held for sale’ 
conditions are met. 

(f) Arrangement with JackpotJoy group
The agreement with JackpotJoy group allows for early settlement of the loan if a change of control occurs. The Directors’ have used their 
judgement in order to determine that the probability of a change in control is low. Had this judgement been different, the Group may be liable, 
if the option is exercised, to make an additional cash payment to JackpotJoy group earlier than the end of the term. See note 23 for more detail.

3. Revenue from contracts with customers
Disaggregation of revenue
The Group has disaggregated revenue into various categories in the following table which is intended to:

 » depict how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic date; and

 » enable users to understand the relationship with revenue segment information provided in note 10.

Revenue from discontinued RMG operations in the period all arise from the UK, including Channel Islands and was direct to consumers (B2C) 
recognised at a point in time. There were no remaining performance obligations unsatisfied at the year end.

2018 continuing revenue 

Primary geographic markets 

UK, including Channel Islands 

US 

Rest of the World 

Contract counterparties 

Direct to consumers (B2C) 

B2B 

Timing of transfer of goods and services 

Point in time 

Over time 

 Licensing 
 £ 

443,204

977,461

827,338

 Social 
publishing 
 £ 

 – 

3,920,619

– 

2,248,003

3,920,619

 Other 
 £ 

14,088

135,409

244,541

394,038

 Intra-
group 
 £ 

 Total
 £ 

(389,464)

 67,828 

– 

– 

5,033,489 

1,071,879 

(389,464)

6,173,196

– 

3,920,619

2,248,003

 – 

2,248,003

3,920,619

– 

394,038

394,038

– 

3,920,619

(389,464)

2,252,577

(389,464)

6,173,196

1,893,399

3,920,619

394,038 

(389,464)

5,818,592

354,604 

– 

– 

– 

354,604

2,248,003

3,920,619

394,038

(389,464)

6,173,196

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
34

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

3. Revenue from contracts with customers (continued)

2017 continuing revenue 

Primary geographic markets 

UK, including Channel Islands 

US 

Rest of the World 

Contract counterparties 

Direct to consumers (B2C) 

B2B 

Timing of transfer of goods and services 

Point in time 

Over time 

 Licensing 
 £ 

309,505

522,922

7,114

 Social 
publishing 
 £ 

– 

6,878,760

– 

 Other 
 £ 

60,577

44,731

74,007

 Intra-
group 
 £ 

 Total
 £ 

(291,506)

78,576 

– 

– 

7,446,413 

81,121 

839,541

6,878,760

179,315

(291,506)

7,606,110

– 

6,878,760

839,541

839,541

– 

6,878,760

– 

179,315

179,315

– 

6,878,760

(291,506)

727,350

(291,506)

7,606,110

525,102

314,439 

6,878,760

179,315 

(291,506)

7,291,671

– 

– 

– 

314,439 

839,541

6,878,760

179,315

(291,506)

7,606,110

Remaining performance obligations
The vast majority of the Group’s contracts are for services that will be provided within the next 12 months. Certain licence contracts have been 
entered into for which both:

 » the original contractual period was greater than 12 months; and

 » the Group’s right to consideration does not correspond directly with the performance.

The amount of revenue that will be recognised in future periods on these contracts when those remaining performance obligations will be 
satisfied is:

Next 12 months 

12-24 months 

24+ months 

4. Expenses by nature
Loss before interest and tax has been arrived at after charging/(crediting): 

Employee benefit expenses (see note 9) 

Share-based payments 

Operating lease payments 

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 

Amortisation of intangible assets 

Foreign exchange (gain)/loss 

 2018 
 £ 

793,466

52,256

104,513

950,235

 2017 
 £ 

397,204

783,810

127,800

1,308,814

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

5,307,869

7,018,634

67,824

237,984

145,269

(149,810)

281,871

173,638

4,319,920

4,932,699

(8,091)

35,771

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
35

5. Adjusted EBITDA
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures and exclude exceptional items, depreciation, and amortisation. Exceptional items are 
those items the Group considers to be non-recurring or material in nature that may distort an understanding of financial performance or impair 
comparability.

Adjusted EBITDA is stated before exceptional items as follows:

Restructuring costs – share-based payment 

Impairment of financial asset

Restructuring costs 

Adjusting items 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

–

(145,000)

(228,451)

(216,355)

(444,806)

–

(735,257)

(880,257)

Disposal of RMG assets to River
On 16th August 2018 the Group entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with River for the sale of 4 of the Group’s real money brands 
including customer lists, domain names and contractual agreements. The resulting initial profit on disposal of £12.5m has been classified 
as exceptional due to its one-off nature. Further details of the disposal are provided in note 20.

Disposal of Affiliate Marketing business
On 22 March 2018, the Group sold its Affiliate Marketing business to First Leads Ltd. The resulting loss on disposal of £0.1m has been classified 
as exceptional due to its one-off nature. Further details of the disposal are provided in note 20.

Impairment of financial asset
The balance owed by Gamerail Entertainment LLC as at 31 December 2017 was $253,454 which was fully provided for in 2018. See note 29.

Restructuring costs
During 2018 restructuring costs of £0.2m were incurred relating to redundancy and consulting costs. 

During 2017 the Group closed the Seattle office. Restructuring costs in the prior year related to the closure costs associated with this including 
employee severance payments.

6. Auditor’s remuneration
During the year the Group obtained the following services from the Company’s auditor: 

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the audit of the Group’s annual accounts 

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the audit of the subsidiary’s financial statements 

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the review of Interim statement 

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for other services: 

– Corporate finance 

– Other 

– Tax compliance services 

– Tax advisory services 

 2018 
 £ 

25,000

80,000

3,178

13,830 

13,600 

40,000

10,000

185,608 

 2017 
 £ 

25,000

71,900

3,100

46,224

– 

40,000

3,490

189,714

7. Key management personnel remuneration
During the year the Group paid the following remuneration to the key management personnel (which include Directors) of the consolidated 
entity:

Short-term benefits of key management personnel 

Post-employment benefits of key management personnel 

Share-based benefits of key management personnel 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

1,517,689

2,500,272

46,375

121,774

47,251

46,238

1,685,838

2,593,762

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
36

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

8. Directors’ remuneration
The following table presents the Directors’ remuneration of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2018.

Michael Buckley 

Patrick Southon 

Simon Collins 

Mark Segal 

Jim Ryan 

Mark Wilson 

Atul Bali 

Chris Bell 

 Salary 
 and fees 
 £ 

210,000

250,000

125,000

200,000

40,000

40,000

50,000

20,000

 Benefits 
 £ 

– 

13,077 

10,118 

713 

– 

– 

– 

– 

 2018 
 Total 
 £ 

210,000

263,077

135,118

200,713

40,000

40,000

50,000

20,000

 2017 
 Total 
 £ 

360,000

263,595

158,595

172,056

40,000

40,000

853,727 

10,000 

935,000

23,908

958,908

1,897,972

The remuneration for Michael Buckley includes consulting fees of £120,000 paid to Dawnglen Finance Limited, as well as repayment of 
expenses incurred wholly for the benefit of Gaming Realms plc of £30,000, giving a total of £150,000 paid to Dawnglen (2017: £300,000), 
a company controlled by Michael Buckley. 

During 2018 Atul Bali received $375,000 (£285,844) in severance payments for loss of office as an executive director under his contract, 
the cost of which was recognised in 2017 results. As part of the separation agreement 5 million of share options granted were retained and 
allowed to vest over the remaining vesting period. In 2017 he was granted a one-time equity grant of shares to be issued with an estimated 
value at 31 December 2017 of £145,000. During 2018 the parties agreed to settle the equity grant by way of cash payment of £145,000. 
Atul resigned as a Non-Executive Director in June 2018. He received £50,000 for Non-Executive Director services in 2018. 

The Directors’ ordinary shares in the Company, were as follows:

£0.10 ordinary shares 

Michael Buckley 

Patrick Southon 

Simon Collins 

Mark Segal 

Jim Ryan 

Mark Wilson 

Atul Bali 

 2018 
 Number 
of shares 

 2017 
 Number 
of shares 

23,000,000

23,000,000

12,417,319

12,417,319

10,806,742

10,806,742

740,761

740,761

1,384,615

1,384,615

384,615

384,615

1,825,000

1,825,000

50,559,052

50,559,052

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
Directors’ interests in long-term incentive plans
The Directors’ interests in share options, over ordinary shares in the Company, were as follows:

 Michael Buckley1 

 Patrick Southon1 

 Simon Collins1 

 Mark Segal1 

Jim Ryan2 

Mark Wilson2 

Atul Bali 3,4 

 Option at 
1 Jan 2018

5,769,230

5,769,230

4,615,384

3,076,923

769,230

769,230

5,750,000

 Option 
granted 

 Options 
lapsed 

 Option at 
 31 Dec 2018 

 Exercise 
price 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

5,769,230

5,769,230

4,615,384

3,076,923

769,230

769,230

(750,000)

5,000,000 

£0.01

£0.01

£0.01

£0.01

£0.13

£0.13

£0.23

37

 Hurdle 
price 

£0.20

£0.20

£0.20

£0.20

 – 

 – 

 – 

 Date of 
grant 

01-Aug-13

01-Aug-13

01-Aug-13

01-Aug-13

01-Aug-13

01-Aug-13

 17-Jun-14, 
 10-Oct-15

1   On the 1 August 2013 the Company granted options to B Shares under the Gaming Realms 2013 EMI plan. The B Share value will be 20 pence less than the 

prevailing price of the ordinary shares and will therefore have no value unless the value of the new ordinary shares exceeds 20 pence. EMI options can only be 
granted to employees who meet the statutory working time requirement, and cannot normally be exercised before 15 July 2015. All options granted under 
the New Share Option Scheme on Admission will be exercisable over B Shares at their nominal value of £0.01 and will be capable of exercise, subject to certain 
exceptions, after two years of the date of grant.

2   On the 1 August 2013, the Company granted Unapproved Options which have the same rights as the options granted over the B Shares under Gaming Realms 

2013 EMI plan, save that the exercise price will be 13 pence per ordinary share.

3   On the 17 June 2014, the Company granted Unapproved Options which have the same rights as the options granted over the B Shares under Gaming Realms 2013 

EMI plan, save that the exercise price will be 23 pence per ordinary share.

4   On the 10 October 2015, the Company granted Unapproved Options which have the same rights as the options granted over the B Shares under Gaming Realms 

2013 EMI plan, save that the exercise price will be 23 pence per ordinary share.

9. Employee benefit expenses

Employee benefit expenses (including directors) comprise: 

Wages and salaries 

Share-based payment expense (Note 8 & 28) 

Social security contributions and similar taxes 

Pension contributions 

Staff costs capitalised in respect of internally generated intangible assets 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

6,418,110

9,061,213

67,824

687,288

209,146

(4,810)

593,759

144,228

7,382,369

9,794,390

(2,006,675)

(2,780,566)

5,375,693

7,013,824

The Group makes contributions to defined contribution plans and has no further payment obligations once the contributions have been paid. 
The contributions are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due. The assets of the individual schemes are held separately 
from those of the Group in independently administered funds. 

The average number of employees was 115 (2017: 132).

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
38

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

10. Segment information
The Board is the Group’s chief operating decision-maker. Management has determined the operating segments based on the information 
reviewed by the Board for the purposes of allocating resources and assessing performance. 

The Group has 2 continuing reportable operating segments:

 » Licensing – brand and content licensing to partners in the US and Europe; and

 » Social Publishing – provides freemium games to the US and Europe.

There were no customers who generated more than 10% of total revenue. The results of the discontinued segments are included in note 20. 
Management do not report segmental assets and liabilities internally and as such an analysis is not reported.

2018 

Revenue 

Marketing expense 

Operating expense 

Administrative expense 

Share-based payments 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Restructuring costs 

EBITDA – continuing 

Amortisation of Intangible assets 

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 

Impairment 

Finance expense 

Finance income 

Loss before tax – continuing 

2017 

Revenue 

Marketing expense 

Operating expense 

Administrative expense 

Share-based payments 

Adjusted EBITDA 

Restructuring costs 

Restructuring costs – share-based payment 

EBITDA – continuing 

Amortisation of Intangible assets 

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 

Finance expense 

Finance income 

Loss before tax – continuing 

 Licensing 
 £ 

 Social 
publishing 
 £ 

 Head 
office 
 £ 

 Total 
 £ 

2,248,003

3,920,619

394,038

6,562,660 *

 – 

(414,064)

(251,298)

(665,362)

(199,412)

(1,091,460)

(400)

(1,291,272)

(1,054,712)

(861,253)

(2,737,906)

(4,653,871)

 – 

 – 

(67,824)

993,879

1,553,842

(2,663,390)

(67,824)

(115,669)

(216,355)

(332,024)

(3,535,972)

(145,269)

(1,878,451)

(576,107)

419,894

(6,047,929)

Licensing
£

 Social 
publishing 
£

 Head 
office 
£

 Total 
£

839,541

6,878,760

179,315

7,897,616 *

 – 

(2,171,341)

(109,514)

(2,280,855)

(24,961)

(1,754,450)

 – 

(1,779,411)

(1,036,352)

(3,010,164)

(2,720,598)

(6,767,114)

 – 

 – 

149,810

149,810

(221,772)

(57,195)

(2,500,987)

(2,779,954)

(735,257)

(145,000)

(3,660,211)

(4,292,283)

(173,638)

(752,600)

239,603

(8,639,129)

*  Segmental revenue includes £389,464 (2017: £291,506) of inter-segment Licensing revenue. This is shown as an Operating Expense under the real money gaming 

discontinued operations and eliminates on consolidation.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Finance income and expense

Finance income 

Interest received 

Unwind of interest on deferred consideration receivable 

Fair value gain on derivative liability 

Foreign exchange movement on deferred consideration 

Total finance income 

Finance expense 

Bank & loan interest paid 

Unwind of interest on deferred consideration payable 

Fair value loss on other investments 

Total finance expense 

39

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

120

1,295

19,774 

400,000

– 

419,894

364,014

– 

212,093

576,107

– 

– 

238,309 

239,604

272,613

479,987

– 

752,600

20A

 23 

 15 

The deferred consideration in relation to the acquisition from RealNetworks Inc. was denominated in USD and the final payment of $4.5m was 
settled on 15 December 2017 (see Note 23). 

The retranslation of this balance resulted in a £238,309 gain in the prior year. 

12. Tax credit 

Current tax 

Adjustment for current tax of prior periods 

R&D tax credit for the period 

Total current tax credit 

Deferred tax 

(Decrease)/increase in deferred tax liabilities 

Total deferred tax credit 

Total tax credit 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

(11,078)

144,208

133,130

279,857

279,857

412,987

(67)

389,354

389,286

223,617

223,617

612,903

The reasons for the difference between the actual tax credit for the period and the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK applied to profits 
for the year are as follows: 

Loss for the period – continuing 

Profit/(loss) for the period – discontinued 

Profit/(loss) for the period 

Expected tax at effective rate of corporation tax in the UK of 19% (2017: 19.3%) 

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 

Income not chargeable for tax purposed 

Effects of overseas taxation 

Adjustment for over provision in prior periods 

Research and Development tax credit 

Timing difference not recognised 

Tax losses for which no deferred tax assets have been recognised 

Total tax credit 

 2018 
£

 2017 
£

(6,047,930)

(8,639,129)

6,564,247

(201,441)

516,317

(8,840,570)

98,100

(1,701,507)

920,066

(1,999,096)

290,594

11,078

7,840

–

179,516

67

(144,208)

(389,354)

115,285

295,194

–

1,290,535

(412,987)

(612,902)

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
40

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

12. Tax credit (continued)

Changes in tax rates and factors affecting the future tax charge
At Summer Budget 2015, the government announced legislation setting the Corporation Tax rate at 19% for the years starting 1 April 2017, 
2018 and 2019 and at 18% for the year starting 1 April 2020. At Budget 2016, the government announced a further reduction to the 
Corporation Tax rate for the year starting 1 April 2020, setting the rate at 17%. Accordingly, deferred tax balances as at 31 December 2018 
have been recognised at 17% (2017: 17%).

There are unused UK tax losses carried forward as at the balance sheet date of £32.7m (2017: £30.1m) equating to an unrecognised deferred 
tax asset of £5.6m (2017: £5.1m). No deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of these losses, as the recoverability of any asset is 
dependent upon sufficient profits being achieved in future years to utilise this asset. The timings of such profits are uncertain. 

Deferred tax liability 

At 1 January 2018

Unwind of deferred tax recognised on business acquisitions 

FX movement 

At 31 December 2018

 2018 
£

 2017 
£

881,511

1,202,889

(279,857)

(223,617)

6,289

607,943

(97,761)

881,511

13. Profit/(loss) per share
Basic profit/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing the result attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of 
shares in issue during the year. For fully diluted loss per share, the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue is adjusted to assume 
conversion of dilutive potential ordinary shares. The Group’s potentially dilutive securities consist of share options, performance shares and 
a convertible bond. As the continuing operations of the Group are loss-making, none of the potentially dilutive securities (see note 28) are 
currently dilutive. 

Loss after tax – continuing 

Profit/(loss) after tax – discontinued 

Profit/(loss) after tax – total 

Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in calculating basic loss per share 

Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in calculating dilutive loss per share 

Basic and diluted loss per share – continuing 

Basic and diluted profit/(loss) per share – discontinued 

Basic and diluted profit/(loss) per share – total 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

(5,634,942)

(8,026,226)

6,564,246

(201,441)

929,304

(8,227,667)

 Number 

 Number 

284,428,746

278,166,853

284,428,746

278,166,853

 Pence 

(1.98)

2.31

0.33

 Pence 

(2.89)

(0.07)

(2.96)

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
41

14. Intangible assets

Cost 

 Goodwill 
 £ 

 Customer
 database 
 £ 

 Software 
 £ 

 Development
 costs 
 £ 

 Domain 
names 
 £ 

 Intellectual
 property 
 £ 

 Total 
 £ 

Balance at 1 January 2017 

16,545,864

4,111,971

1,538,500

6,858,335

429,618

6,401,430

35,885,718

Additions 

–

–

Reclassified as held for sale 

(5,420,262)

(2,343,632)

–

–

3,197,971

–

–

–

–

–

3,197,971

(7,763,894)

FX Movement 

(480,045)

(141,830)

(134,559)

(9,198)

(35,287)

(558,338)

(1,359,257)

At 31 December 2017 

10,645,557

1,626,509

1,403,941

10,047,108

394,331

5,843,092

29,960,538

Additions 

Disposals 

–

–

(2,191,809)

(133,550)

Reclassified as held for sale 

(1,699,000)

–

–

–

–

3,017,674

–

–

(364,986)

(3,374,902)

FX Movement 

302,020

89,231

84,659

18,257

–

–

–

3,017,674

(2,690,345)

(5,073,902)

351,280

845,520

–

73

At 31 December 2018 

7,056,768

1,582,190

1,488,600

9,708,137

29,418

6,194,372

26,059,485

Amortisation 

Balance at 1 January 2017 

Amortisation charge 

Reclassified as held for sale 

FX Movement 

At 31 December 2017 

Amortisation charge 

Disposals 

Impairment 

Reclassified as held for sale 

FX Movement 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1,650,000

–

–

2,841,672

916,459

(2,343,632)

642,988

490,691

–

2,438,105

2,627,075

–

198,932

135,287

–

1,102,184

7,223,881

763,187

4,932,699

–

(2,343,632)

(86,841)

(76,019)

(3,918)

(21,606)

(128,196)

(316,580)

1,327,658

1,057,660

5,061,262

300,949

(133,550)

–

–

277,088

2,946,864

–

–

–

–

–

(2,108,114)

312,613

52,470

(336,262)

–

–

1,737,175

9,496,368

742,549

4,319,920

–

–

–

(469,812)

1,650,000

(2,108,114)

87,133

72,507

23,777

597

138,486

322,500

At 31 December 2018 

1,650,000

1,582,190

1,407,255

5,923,789

29,418

2,618,210

13,210,862

Net book value 

At 1 January 2017 

16,545,864

1,270,299

At 31 December 2017 

10,645,557

298,851

895,512

346,281

4,420,230

4,985,846

230,686

5,299,246

28,661,837

81,718

4,105,917

20,464,170

At 31 December 2018 

5,406,768

–

81,345

3,784,348

–

3,576,162

12,848,623

The Group has no contractual commitments for development costs (2017: nil). 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance42

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

14. Intangible assets (continued)
Goodwill
The Group has 2 continuing CGUs (2017: 3) for which the carrying amount of goodwill is allocated as follows:

Real money gaming 

Licensing 

Social Publishing 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

 – 

5,609,878 

5,163,223 

3,146,558 

243,545 

1,889,123 

5,406,768 

10,645,559 

In 2017 the Group split the RMG and Affiliate Marketing CGU’s in preparation for sale. The Affiliate Marketing CGU was subsequently sold in 
March 2018 (see note 20). 

In August 2018, four of the B2C RMG brands were sold (see note 20), with the remaining B2C RMG business classified as held for sale  
as at 31 December 2018 (see note 21). 

Goodwill was allocated to the 2018 disposal based on relative fair values of the disposed operations, and £2.2m of goodwill included in the 
disposal (see note 20). Goodwill was allocated to the business classified as held for sale at the year-end based on the relative fair value of the 
business to be disposed, as a result goodwill of £1.7m was classified as held for sale at the year end. 

The remaining B2B RMG CGU was subsequently combined into the Licencing CGU as part of the reorganisation. 

Impairment of goodwill
The Group is required to test, on an annual basis, whether goodwill has suffered any impairment. A detailed impairment test was undertaken 
at 31 December 2018 to assess whether the carrying value of assets was supported by its recoverable amount. 

The recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs of disposal, and value in use. The use of this method requires the estimation  
of future cash flows and the determination of a discount rate in order to calculate the present value of the cash flows.

The recoverable amount of the real money gaming CGU reclassified as held for sale in the year was assessed based on the signed Heads of 
Terms for the proposed sale to River in 2019 (note 31). No indicators of impairment arose as a result of this review. The remaining B2B real 
money CGU was subsequently combined into the Licensing CGU as part of the reorganisation.

The recoverable amounts of both continuing CGUs have been determined from value in use calculations based on cash flow projections from 
formally approved budgets. Cash flow projections have been prepared for a four-year period to 31 December 2022. Other major assumptions 
are as follows:

2018 

Licensing 

Social Publishing 

2017 

Licensing 

Social Publishing 

 Discount 
rate 

 Long-term 
growth rate1 

14.5%

16.5%

18.0%

20.0%

5%

0%

5%

5%

1   The growth rate assumptions apply only to the period beyond the formal budgeted period with the value in use calculation based on an extrapolation of the 

budgeted cashflows for year 4.

The discount rates used in discounting the projected cash flows are based on the Group’s Weighted Average Cost of Capital, after considering 
the specific risks of the different CGU’s. 

The discount rates used have been considered based on the risks involved in each of the underlying business units and terminal growth rates 
and reflect the expected growth in underlying EBITDA expected from these units. These CGUs have been considered for impairment and 
sensitivities have been calculated around the terminal growth rates and discount factors used together with specific scenarios including the 
loss of revenue where those revenues might be considered to be at risk. 

As a result of declining revenue in the Social Publishing CGU, the recoverable amount of £2.7m was less than the carrying value. The total 
carrying value of this CGU was £4.4m, of which £1.9m was goodwill. As a result, the directors have impaired goodwill by £1.7m. Social 
Publishing is a reportable segment and business operation. 

No indicators of impairment have arisen on the licensing CGU as a result as the impact of all sensitivities were judged to be within tolerable levels.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
15. Other investments

At 1 January 2017 

Change in Fair Value 

At 31 December 2017 

Change in Fair Value 

At 31 December 2018 

43

 Other investment 
 £ 

540,000

207,222

747,222

(212,092)

535,130

The available-for-sale investment comprises a 6.6% interest in Ayima Group AB (‘Ayima’). The shares of Ayima are quoted on AktieTorget, 
a Nordic stock exchange (www.aktietorget.se). The investment is remeasured each reporting period to fair value based on the quoted 
share price. 

As at 31 December 2018 the quoted share price was SEK 17.50 (£1.54). This is a level 1 valuation as defined by IFRS 13. Under IFRS 9, 
movements in fair value are taken to profit and loss. 

16. Property, plant and equipment

Cost 

Balance at 1 January 2017 

Additions 

Disposals 

FX Movement 

At 31 December 2017 

Additions 

Disposals 

Reclassified as held for sale 

FX Movement 

At 31 December 2018 

Accumulated deprecation 

Balance at 1 January 2017 

Depreciation charge 

Disposals 

FX Movement 

At 31 December 2017 

Depreciation charge 

Disposals 

Reclassified as held for sale 

FX Movement 

At 31 December 2018 

Net book value 

At 1 January 2017 

At 31 December 2017 

At 31 December 2018 

 Leasehold
 improvements 
 £ 

 Computers 
and related
 equipment 
 £ 

 Office 
furniture and
 equipment 
 £ 

293,975

3,373

–

(2,770)

294,578

6,403

(102,841)

–

(560)

162,095

73,324

(4,872)

(917)

118,246

2,885

(12,483)

(2,771)

229,630

105,877

22,829

(19,523)

(51,534)

(503)

197,580

180,899

78,074

93,426

–

(1,047)

170,453

75,038

(95,629)

–

(894)

85,644

53,550

(2,442)

(561)

136,191

49,131

(15,758)

(42,474)

(459)

148,968

126,631

215,901

124,125

48,612

76,451

93,439

54,268

 Total 
 £ 

574,316

79,582

(17,355)

(6,458)

630,085

34,712

(131,232)

(62,047)

(564)

470,954

201,009

173,638

(5,303)

(2,328)

367,016

145,269

(118,310)

(49,259)

(1,318)

343,398

373,307

263,069

127,556

5,480

(8,868)

(10,513)

499

92,475

37,291

26,662

(2,861)

(720)

60,372

21,100

(6,923)

(6,785)

35

67,799

80,955

45,505

24,676

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
44

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

17. Other assets

Other assets 

Other assets represent the rental deposit on operating leases and deposits held with third-party suppliers. 

18. Trade and other receivables

Trade and other receivables 

Prepayments and accrued income 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

132,577

163,865

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

1,541,665

1,139,835

2,311,610

1,447,824

2,681,500

3,759,434

The carrying value of trade and other receivables classified at amortised cost approximates fair value.

All amounts shown fall due for payment within 1 year.

The Group applies the IFRS 9 simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses using a lifetime expected credit loss provision for trade 
receivables. To measure expected credit losses on a collective basis, trade receivables are grouped based on similar credit risk and aging. 

The expected loss rates are based on the Group’s historical credit losses experienced over the three-year period prior to the period end. The 
historical loss rates are then adjusted for current and forward-looking information on macroeconomic factors affecting the Group’s customers.

At 31 December 2018 the lifetime expected loss provision for trade receivables is as follows:

Expected loss rate 

Gross carrying amount 

Loss provision 

19. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents 

Cash – held for sale (note 21) 

Restricted cash 

Overdraft 

Cash and cash equivalents for Statement of Cash Flows 

 Current 
 £ 

1%

1,461,274 

14,613 

 More than 
30 days 
past due 
 £ 

3%

47,889 

1,437 

 More than
60 days 
past due 
 £ 

10%

27,986 

2,799 

 More than
120 days 
past due 
 £ 

50%

4,516 

2,258 

 Total 
 £ 

1,541,665 

21,106 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

467,033

2,283,302

1,101,489

(18,382)

–

– 

(18,702)

(945,501)

1,550,141

1,319,098

The Group has restricted cash of £18,382 (2017: £18,702) relating to funds held in Swiss subsidiaries which are currently in liquidation. 
The funds are restricted and are not included in the consolidated statement of cash flows.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
45

20. Discontinued operations
During the year, the Group sold its Affiliate Marketing CGU, disposed of certain elements of the real money gaming CGU and was sufficiently 
progressed with active discussions concerning the remainder of the B2C RMG CGU that this element has been classified as held for sale as at 
31 December 2018.

Analysis of profit for the financial year – discontinued operations:

B2C RMG 

2018 Disposal 

Profit on disposal 

(Loss)/profit for the financial year 

B2C RMG business reclassified as held for sale 

Share of loss of associate 

Impairment in associate 

Fair value movement on contingent consideration 

Affiliate Marketing

2018 Disposal 

Loss on disposal 

(Loss)/profit for the financial year 

Affiliate Marketing business reclassified as held for sale 

Impairment 

Profit/(loss) for the financial year – discontinued 

A

C

21

21

21

B

C

2018
 £ 

12,492,369

2017
 £ 

–

(977,362)

2,033,894

(172,360)

(2,829,026)

(1,900,065)

–

–

6,613,556

2,033,894

(70,748)

21,438

–

892,046

–

(3,127,381)

(49,310)

(2,235,335)

6,564,246

(201,441)

B2C RMG
Disposal in 2018
On 16 August 2018 the Group entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with River for the sale of 4 of the Group’s B2C RMG brands.

The disposed brands and associated activities were contributed to a newly incorporated company in Malta, River UK Casino. As part of the sale 
agreement, the Group received a 30% equity interest in this company. In addition, a put and call option was entered into giving River the right 
to purchase, and the Group the right to sell to River, Gaming Realms’ 30% share of River UK Casino at the end of the earn-out period based on 
an Enterprise value of 5.5 times River UK Casino’s EBIT.

The minimum consideration receivable of £8.4m is structured as follows; £4.2m received on completion plus a further £4.2m payable 
31 August 2019. Further consideration is achievable on an earn-out basis, payable no later than 30 September 2019 based on 5.5 times  
River UK Casino’s EBIT for the 12 months to 30 June 2019 to a maximum of £14.7m. 

Further to this, River UK Casino has entered into a five-year B2B platform and content agreement with the Group.

Transfer to held for sale
The remaining B2C RMG CGU has been classified as held for sale as at 31 December 2018. Management were actively seeking a sale for the 
remainder of this business prior to the year end and heads of terms had been signed with River. The sale is expected to complete very shortly, 
following regulatory approvals (see note 21 for further details on the held for sale assets and liabilities).

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
46

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

20. Discontinued operations (continued)
A – B2C RMG profit on disposal 

Cash consideration 

Deferred consideration 

Contingent consideration 

Fair value of put/call option 

Investment in River UK Casino 

Less: Disposal costs 

Net proceeds 

Less: Assets disposed 

Intangible assets 

Profit on disposal of discontinued operation 

 i 

 ii 

 iii 

 iv 

 £ 

4,200,000

3,629,074

1,900,065

–

5,266,579

(311,540)

14,684,178

(2,191,809)

12,492,369

i 

 A discount rate of 14.5% was used to calculate the present value of £4.2m due 31 August 2019 at inception based on the Group’s Weighted 
Average Cost of Capital. The deferred consideration is recognised in the respective subsidiaries involved in the disposal. As a result of the 
proposed disposal of Bear Group Limited and the transfer of the company to held for sale, £3.6m of deferred consideration is included in 
the disposal group, and interest unwind of £0.3m included in discontinued operations. The remaining deferred consideration of £0.3m is 
included in continuing operations.

ii   At inception the Group was expecting to achieve an additional £2.2m earn-out. A discount rate of 14.5% was used to calculate the fair value 

at inception based on the Group’s incremental borrowing rate.

iii   The put/call option was considered to have nil value at inception and as at 31 December 2018 on the basis the 5.5x multiple is considered 

a market rate.

iv  The initial carrying value of the Group’s investment in River UK Casino has been calculated as the expected proceeds receivable upon 

exercise of the option to dispose of the interest (see iii) in 2020. Based on management’s forecast at the date of the transaction, a further 
£7.1m was expected to be received in August 2020. A discount rate of 14.5% was used to calculate the present value at inception based 
on the Group’s Weighted Average Cost of Capital.

Deferred consideration for B2C RMG 

Deferred consideration for Affiliate Marketing 

Unwind of discount 

20A

20B

11

 Continuing 

 Held for sale 

 Total 

260,916 

385,000 

 19,774 

3,368,159 

 3,629,074 

 – 

255,266 

 385,000 

 275,040 

665,690 

3,623,425 

 4,289,115 

Affiliate Marketing
On 22 March 2018 the Group sold its Affiliate Marketing CGU for total consideration of £2.4m to First Leads Ltd. First Leads paid £2.0m on 
closing, and a further £0.4m was received in January 2019 based on the achievement of performance targets.

B – Loss on disposal of the Affiliate Marketing CGU

Cash consideration 

Deferred consideration 

Less: Disposal costs 

Net proceeds 

Less: Assets disposed 

Intangible assets 

Loss on disposal of discontinued operation 

i

 £ 

2,000,000

385,000

(162,867)

2,222,133

(2,292,881)

(70,748)

i 

 The amount of deferred consideration was capped at £400,000 and reduced based on performance targets. The amount receivable of 
£385,000 was confirmed with First Lead Ltd as at 31 December 2018 and was received in January 2019.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C – Results of discontinued operations:

B2C RMG

Revenue 

Marketing expenses 

Operating expenses 

Administrative expenses 

EBITDA 

Amortisation of intangible assets 

Finance income 

Affiliate Marketing

Revenue 

Marketing expenses 

Operating expenses 

Administrative expenses 

Adjusted EBITDA – discontinued 

47

2018
 £ 

2017
 £ 

16,364,816

22,717,729

(4,318,842)

(8,022,410)

(9,169,594)

(8,867,787)

(3,325,060)

(3,153,222)

(448,680)

2,674,310

(783,948)

(640,416)

255,266

–

(977,362)

2,033,894

168,018

1,322,713

(14,833)

(15,809)

(115,938)

21,438

(128,316)

(76,316)

(226,035)

892,046

(427,242)

3,566,356

The results of the discontinued real money gaming operations include the results generated by the brands disposed to River UK Casino and 
operated under the B2B platform and content agreement.

21. Assets and liabilities classified as held for sale
On 22 March 2018 the Group sold its Affiliate Marketing CGU, which was classified as held for sale in the comparative balance sheet, for total 
consideration of £2.4m to First Leads Ltd. See note 20.During H2 2018 the Board concluded to pursue the sale of the remaining B2C RMG 
business and to accelerate the conclusion of the put/call option over the Group’s 30% interest in River UK Casino. Advisors were appointed and 
offers invited, which were actively being discussed during late 2018. The Group has therefore reclassified this business and the Group’s interest 
in River UK Casino as held for sale as at 31 December 2018. 

No impairment has been recognised based on the recoverable amount of goodwill attributable to this segment. Recoverable amount has 
been calculated as fair value less the costs of disposal. Fair value is measured at £11.5m based on active offers received during late 2018. 

Analysis of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale in the year
The following major classes of assets and liabilities relating to these operations have been classified as held for sale in the consolidated 
statement of financial position on 31 December 2018:

Non-current assets 

Intangible assets – goodwill 

Intangible assets – platform development costs 

Investment in associate 

Property, plant and equipment 

Other assets 

Current assets 

Trade and other receivables 

Deferred consideration 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Assets held for sale 

Current liabilities 

Trade and other payables 

Liabilities held for sale 

Note

31 December 
2018
 £ 

31 December 
2017
 £ 

1,699,000

2,292,881

1,266,788

2,268,192

12,789

32,000

–

–

–

–

5,278,769

2,292,881

1,388,330

20A

3,623,425

1,101,489

–

–

–

11,392,013

2,292,881

4,830,076

4,830,076

–

–

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
48

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

21. Assets and liabilities classified as held for sale (continued)
Associate investment in River UK Casino
The Group uses the equity method of accounting for associates. The following table shows the aggregate movement in the Group’s interests 
in associates: 

At 1 January 2018 

Initial recognition of associate (note 20) 

Share of associate’s loss 

Impairment 

At 31 December 2018 

 2018 
 £ 

–

5,269,578

(172,360)

(2,829,026)

2,268,192

On 16 August Gaming Realms Plc acquired an investment of 30% of the ordinary share capital of River UK Casino Limited, a newly incorporated 
company in Malta, for consideration of £3,000. The Group is able to exert significant influence over River UK Casino by way of its 30% holding 
and its seat on the Board of directors.

The following financial information relates to River UK Casino as at the period ended 31 December 2018:

Total assets 

Total liabilities 

Total revenue 

Total loss after tax 

 2018 
 £ 

22,814,767

(9,696,364)

1,384,822

(574,538)

River UK Casino owns a number of real money gaming sites targeting the UK market. The statutory financial statements of River UK Casino are 
prepared to 31 December 2018.

Impairment of the associate and contingent consideration movement
Post-sale, the performance of the 4 brands sold to River UK Casino has declined. As a result, the forecasts have been revised and expected 
proceeds reduced accordingly. As a result, an impairment of the associate of £2.8m and fair value decrease of contingent consideration of 
£1.9m have been recognised in discontinued operations.

Put/call option 
As part of the sale agreement, the Group received a 30% equity interest in the above associate, River UK Casino. In addition, a put and call 
option was entered into giving River the right to purchase, and the Group the right to sell to River, Gaming Realms’ 30% share of River UK Casino 
at the end of the earn-out period based on an Enterprise value of 5.5 times River UK Casino’s EBIT. This is considered to have an immaterial 
value at inception and as at 31 December 2018.

22. Trade and other payables

Trade and other payables 

Bank overdraft 

Accruals 

Player liabilities 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

1,896,184 

5,655,863

– 

 945,501 

588,408 

2,270,675

– 

397,693

2,484,592 

9,269,732

The carrying value of trade and other payables classified as financial liabilities measured at amortised cost approximates fair value. 

The Group’s bank overdraft is repayable on demand and is secured over the Group’s assets. The agreed facility at the reporting date was £1m 
expiring on 31 August 2019.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
49

23. Arrangement with Jackpotjoy Group
In December 2017 the group entered into a complex transaction with Jackpotjoy plc and group companies (together ‘Jackpotjoy Group’). The 
transaction includes a £3.5m secured convertible loan agreement alongside a 10-year framework services agreement for the supply of various 
real money services.

The convertible loan principle of £3.5m was paid directly by Jackpotjoy Group to RealNetworks to settle the outstanding $4.5m (£3.4m) 
deferred consideration obligation, with the excess cash of £0.1m transferred to the Group. Under the framework services agreement the first 
£3.5m of services are provided free-of-charge within the first 5 years. 

The convertible loan has a duration of 5 years and carries interest at 3-month LIBOR plus 5.5%. It is secured over the Group’s Slingo assets 
and business. At any time after the first year, Jackpotjoy Group may elect to convert all or part of the principal amount into ordinary shares 
of Gaming Realms Plc at a discount of 20% to the share price prevailing at the time of conversion. To the extent that the price per share at 
conversion is lower than 10p (nominal value), then the shares can be converted at nominal value with a cash payment equal to the aggregate 
value of the convertible loan outstanding multiplied by the shortfall on nominal value payable to Jackpotjoy Group. Under this arrangement, 
the maximum dilution to Gaming Realms shareholders will be approximately 11%, assuming the convertible loan is converted in full.

The option violates the fixed-for-fixed criteria for equity classification as the number of shares is variable and as a result is classified as a liability. 

The fair value of the conversion feature is determined at each reporting date with changes recognised in profit or loss. The initial fair value was 
£0.6m based on a probability assessment of conversion and future share price. This is a level 3 valuation as defined by IFRS 13. The fair value as 
at 31 December 2018 was £0.2m (2017: £0.6m) based on revised probabilities of when and if the option will be exercised. The key inputs into 
the valuation model included timing of exercise by the counterparty (based on a probability assessment) and the share price.

The initial fair value of the host debt was calculated as £2.7m, being the present value of expected future cash outflows. The rate used to 
discount future cashflows was 14.1%, being the Group’s incremental borrowing rate. This rate was calculated by reference to the Group’s cost 
of equity in the absence of reliable alternative evidence of the Group’s cost of borrowing given it is predominantly equity funded. Expected 
cashflows are based on directors’ judgement that a change in control event would not occur. Subsequently the loan is carried at amortised cost.

The residual £0.2m of proceeds were allocated to the obligation to provide free services.

At 1 January 2018 

Change in fair value 

Cost relating to issue of convertible debt 

Utilisation of free services 

Effective interest (14.4%) 

Interest paid 

At 31 December 2018 

 Fair value 
of debt host 
 £ 

2,630,469

–

(24,846)

 Obligation 
to provide free 
services 

 Fair value 
of derivative 
liability 
 £ 

 Total 
 £ 

213,000

600,000

3,443,469

–

(4,000)

360,475

(170,495)

–

–

(400,000)

(400,000)

–

–

–

–

(24,846)

(4,000)

360,475

(170,495)

2,795,603

209,000

200,000

3,204,603

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
50

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

24. Financial instruments and risk management – Group
The Group is exposed through its operations to risks that arise from use of its financial instruments. The Group’s financial assets and liabilities are 
shown on the face of the consolidated statement of financial position and in the table below and they can be classified wholly as either loans 
and receivables, other assets or other liabilities. The Group has separately analysed the 2018 held for sale category. No instruments in held for 
sale were classified as held at fair value. 

Financial assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Trade and other receivables 

Deferred consideration 

Other assets 

Other investments 

Financial liabilities 

Trade and other payables 

Accruals 

Player liabilities 

Other creditors 

Derivative liability 

 Amortised cost 

 Fair value

 2018
continuing 
 £

2018
 held for sale 
 £

 2017 
 £ 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

467,033 

1,101,489 

2,283,302

1,541,665 

1,388,330 

2,311,610

665,690 

3,623,425 

 – 

132,577 

32,000 

163,865

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 535,130 

 747,222 

1,896,184 

2,631,917 

5,655,863

588,408 

1,894,730 

2,270,675

 – 

303,429 

397,693

3,004,602 

 – 

– 

 – 

2,843,529 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 200,000 

 600,000 

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised on the balance sheet when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of 
the instrument.

The Group classifies its financial instruments in the following categories:

 » Loans and receivables at amortised cost;

 » Other financial liabilities at amortised cost; and

 » Financial assets and liabilities at fair value through profit or loss.

The classification depends on the purpose for which the financial assets and liabilities were acquired. Management determines the classification 
of its financial instruments at initial recognition or in certain circumstances on modification.

Financial assets of the Group classified as loans and receivables or available for sale. Financial liabilities are held at amortised cost or fair value. 

In the Directors’ opinion, there is no material difference between the book value and the fair value of any of the financial instruments.

The Group has some exposure to credit risk and liquidity risk. There has been no material change to the financial instruments used within the 
business during the year except for contingent consideration and therefore no material changes to the risk management policies put in place 
by the Board which are now discussed below.

The Board has overall responsibility for the determination of the Group’s risk management objectives and policies. Whilst acknowledging this 
responsibility, it has delegated the authority and day to day responsibility for designing and operating systems and controls which meet these 
risk management objectives to the finance and administration function. The Board regularly reviews the effectiveness of these processes 
in meeting its objectives and considers any necessary changes in response to changes within the business or the environment in which it 
operates.

Currency risk
The Group is exposed to currency risk on translation and on sales and purchases that are denominated in a currency other than Pounds Sterling 
(‘GBP’). The currency in which these transactions are primarily denominated is US Dollars (‘USD’).

The Group’s policy is, where possible to allow group entities to settle liabilities denominated in their functional currency with the cash 
generated from their own operations in that currency. Where group entities have liabilities denominated in a currency other than their 
functional currency cash already denominated in that currency will, where possible, be transferred from elsewhere in the Group.

All financial instruments included in held for sale are denominated in GBP.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
51

As of 31 December 2018 the Group’s net exposure to foreign exchange risk was as follows:

Net foreign currency financial assets/
(liabilities) 

Sterling

US Dollar

Other

 Sterling 
2018

–

234,737

18,201

252,937

 Sterling 
2017

–

543,998

37,837

581,835

 US Dollar 
2018

 US Dollar 
2017

 Other 
2018

 Other 
2017

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

The effect of a 20% strengthening of the US Dollar against Sterling at the reporting date on the US Dollar denominated receivables carried at 
that date would, all other variables held constant, have resulted in a decrease in losses and an increase in net assets of £50,587  
(2017: decrease in losses and increase of net assets of £116,367). A 20% weakening in the exchange rate would, on same basis increase loss 
after tax and decrease net assets by £50,587. (2017: increase loss after tax and decrease net assets by £116,367).

Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk arises from the Group’s management of working capital and the finance charges and principal repayments on its debt instruments. 
It is the risk that the Group will encounter difficulty in meeting its financial obligations as they fall due.

The Group’s policy is to ensure that it will always have sufficient cash to allow it to meet its liabilities when they become due. Customer funds 
are kept in dedicated client accounts, separately from the Group’s operational bank accounts. 

All financial liabilities included in held for sale are due within 1 year.

The Group operates an overdraft facility of £1m with its principal bankers, Barclays plc. The Group expects to complete the sale of the 
remaining B2C RMG business imminently which will generate cash proceeds on completion totalling £10m.

The following table sets out the undiscounted contractual cash flows:

At 31 December 2018 

Trade and other payables 

Accruals 

Player liabilities 

Other creditors 

Total 

At 31 December 2017 

Trade and other payables 

Accruals 

Player liabilities 

Other creditors 

Total 

 Within
1 year 
 £ 

1,896,184

588,408

– 

 1-2 
 years 
 £ 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 Over 
 2 years 
 £ 

– 

– 

– 

279,921 

263,219 

4,018,938 

2,764,513

263,219 

4,018,938

 Within 
1 year 
 £ 

5,655,862

2,270,675

397,693

225,578

8,549,808

 1-2 
 years 
 £ 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 Over 
 2 years 
 £ 

 – 

 – 

 – 

227,500 

227,500 

4,282,158 

4,282,158 

Credit risk
The Group’s trading is mainly exposed to credit risk through credit sales in the Licencing and Social Publishing segments. Generally, receivables 
are due and collected within 30 days of invoice or contract. See note 18 for further detail on receivables exposure and expected credit loss 
analysis. 

Management considered the credit risk on other financial assets including deferred consideration and the counterparty debt risk and concluded 
no provision was required. In the opinion of management, the credit risk to cash and lease deposits is immaterial. 

See further disclosure on results of expected credit losses in notes 18 and 29. 

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
52

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

24. Financial instruments and risk management – Group (continued)
Financial liabilities measured at fair value
The fair value hierarchy of financial liabilities measured at fair value is provided. 

The fair value of derivative liabilities totalling £0.2m (2017: £0.6m) was based on a probability assessment of conversion and future share price. 
This is a level 3 valuation as defined by IFRS 13.

Included in the held for sale group at year end is contingent consideration and a put/call option over the group’s associate interest arising from 
the sale disclosed in note 20. The value of contingent consideration and the put/call option is based on future EBITDA multiples. This is a level 3 
valuation as defined by IFRS 13.

The fair value measurement hierarchy is based on the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The inputs are categorised into 
three levels, with the highest level (level 1) given to inputs for which there are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets 
or liabilities and the lowest level (level 3) given to unobservable inputs. Level 2 inputs are directly or indirectly observable inputs other than 
quoted prices. 

Capital management
The Group is funded through shareholders’ funds, a £3.5m facility with JackpotJoy Group (note 23) and a £1m overdraft facility with Barclays 
(note 22).

The Group monitors its capital structure, which comprises all components of equity (i.e. share capital, share premium, non-controlling interest 
and retained earnings) and monitors external debt. The Group is not subject to any externally imposed capital requirements.

Changes in liabilities
IAS 7 requires an entity to provide disclosures that enable users of financial statements to evaluate changes in liabilities arising from financing 
activities, including both cash and non-cash changes. The Group’s liabilities arising from financing activities consist of JPJ Arrangement 
(note 23), Derivative liability (note 23) and an obligation to provide free services. There are no financing liabilities included in the held for 
sale asset group. A reconciliation between the opening and closing balances of these items is provided below. 

2018

Opening balance

Cash

Transaction costs

Non-cash transaction

Unwind of discount

Change in fair value

Carried forward

2017

Opening balance

Cash

Transaction costs

Non-cash transaction

Unwind of discount

Foreign exchange movement

Carried forward

 Fair value 
of debt host 

2,630,469

(170,495)

(24,846)

 Obligation 
to provide 
free services 

 Fair value 
of derivative 
liability 

213,000

600,000

–

(4,000)

360,475

–

–

–

2,795,603

209,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

(400,000)

200,000 

 Fair value 
of debt host 

–

122,966

(96,763)

 Obligation 
to provide 
free services 

 Fair value 
of derivative
 liability 

–

–

–

–

–

–

2,564,034

213,000

600,000

40,232

–

–

–

–

–

2,630,469

213,000

600,000 

The 2017 non-cash transaction relates to JPJ settling the deferred consideration owed by the Group directly with Real Networks with excess 
cash of £123k transferred to Gaming Realms.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
53

25. Share capital 
Ordinary shares

Ordinary shares of 10 pence each

284,428,747

28,442,874

284,428,747

28,442,874

 2018 
 Number 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 Number 

 2017 
 £ 

On 11 August 2017 10,295,455 shares were issued at £0.11 per share for a total consideration of £1,132,500. 

Movements in share capital

At 1 January 2017 

Ordinary shares issued for cash consideration 

At 31 December 2017 

At 31 December 2018 

 Number 

 £ 

274,133,292

27,413,329

10,295,455

1,029,545

284,428,747

28,442,874

284,428,747

28,442,874

26. Reserves
The following describes the nature and purpose of each reserve within equity:

Reserve

Share premium

Merger reserve

Retained earnings

Description and purpose

Amount subscribed for share capital in excess of nominal value.

Adjustments arising on the reverse transaction and the excess of the fair value over nominal value  
for shares issued in business combinations qualifying for merger relief under the Companies Act 2006.

All other net gains and losses and transactions with owners not recognised elsewhere.

Foreign exchange reserve

Gains/losses arising on retranslating the net assets of overseas operations into sterling.

Available for sale reserve –  
until 31 Dec 2017

Gains/losses arising on recognising changes in fair value of available for sale assets.

27. Leases
The Group has future lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases on land and buildings and other leases. The total future value of 
minimum lease payments is due as follows:

Not later than one year 

Later than one year and not later than five years 

Later than five years 

 2018 
 £ 

162,307

218,593

–

 2017 
 £ 

211,454

804,938

–

380,900

1,016,393

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
54

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

28. Share-based payments 
Gaming Realms 2013 EMI Plan
On 1 August 2013 the Company adopted the Gaming Realms 2013 EMI Plan to allow, at the discretion of the Board, eligible employees to be 
granted EMI or non-EMI options at an exercise price to be determined by the Board not less than the nominal value of a share. Options will vest 
subject to such time based and share price performance-based conditions as the Board may determine. 

Options to acquire ordinary shares under the EMI plan may be granted up to a maximum of £3m (based on the market value of the shares 
placed under option at the date of the grant).

No consideration is payable for the grant of the option and the options are not transferable or assignable. Cash consideration is paid to the 
Company by the employee at the point that the share options are exercised. 

In 2013, the Company granted options for B Shares under the Gaming Realms 2013 EMI plan. The B Share value will be 20 pence less than 
the prevailing price of the ordinary shares and will therefore have no value unless the value of the new ordinary shares exceeds 20 pence. 
EMI options can only be granted to employees who meet the statutory working time requirement and cannot normally be exercised before 
15 July 2015. All options granted under the New Share Option Scheme on Admission will be exercisable over B Shares at their nominal value 
of £0.01 and will be capable of exercise, subject to certain exceptions, after two years of the date of grant. Options are not exercisable later 
than midnight on the day before the tenth anniversary of the date of grant.

Options were fair valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, or where there are market-based performance conditions, a Monte Carlo 
simulation pricing model. Expected volatility was determined by calculating the historical volatility of the Company’s competitors in the sector. 
The inputs into the Black Scholes model for issues in previous years can be found in the respective annual reports.

IFRS 2 (Share-based payments) requires that the fair value of such equity-settled transactions is calculated and systematically charged to the 
statement of comprehensive income over the vesting period. The total fair value that was charged to the income statement in relation to the 
equity-settled share-based payments was £67,824 (2017: credit £149,810).

Outstanding at 1 January 2017 

Forfeited during the year 

Number of options outstanding at 31 December 2017 

Forfeited during the year 

Number of options outstanding at 31 December 2018 

Exercisable at 31 December 2018 

 Weighted 
average exercise 
price (pence) 

10.71 

25.30 

9.48 

22.70 

15.45 

15.50 

 Number 

48,120,043

(3,735,156)

44,384,887

(4,879,562)

39,505,325

38,370,699

Options to subscribe under various schemes, including those noted in Directors’ interests in note 8, are shown in the table below: 

Approved 

 Date granted 

1 August 2013

 Exercise 
price (pence) 

 Exercisable between 

 2018
Number 
of shares 

 2017
Number 
of shares

0.01 

 31 July 2015 to 31 July 2023 

26,153,837

26,153,837

Unapproved 

1 August 2013

13.00 

 31 July 2015 to 31 July 2023 

23.00 

 1 April 2017 to 1 April 2024 

23.00 

 16 June 2016 to 16 June 2024 

28.88 

 16 June 2016 to 16 June 2024 

33.00 

 19 February 2018 to 19 February 2025 

1,538,460

2,780,663

 – 

326,087

284,141

1,538,460

4,208,315

750,000

467,391

422,475

25.13 

 15 October 2018 to 15 October 2025 

5,810,000

5,970,000

10 November 2015

25.00 

 10 November 2018 to10 November 2025 

1,410,711

28 July 2016

28 July 2016

20.00 

 28 July 2018 to 28 July 2026 

20.00 

 28 July 2018 to 28 July 2026 

1,069,251

132,175

2,340,713

2,326,196

207,500

39,505,325

44,384,887

2 April 2014

17 June 2014

17 June 2014

19 February 2015

15 October 2015

Approved 

Unapproved 

Approved 

Approved 

Approved 

Approved 

Approved 

Unapproved 

Modification
During the year certain share options were terminated and replaced with new options with lower exercise price or quantity. This has been 
accounted for as a modification under IFRS 2. The fair value of the reissued options is less than the fair value of the original grant. 

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
55

29. Related party transactions
Atul Bali is an advisor of Gamerail Entertainment LLC, a social lottery gaming company. Blastworks, Inc., a group company, provided platform 
development, operational and marketing services to Gamerail Entertainment LLC in the prior year to the value of $47,365. No services were 
provided in 2018. The balance owed by Gamerail Entertainment LLC as at 31 December 2017 was $253,454 which was fully provided for 
in 2018.

Atul Bali is an advisor to Instant Win Gaming. In April 2016, Instant Win Gaming entered into an agreement with Bear Group Limited to supply 
Instant Win Games on its online gaming websites. During the year, the total revenue share payable by Bear Group Limited for the supply of 
game content totalled £44,708 (2017: £93,995) with £2,768 owed at 31 December 2018 (2017: £4,925). 

In addition, Instant Win Gaming has entered into a licensing agreement with Blastworks Limited for the Slingo Brand. Instant Win Game licensed 
the Slingo Brand to create and distribute Slingo Branded Instant Win Games. During the year, the total licence fees earned were £51,377 
(2017: £17,998) with £7,310 due at 31 December 2018 (2017: £2,220).

Atul resigned on 30 June 2018 and therefore the above entities ceased to be a related party as of this date.

Jim Ryan is a Non-Executive Director of the Company and the CEO of Pala Interactive. On 22 March 2016, Pala Interactive launched a real-
money online bingo site in New Jersey. The Bingo software is provided by AlchemyBet Limited on a revenue share basis. During the year, 
the total licence fees earned were $13,709 (2017: $44,000) with $1,102 due at 31 December 2018 (2017: $5,431).

Jim Ryan is a Non-Executive Director of JackpotJoy Group. In December 2017 the group entered into a 10-year framework services agreement 
and a 5-year convertible loan agreement for £3.5m with the JackpotJoy Group (see note 23). Gaming Realms has also entered into an 
agreement to provide JackpotJoy Group a white label site, JackpotHappy.com. During the prior year Bear Group Limited billed £75,000 
to JackpotJoy Group in respect of site design and build works which was outstanding as at 31 December 2017.

During the year £180,000 (2017: £300,000) of consulting fees were paid to Dawnglen Finance Limited, a company controlled by 
Michael Buckley. No amounts were owed at year end.

Simon Collins is a Non-Executive Director of the Company and holds a 6% shareholding in Stannp Limited. During 2018 we spent £2,593 
on customer mailings with Stannp Limited. This amount was fully paid as at 31 December 2018.

The details of key management compensation are set out in note 7.

30. Subsidiaries
The subsidiaries of the Company, all of which have been included in these consolidated financial statements, are as follows:

Name

Registered office

Country of 
incorporation

Principal activity

Proportion held 
by Parent Company

Proportion 
held by Group

Quickthink Digital Limited 
(formerly Bingo Realms Limited)

2 Valentine Place, London, SE1 8QH

Blastworks Limited

2 Valentine Place, London, SE1 8QH

AlchemyBet Limited

2 Valentine Place, London, SE1 8QH

UK

UK

UK

Bear Group Limited

Inchalla,Le Val, Alderney, GY9 3UL

Alderney

Marketing services 100%

IP owner

Software 
developer

90.66%

88.85%

Real money 
gaming operator

100%

Blueburra Holdings Limited

Digital Blue Limited

Blastworks Inc

Backstage Technologies Inc

Hullabu Inc

Blastmedia LLC

49 Victoria Street, Douglas,  
Isle of Man, IM1 2LD

49 Victoria Street, Douglas,  
Isle of Man, IM1 2LD

Isle of Man

Marketing services 100%

Isle of Man

Marketing services 0%

300 Deschutes Way SW, Tumwater,  
WA 98501

USA

Social publishing 
operator

808 Douglas Street, Victoria BC,  
V8W 2B6

848 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas,  
NV, 89101

Prospekt Masherova 6a, Brest,  
Belarus, 224000

Canada

USA

Belarus

Software 
developer

IP owner

Software 
developer

100%

100%

0%

0%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

62.5%

62.5%

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance56

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

30. Subsidiaries (continued)
The Group held 100% interest in the following subsidiaries that were in the process of liquidation at the balance sheet date:

Name

PDX Businessgroup AG

8200 Schaffhausen

PDX Technologies AG

PDX Management AG

PDX Public Health and Safety AG

BFX Solutions AG

DDX Solutions AG

Registered 
office

Country of 
incorporation

Principal activity

Proportion held 
by Parent Company

Proportion held 
by Group

Vordergasse 53

Switzerland

In liquidation

100%

100%

Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland

In liquidation

In liquidation

In liquidation

In liquidation

In liquidation

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

31. Post balance sheet events
On 21 February 2019 Gaming Realms Plc entered into an agreement (‘Transaction’) with River to sell the remaining B2C real money operations 
via the sale of Bear Group Ltd, a Company incorporated in Alderney for total consideration of £11.5m, which includes settlement of the 
deferred consideration (see note 20), disposal of the associate and settlement of the put/call option (see note 20). The Company also has 
gaming licences issued by the UK Gambling Commission and the Alderney Gambling Commission. The Transaction also provides for the transfer 
of the 30% shareholding Gaming Realms has in River UK Casino and the acquisition of a sole perpetual licence for the use, development and 
distribution of a gaming platform. River have now received UK GC approval and expect to complete very shortly.

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Parent Company Statement of Financial Position
as at 31 December 2018

Assets 

Non-current assets 

Investment in subsidiary undertakings 

Other investments 

Property, plant and equipment 

Intangible assets 

Other assets 

Current assets 

Trade and other receivables 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Assets classified as held for sale 

Total assets 

Liabilities 

Current liabilities 

Trade and other payables 

Non-current liabilities 

Other Creditors 

Derivative liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity 

Share capital 

Share premium 

Merger reserve 

Available for sale reserve 

Shares to be issued 

Retained earnings 

Total equity 

57

Note

31 December 
2018
 £ 

31 December 
2017
 £ 

2

2

10,897,262

13,297,262

535,130

48,596

 – 

120,000

747,222

131,717

1,708

120,000

11,600,988

14,297,909

3

16,598,253

23,804,493

59,561

71,319

16,657,814

23,875,812

3,000

–

28,261,802

38,173,721

4

5

5

6,386,838

6,386,838

6,537,936

6,537,936

3,008,603

2,843,529

200,000

600,000

3,208,603

3,443,529

9,595,441

9,981,465

18,666,361

28,192,256

6

28,442,874

28,442,874

87,918,410

87,918,410

2,683,702

2,683,702

–

–

207,222

145,000

(100,378,625)

(91,204,952)

18,666,361

28,192,256

As permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006, a separate profit and loss account of the Company is not presented. The Company’s 
loss for the financial year was £9,448,719 (2017: £10,329,552). 

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 27 June 2019 and were signed on its behalf by:

Patrick Southon
Chief Executive Officer

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
58

Parent Company Statement of Changes in Equity
for the year ended 31 December 2018

 Share 
capital 
 £ 

 Share 
premium 
 £ 

 Merger 
reserve 
 £ 

 Available for 
sale reserve 
 £ 

 Shares 
to be issued 
 £ 

 Retained 
earnings 
 £ 

 Total 
equity 
 £ 

1 January 2017 

Loss for the year 

Other comprehensive 
income 

Shares issued as part  
of the capital raising 

Share-based payment  
to Director (Note 8) 

Share-based payment  
on share options 

27,413,329

87,815,455

2,683,702

–

–

–

–

1,029,545

102,955

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

207,222

–

–

–

31 December 2017 

28,442,874

87,918,410

2,683,702

Impact of adoption of IFRS 9 

–

–

–

207,222

(207,222)

1 January 2018 

Loss for the year 

Share-based payment  
to Director (Note 8) 

Share-based payment  
on share options 

28,442,874

87,918,410

2,683,702

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

31 December 2018 

28,442,874

87,918,410

2,683,702

The notes on pages 59 to 61 form part of these financial statements. 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

145,000

(80,725,590)

37,186,896

(10,329,552)

(10,329,552)

–

–

–

207,222

1,132,500

145,000

–

(149,810)

(149,810)

145,000

(91,204,952)

28,192,256

–

207,222

–

145,000

(90,997,730)

28,192,256

–

(9,677,170)

(9,677,170)

(145,000)

–

(145,000)

–

–

67,824

67,824

(100,607,076)

18,437,910

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 201859

Notes to the Parent Company Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

1. Principal accounting policies
These financial statements present the results of Gaming Realms plc for the year ended 31 December 2018.

These financial statements were prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 101 Reduced Disclosure Framework (‘FRS 101). 

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention. No profit and loss account is presented by the Company as 
permitted by Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006. 

The financial statements are prepared in Sterling. 

Basis of preparation
The accounting policies which follow set out those policies which apply in preparing the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018. 

The Company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemptions under FRS 101: 

a)  IFRS 2 Share-based Payment disclosure, the share-based payment arrangement concerns its own equity instruments and its separate financial 

statements are presented alongside the consolidated financial statements of the Group. 

b)  IFRS 7 Financial Instruments disclosures, given that equivalent disclosures are included in the consolidated financial statements of the Group 

in which the entity is consolidated. 

c)  IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement disclosures. 

d)  Certain disclosures required by IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements, including certain comparative information in respect of share 

capital movements.

e) IAS 7 Statement of Cash Flows and related notes. 

f)  IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures relating to key management personnel compensation. 

g)  IAS 24 Disclosure of related party transactions entered into between two or more members of a group, given that any subsidiary which is 

party to the transaction is wholly owned by such a member. 

Investments
Investments in subsidiaries and associates are stated at cost less provision for impairment in value, except for investments acquired before 
1 October 2013 where shares issued to effect business combinations and the conditions of the Companies Act 2006 are met, merger relief 
was applied and the resulting investment is recorded at the nominal value of the shares issued.

Taxation
Current tax, including UK corporation tax, is provided at amounts expected to be paid (or recovered) using the tax rates and laws that have 
been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet. 

Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences that have originated but not reversed at the balance sheet date, where 
transactions or events that result in an obligation to pay more tax in the future or a right to pay less tax in the future have occurred at the 
balance sheet date.

A net deferred tax asset is recognised as recoverable and therefore recognised only when, on the basis of all available evidence, it can be 
regarded as more likely than not that there will be suitable taxable profits against which to recover carried forward tax losses and from which 
the future reversal of underlying timing differences can be deducted.

Deferred tax is measured at the average tax rates that are expected to apply in the period in which the timing differences are expected to 
reverse, based on tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date.

Foreign currencies
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are recorded at exchange rates as of the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities 
denominated in foreign currencies at the balance sheet date are reported at the rates of exchange prevailing at that date.

Financial liabilities
Financial liabilities held by the Company consist of trade payables, deferred consideration, long-term borrowings and other short-term 
monetary liabilities, which are held at amortised cost, and derivative liabilities which are held at fair value through profit and loss.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance60

Notes to the Parent Company Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018 continued

2. Investments 

At 1 January 2017 

Change in fair value 

Impairment 

At 31 December 2017 

Change in fair value 

Additions 

Impairment 

At 31 December 2018 

 Investment
 in subsidiary
 undertakings 
 £ 

20,737,592

–

(7,440,330)

13,297,262

–

–

(2,400,000)

10,897,262

 Investment 
in associate 
 £ 

 Other
 investments 
 £ 

–

–

–

–

–

3,000

–

540,000

207,222

–

747,222

(212,092)

–

–

3,000

535,130

The investment in Blueburra Holdings Limited was impaired as a result of the 2018 Affiliate Marketing business sale.

Details of the Company’s investments can be found in note 30 of the consolidated financial statements.

3. Trade and other receivables

Amounts due from Group companies 

Other debtors 

Prepayments and accrued income 

Expected credit losses on Amounts due from Group companies was calculated as £6.5m.

4. Trade and other payables

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 

Amounts due to Group companies 

Trade creditors 

Overdraft 

Other creditors 

Accruals and deferred income 

5. Other creditors & derivative liability
See note 23 of the consolidated accounts for further information.

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

16,407,738

23,590,212

73,743

116,773

66,176

148,104

16,598,253

23,804,492

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 £ 

6,056,090

4,924,851

75,390

 – 

 – 

325,710

945,501

–

255,357

341,874

6,386,838

6,537,936

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
61

6. Called up share capital
Allotted, called up and fully paid

Ordinary shares of 10 pence each

284,428,747

28,442,874

284,428,747

28,442,874

 2018 
 Number 

 2018 
 £ 

 2017 
 Number 

 2017 
£ 

Allotted and fully paid

As at 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2017 

 £ 

28,442,875

On 11 August 2017 10,295,455 shares were issued at £0.11 per share for a total consideration of £1,132,500.

7. Employee information
The Company had a monthly average of 10 (2017: 11) employees during the year.

The employee costs for the Company were £1,103,599 (2017: £1,090,741). 

Details of Directors’ remuneration can be found in note 8 of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

8. Leases
The Company has future lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases on land and buildings and other leases. The total future value 
of minimum lease payments is due as follows:

Not later than one year 

Later than one year and not later than five years 

Later than five years 

 2018 
 £ 

88,356

 – 

–

 2017 
 £ 

125,000

35,959

–

88,356

160,959

9. Related party transactions
During the year £180,000 (2017: £300,000) of consulting fees were paid to Dawnglen Finance Limited, a company controlled by 
Michael Buckley.

The details of key management compensation are set out in note 7 of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Financial StatementsStrategic ReportCorporate Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
62

Company Information

Directors
Michael Buckley, Non-Executive Chairman

Patrick Southon, Chief Executive Officer

Mark Segal, Chief Financial Officer

Simon Collins, Non-Executive Director 

Jim Ryan, Non-Executive Director

Mark Wilson, Non-Executive Director

Atul Bali, Non-Executive Director (resigned 30 June 2018)

Chris Bell, Non-Executive Director (resigned 30 June 2018)

Chris Ash, Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 June 2019)

Company Secretary
Mark Segal

Auditors
BDO LLP, 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 7EU

Bankers
Barclays Bank plc, 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP

Nominated advisors
Peel Hunt, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET

Solicitors
Memery Crystal LLP, 44 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A 1AP

Registrars
Computershare Investor Services PLC, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS13 8AE

Registered office
Two Valentine Place, London, SE1 8QH

Registered number
04175777

Gaming Realms plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Designed and produced by Instinctif Partners  
creative.instinctif.com

Gaming Realms plc
Two Valentine Place 
London
SE1 8QH

www.gamingrealms.com