Our monthly gambling share prices is back covering the top gambling firms across four global stock markets – the LSE, NASDAQ, NYSE and ASX. (Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)
Google’s recent core update has impacted the iGaming industry, with many online casinos feeling the pinch after affiliates they associated themselves with took a huge hit.
The ripple effects have also hit software providers supplying these casinos, but the negative effects will be short-lived as internet users move to wealthy affiliate sites able to game Google’s algorithm.
The first update began in early 2024, and the second is the broad core update, which began in May (Last month). Some say Google now favors sites with spammy backlinks and those purchased for thousands of dollars on high-authority/high-traffic websites.
There also seem to be some issues with ‘relevant’ searches. For example, there is a mixed set of Google search engine results in the top 10 for certain keyword searches. People say their searches show sites irrelevant to the user’s country in the top 10 results.
I can attest to this myself. When I search for casino content in New Zealand using Google, I find results showing websites showcasing casinos in the US or Canada. This is not something I would expect when searching from my home country.
It’s not an encouraging sign for us as an affiliate marketing online casino site. In the meantime, whether the stock market companies in this report that rely on online casino income will feel a positive or negative knock-on effect from this new algorithm remains to be seen.
Worrying Signs of GIG Monopolizing Casino Affiliate Search
Another issue is that it looks like GIG is trying to monopolize the casino affiliate marketing industry by buying affiliate websites. Suddenly, those sites see improved rankings despite out-of-date content and incorrect casino bonuses advertised site-wide.
It is not known whether the company will attract any negative attention from firms on the market. More likely, these companies will align themselves with GIG and make deals so GIG can quash its competition of smaller independent affiliate websites ranking on Google.
It begs the question, what is this new Google update trying to achieve? We all thought it was quality content, but most searches display how little Google’s algorithm knows about the online casino market.
One thing is for sure: Google’s algorithm does not understand the casino market, as most bonus offers on GIG affiliate websites offer you the chance to play a bonus that no longer exists. In other words, these affiliate sites are tainted with out-of-date content and misinformation.
They also have huge backlink profiles from pay-for-backlink websites like Outlook India, Forbes, or Techradar available for sale on sites like Fiverr and People.com. We have never paid for any backlinks on the Casinoplusbonus EN language site, but even though we may regret not buying them, there is certainly no way we are going to start now, as we believe in quality content and dishonest backlink buying practices.
Overall, the core update’s effects have been positive for many larger websites but detrimental to others, both small and large. Ultimately, I predict operators and many companies listed on the stock exchange will use their huge financial budgets to make new allegiances with GIG-owned affiliates’ websites.
Ultimately, we will see more fake industry awards like Ask Gamblers and Casino Guru. If it was ever investigated, rumors across the online gambling grapevine are that these awards go to the highest bidders, companies booking the largest tables, or sending money through some other shady deal.
From my years of experience working in the iGaming industry, I truly believe that if there was ever a class-action lawsuit in which the award winners would have to swear under the threat of perjury, these rumors are true; they would likely confirm them. I would love to stick it to these companies to get the truth and expose any affiliate sites for false advertising and misleading online gamblers by awarding companies industry awards using fake criteria and manipulated ratings.
Meanwhile, the future of organic search looks bleak for independent content providers like us. Also, if you are trying to break into the casino affiliate market without a huge backlink war chest ready-to-buy links for thousands of dollars, then forget it because Google has got this new update very, very, very wrong!
It has gone with letting the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer algorithm.
Previous Gambling Company Share Price Reports: Below we show percentage changes from 2023 and 2024 market opening prices for online gambling shares. If you would like a reference point for the last month, then head back to May’s ‘Gambling Share Prices 2024 – Issue 8‘.
Gambling Company Price Movements
London Stock Exchange (LSE)
Playtech – (PTEC.L)
- The Playtech stock price continues to slide even though the company has recently stated that the B2B and B2C divisions are growing. PTEC is confident that by Q3 the company’s performance will be robust after an internal restructuring process and strong underlying trends. The company’s shares hit a 2024 high of 530 GBX a month ago and reached 498 GBX in May. Since those heights, the stick has been on a bearish trend. The shares are down 11% in the last month and are trading at 475 GBX, with weak support at this level.
Current Price: 475.00 GBX
2 Jan 2024 Open: 445.40 GBX
(+29.60 GBX | +6.65%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 506.50 GBX
(-31.50 GBX | -6.22%)
Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)
Aristocrat Leisure Limited – (ALL.AX)
- Aristocrat has had a stellar month, hitting a yearly high of AUD 47.57 ten days ago. The share price is up 11.5% since the last report and continues to push up. The company has a solid balance sheet with liabilities being offset by a cash flow of 2.66b AUD and receivables of AUD 1.2 billion (due in the next 12 months). ALL has had a strong H1 with 5.9% revenue growth from their North American divisions. The company has continued its share buy-back program to return value to investors by buying AUD 350m in the past five months. The stock is trading in the Aussie market at AUD 47.18 today, with weak resistance at 46.27 AUD.
Current Price: 47.18 AUD
2 Jan 2024 Open: 40.60 AUD
(+6.58 AUD | +16.21%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 30.66 AUD
(+16.52 AUD | +53.89%)
(Nasdaq Stock Market)
Light & Wonder – (LNW)
- Light & Wonder posted strong first quarter earnings results on May 11th. Their overall revenue beat expectations by 5.5% (USD 756) and the EPS was 35% higher than analysts’ estimates. Sentiment in the market suggests that LNW has clearly turned a corner, but 2024 revenue estimates remain unchanged as the company has not announced any major strategic changes. The share price is up 4% in the past month and closed on Friday June 7th 2024 in a down trend after hitting its highest level of 99.59 since April 8th when the stock was priced at USD 100.33. The US stock markets have not opened yet, and so the stock closed at USD 97.66 on Friday.
Current Price: 97.66 USD
2 Jan 2024 Open: 81.56 USD
(+16.10 USD | +19.74%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 56.95 USD
(+40.71 USD | +71.50%)
London Stock Exchange (LSE)
EVOKE PLC – (EVOK)
- Evoke plc (EVOK) [Formerly 888 Holdings 888:L] – The betting company 888 Holdings officially changed its name to Evoke on May 16th at their annual general meeting. Rebranding is a strategy by the new CEO to unify the brand identity and shed the negativity associated with 888 (money laundering, CEO resignation, hostile takeover bids, etc.). The company’s strategic framework and innovative value plan for the future are expected to drive growth and attain further potential. The share price is up a modest 4.4% in the last month and is currently trading at 84.50 GBX.
Current Price: 84.50 GBX
2 Jan 2024 Open: 91.00 GBX
(-6.50 GBX | -7.14%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 84.60 GBX
(-0.10 GBX | -0.12%)
(Nasdaq Stockholm)
Evolution AB – (publ) (EVO.ST)
- Evolution posted weak 1st quarter earnings a month ago. Investors in response have put selling pressure on the stock and it dropped almost 8% in the last month. While revenue was up 5.5%, profit decreased 4.6% from the same time period last year. The share price is down 9.7% in the last month and is currently trading at 1,112 SEK, with weak support at 1,023 SEK.
Current Price: 1,112 SEK
2 Jan 2024 Open: 1,217.40 SEK
(-105.40 SEK | -8.66%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 1,028.00 SEK
(+84.00 SEK | +8.17%)
(Nasdaq Stock Market)
Inspired Entertainment, INC – (INSE)
- Inspired Entertainment (INSE) – Inspired Entertainments’ share price continues to decline as investor sentiment is not favorable towards the company’s lingering court case, failing to report earnings on time and poor earnings reports. The company has a low price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) when compared to its peers. The P/E of INSE is 10.7x and half the companies in this industry have P/E ratios of 16x or more. The share price has been flat since January but is up 6% since the last report and is currently trading at USD 9.15.
Current Price: 9.15 USD
2 Jan 2024 Open: 9.84 USD
(-0.69 USD | -7.01%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 12.85 USD
(-3.70 USD | -28.79%)
London Stock Exchange (LSE)
Flutter Entertainment plc (FLTR.L)
- Flutter continues to struggle as the company was dealt another blow to its stock price when the Illinois lawmakers proposed a gambling tax hike. The share price dropped 7.7% on the news 2 days ago. The new tax rate would be 40% (operators with the highest adjusted gross revenue), if revenues were over 200m USD. If higher taxes were implemented, then players would face worse odds and fewer bonuses and promotions. There is also a possibility of illegal offshore gambling if the tax hike goes through. FLUT share price is currently trading at 14,880 GBX.
Current Price: 14,880.00 GBX
2 Jan 2024 Open: 13,935 GBX
(+945 GBX | +6.78%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 11,405 GBX
(+3,475 GBX | +30.46%)
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
MGM Resorts International (MGM)
- The downward trend of MGM has continued as we enter H2. The company’s share price has been in a bearish trend for a year, down 15% since January and down 2.3% in the past month. Some analysts believe that this could be the bottom for MGM and that it is a buy, while other analysts believe there are negative financial issues within MGM that need to be addressed before the share price recovers. The share price is at a year-to-date low today and is trading at USD 40.69.
Current Price: 40.69 USD
2 Jan 2024 Open: 44.29 USD
(-3.60 USD | -8.13%)
3 Jan 2023 Open: 33.93 USD
(+6.76 USD | +19.92%)
Disclaimer: The information on this page is not investment advice. Our expertise is online casino gaming. For expert financial advice, please visit a portal similar to our, but one that specializes in stock market investments.
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