Sportech interims in line amid continued US push

Sportech said its online business was trading in line with expectations for the year-to-date after having successfully rolled out a number of new US-focused initiatives.

In an interim management statement, the pool and tote betting service provider said its online performance had been boosted by the delivery of a new betting site and mobile app in Connecticut.

MyWinners.com was released during the period as Connecticut’s only legal online betting platform with the mobile app also available to residents in the state.

Although no figures were offered, Sportech said MyWinner.com customers would grow over the coming months once the Connecticut Attorney General has issued cease and desist letters to offshore gambling operators.

The company’s European revenues received an uplift after it successfully completed the delivery of its tote betting system to Danish operator Danske Spil through both online and land-based channels.

Sportech’s UK football pools division also traded in line as it managed to double the number of new customers over the period to 7,000, an increase it attributed to telephone and digital marketing activity.

The company said its performance had been hampered by adverse weather in the US with a large number of horse race meeting cancelled, although this mainly affected its venues division.

Sportech also offered an update on its ongoing UK £95m tax claim with it having been advised it should expect a decision from the Upper Tribunal by late summer.

Sportech’s share price was up 0.75p to 83.5p after early morning trading.