Better Collective Returns To Profit After Q1 Revenue Growth

Better Collective reported a return to net profit during the first quarter of 2026, supported by stronger performance in North America and continued revenue growth across several business segments.

Revenue for the three months ending 31 March reached €86.3m, representing a 5% increase year-on-year. EBITDA before special items rose by 14%, while the group also recorded a positive bottom-line result after reporting a loss during the same period in 2025.

The company described the quarter as another step in its recovery following a difficult period across parts of 2025. The key contributors to its stability include improved trading conditions in the US and recurring revenue streams.

North America returned to growth during the quarter, while European operations remained resilient despite regulatory pressure in several markets. Better Collective also pointed to the role of recurring revenue in reducing volatility across the business.

Jesper Søgaard highlights long-term diversification strategy

Chief executive Jesper Søgaard said the company’s performance reflected the strength of its diversified model. According to Søgaard, growth in paid media, esports and revenue-share activity in North America helped offset ongoing pressure in some regulated markets.

“We started 2026 with a solid first quarter and a return to organic growth, with performance broadly in line with our expectations,” Søgaard said.

“The growth was driven in particular by continued strong momentum in paid media, talent-led media, North American revenue share, and our esport community, HLTV.”

Søgaard also emphasised Better Collective’s focus on user engagement and product development as competition intensifies within the sports betting media space.

“The future winners in our industry will not only be those with reach, but those that can create better user journeys, stronger engagement loops, and more valuable commercial ecosystems around their audiences.”

Publishing, paid media and esports segments all record growth

Publishing was the company’s largest revenue segment during the quarter. Revenue from publishing activities increased 1% year-on-year to €54.0m, despite foreign exchange pressure and the impact of regulatory developments in Brazil. 

Paid media revenue grew by 12% to €27.6m, split evenly between revenue-share agreements and cost-per-acquisition deals. Better Collective also reported stronger-than-expected trading in the UK ahead of regulatory changes introduced on 1 April, which involve higher tax burdens and lower deposit values.

Esports returned to growth during Q1, with revenue rising 8% to €4.7m. Sponsorship activity continued to perform strongly, particularly through HLTV, which Better Collective said maintained solid user demand.

Geographically, North America produced the strongest numbers. Revenue in the region increased 12% to €25.8m, supported by sponsorship activity and revenue-share expansion. Europe and the rest of the world generated €60.5m in revenue, up 2% year-on-year.

Bottom-line profit improves sharply after difficult 2025 period

During the quarter, EBITDA before special items increased from €22.0m to €25.1m, while operating profit before special items rose 29% to €14.8m. After accounting for special items on restructuring, operating profit reached €13.0m, increasing 20% year-on-year. Pre-tax profit also doubled from €5.0m to €10.4m.

The company paid €3.1m in taxes, resulting in a net profit of €7.3m. Better Collective also recorded €7.1m in other income, linked to currency translation on intercompany loans. As a result, the group finished Q1 with a total net profit of €14.4m, compared to a €7.7m loss during the same period in 2025.

In spite of regulatory pressures, Better Collective maintained its full-year guidance. The company expects organic revenue growth between 7% and 12%, alongside EBITDA before special items growth ranging from 8% to 18%.

“Q1 was a quarter of stable growth execution and continued strategic progress,” Søgaard said. “We delivered as we expected, with some underlying elements performing better than headline numbers suggest.

“We continue to navigate short-term external headwinds in selected markets, while investing in and advancing the initiatives that we believe will drive meaningful long-term value creation.”

Better Collective expands partnership with X and Playbook integration

Furthermore, Better Collective confirmed an expanded partnership with X, describing the agreement as a strategic extension of an earlier collaboration in the US.

The partnership centres around Playbook, Better Collective’s betting-focused product integrated within the platform. The company said the tool has already achieved rapid adoption, sending millions of bets to partners each week.

Under the expanded agreement, X users globally will gain access to additional betting features. Users will be able to privately direct message Playbook to receive pre-filled bet slips directly within the platform.

Better Collective will also gain access to enhanced social listening, analytics and monitoring tools as part of the partnership. “Sports conversations increasingly happen in real time and on social platforms, and this partnership enables us to bring a more intuitive and relevant betting experience directly into that environment,” Søgaard said.

“It also supports our broader strategy of developing technology-led products that strengthen engagement, retention, and value creation for our partners across regulated markets”.

Chris Park added: “Better Collective has been an incredible partner, delivering real value and a smooth experience for X users. We’re excited to expand the partnership globally with Playbook, adding new features that create a richer experience for the massive sports and fan community on our platform.”

Better Collective has reported a profitable Q1 due to better results from North America and growth across its segments. The company has increased focus on developing new products and engaging users. It is also exploring a partnership with X, which will provide users with access to betting features.