Flutter touts growth, particularly in US despite tough NFL season

Executives also reported that for FanDuel in the US, the number of average monthly players grew 7% in the quarter and 13% for the fiscal year. Overall, the tone was enthusiastic as Flutter reported growth across the world during its fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday (4 March).

The company reported $156 million (£122 million/€147 million) in fourth-quarter profit and $162 million of it for the year. Both of those numbers were up more than 100% against 2023 and annual revenue increased by 19%. Flutter is in the midst of a share repurchase programme and has plans to buy back $1 billion in stock in 2025.

All the reported numbers matched up to previous guidance. The company pointed to success with its new customisable “Your Way” parlay, which is in beta testing, in addition to touting its ongoing stock buyback as a positive.

With regard specifically to the US, CEO Peter Jackson said FanDuel is prepping for a late-year launch in Missouri. The company continues to find ways, meanwhile, to mitigate a significant tax increase that went into effect in Illinois last year, he said.

While the legal gambling world in the US has been focused on threats from unregulated sweepstakes platforms and the rise of prediction markets, Jackson called the latter “an interesting opportunity” although they lack the excitement and range of options available with a “true sportsbook”.

He did not expand on what he meant during the call. Only financial analysts are allowed to ask questions during the calls.

FanDuel now US igaming market leader

Prediction markets, which offer contracts on sports, politics and much else, are not regulated in the same way gambling platforms are. Kalshi, Polymarket and others began offering sports-related contracts last fall.

Since then, the gambling industry has had much to say about the lack of problem and responsible gambling guardrails and the threat to tribal sovereignty. The markets have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in bets, likely pulling some revenue away from the more traditional gambling industry.

In the bigger picture, Jackson enthusiastically shared that FanDuel is now the market leader in both sports betting and igaming in the US.

The rise in US revenue came despite a difficult – or, as the industry calls it, “customer-friendly” – NFL season. Operators across the US pointed to the toughest NFL results in two decades throughout the fall. But FanDuel in the US still had structural gross revenue margin growth of 14.5% and igaming revenue growth of 43%. For the start of 2025, executives said a strong Super Bowl offset other NFL results.

Hope springs eternal

Seven US states offer legal igaming and Flutter is live in five. Through the first two months of their 2025 sessions, lawmakers in Indiana, Virginia and Wyoming have already killed icasino legislation. It is currently stalled in Maryland.

Despite that, Jackson said “maybe we get one new igaming state…. We remain confident that can happen.”

Lawmakers in Illinois and New York currently have online gambling bills to consider, but none has gained traction as yet.

Executives said the company will spend about $80 million on preparations ahead of the Missouri launch, which is projected to take place in the fourth quarter. FanDuel is also preparing for a launch in early 2026 in Alberta, where it is projecting a $10 million spend. Together, those expenditures could result in negative income, the company said.

Innovation a driver around the world

In Illinois, a major tax increase pushed FanDuel from paying 15% on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to 40%. Executives said the tax hike had a $50 million impact on business in 2024, but that the company should be able to “mitigate” 50% of that impact in the coming year. They did not expand on how.

Commenting on the rest of the world, executives pointed to the MaxBet acquisition and igaming innovation in the UKI as key drivers. The company successfully “leverag[ed] the Flutter Edge with ‘consolidate and invest’” in Italy, India, Turkey, Georgia and Brazil. There were “expected market declines” in Australia, but executives said “player trends remain encouraging”.

NSX deal to close next quarter

As to Latin America, where Brazilian regulators launched legal sports betting on 1 January, Jackson said his company will continue to take mergers and acquisitions as they present themselves. The company is heavily investing, he said, in organic search around the world.

Flutter expects to close on the NSX deal in Brazil in the second quarter. The acquisition is part of what Flutter refers to as “local heroes”. These are existing companies that Flutter has identified as acquisition targets. Once they are in-house, Flutter offers supports and guidance but generally does not make wholesale changes, in the belief that the local businesses know their market.

Flutter expects to capture 11% of the Brazilian market with the deal.