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Optimal Group Announces Third Quarter 2006 Results

20 November 2006

Optimal Group Inc. (NASDAQ:OPMR) today announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2006. All references are in U.S. dollars.


On October 13, 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (the "Act") was enacted. Concurrently, the Company's majority controlled subsidiary, FireOne Group plc, ceased to process settlement transactions originating from United States consumers that may be viewed as related to online gambling. As previously announced, this event will have a significant negative impact on the business and results of operations of FireOne Group, and therefore the Company. The following statements should be considered in this context.


Revenues for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006 were $53.3 million compared to $35.8 million in the third quarter ended September 30, 2005. Segmented disclosure is included in Annex A attached below.


Adjusted earnings for the third quarter were $11.3 million or $0.44 per diluted share (which includes an income tax recovery of $3.1 million, or $0.12 per diluted share) compared to $6.2 million or $0.24 per diluted share for the comparable period in 2005.


Adjusted earnings include the results of gaming transaction processing affected by the enactment of the Act.


Adjusted earnings is a non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) financial measure that excludes foreign exchange gains and losses, discontinued operations, impairment losses, restructuring costs, gain on sale of interest in FireOne and stock-based compensation. A reconciliation of Optimal's adjusted earnings is included in Annex B to the Company's consolidated financial statements attached below.


As a result of the enactment of the Act, the Company recorded an impairment loss of $1.9 million.


Net earnings in the third quarter ended September 30, 2006 were $1.9 million or $0.08 per diluted share compared to net earnings of $0.5 million or $0.02 per diluted share in the third quarter ended September 30, 2005.


Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 were $158.0 million compared to $92.9 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2005. Segmented disclosure is included in Annex A attached below.


Adjusted earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 were $25.7 million or $1.00 per diluted share compared to $11.9 million or $0.48 per diluted share for the comparable period in 2005.


Net earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 was $10.0 million or $0.39 per diluted share, compared to net earnings of $21.2 million or $0.85 per diluted share, which included a gain on sale of an interest in FireOne of $1.22 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2005.


Optimal's consolidated balance sheet remains strong. At September 30, 2006, the Company had:


-- cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments (including amounts held in reserve) and settlement assets net of customer reserves, security deposits and bank indebtedness, of $130.9 million;


-- working capital, excluding cash and short-term investments held as reserves, of $82.6 million; and


-- shareholders' equity of $214.8 million.


Use of Adjusted Earnings per Diluted Share


In addition to the financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, Optimal uses certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted earnings per diluted share. Optimal believes that the inclusion of such measures helps investors to gain a better understanding of its core operating results and future prospects and is consistent with how management measures and forecasts the Company's operational and financial performance, especially when comparing such results to previous periods.


Going Forward/Strategic Plan


The Company continues to focus on and refine its strategic plan, both operationally and as it relates to its corporate structure of the Optimal group of companies, following the recent passage of the Act.


Since entering the payments business in mid-2004, the Company has enjoyed significant organic growth in revenue and profitability.


Our majority-owned subsidiary, FireOne Group, built out a highly successful platform to process online gaming transactions through the use of credit and debit cards, electronic debit and a stored value e-wallet. However, the recent passage of the Act will have a material negative impact on the operations of FireOne Group and, as a result, on the Company. We are now pursuing strategic banking relationships with a view to growing our merchant base more rapidly and improving operating efficiencies as they relate to non-U.S. gaming and other processing verticals. We further intend to capitalize on the FireOne's flexible e-wallet payment processing platform, expanding the geographic scope of our offerings as well as providing multi-currency functionality.


Our Optimal Payments business segment presently processes credit card payments for small and medium sized internet businesses, mail-order/telephone-order merchants ("MOTO") and retail point-of-sale merchants, and processes electronic checks and direct debit online and by telephone. Over the past 18 months we have made significant investments in the infrastructure and assets of this segment in order to foster growth in our card-not-present payment processing volume.


We intend to pursue a strategy of establishing Optimal Payments as a leader in providing secure electronic payment and risk management solutions to businesses that sell and deliver goods and services over the Internet, wireless, or generally in a card-not-present environment. The Company's gateway and infrastructure presently provide strong support for the ability of online merchants and other e-commerce sites to accept credit cards and process electronic checks. As well, the Company believes that it has developed particular expertise in providing higher margin transaction processing services to businesses and merchants that are considered higher risk. As demonstrated by our previous successes in managing higher risk, online gaming processing transactions, we believe that Optimal Payments' risk management tools, such as they relate to fraud prevention, credit qualification and payment and transaction processing, as well as its marketing capabilities, should enable it to build a growing presence with small and medium-sized businesses in the online and other card-not-present marketplaces. We believe that additional opportunities exist in specific industry verticals, such as Internet-based financial services and stored value and peer-to-peer money transfers, and we intend to dedicate resources to establish a strong position in such markets.


At the same time, the Company is actively exploring opportunities that can be easily integrated into its existing operations, and which may offer high rates of return, when overlaid onto its existing payment processing operations. In that regard, the Company has particular interest in situations that can add scale and leverage to its online processing activities.


Renewal of Share Buyback Plan


Optimal's Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program which authorizes the Company to purchase up to 1,100,000, or approximately 4.6% of the Class "A" shares outstanding as at October 31, 2006. By making such purchases, the number of Class "A" shares in circulation will be reduced and the proportionate share interest of all remaining holders of Class "A" shares will be increased on a pro rata basis.


Optimal may purchase the Class "A" shares on the open market through the facilities of the Nasdaq National Market from time to time over the course of 12 months commencing November 21, 2006 and ending on November 20, 2007. All shares purchased under the share repurchase program will be cancelled.


Financial Guidance


As a result of the enactment of the Act and the Board's ongoing strategic review, Optimal will suspend its practice of providing financial guidance on an interim basis. As the Company progresses on its business strategy and, as appropriate, the Company may reinstitute the practice of providing financial guidance.


Recent Events


On October 2, 2006, we announced the divesture of the Optimal Services Group hardware maintenance and services business segment.


On August 7, 2006, we announced the engagement of Genuity Capital Markets as financial advisor to assist our Board of Directors in considering strategic alternatives. Our strategic review is ongoing, however, we intend to utilize our strong balance sheet to build upon our existing assets and to pursue transactional opportunities, all with a view to creating future value.


Conference call


Optimal's conference call will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at 10:00 am (EST). It is the intent of Optimal's conference call to have the question and answer session limited to institutional analysts and investors. The call can be heard beginning at 10:00 am (EST) as an audio webcast via Optimal's website at www.optimalgrp.com. As well, Optimal invites retail brokers and individual investors to hear the conference call replay by dialing 514-861-2272 / 1-800-408-3053 access code 3200707 #. The replay may be heard beginning at 11:00 am (EST) on November 7, 2006 and will be available for five business days thereafter.


For more information about Optimal, please visit the Company's website at www.optimalgrp.com.


Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements


This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Words such as "expects", "intends", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates", or variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our current expectations with respect to our future growth strategies, opportunities and prospects, competitive position and industry environment. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities, or those of the markets we serve, to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements, including:


-- existing and future governmental regulations;


-- general economic and business conditions in the markets we serve;


-- consumer confidence in the security of financial information transmitted via the Internet;


-- levels of consumer fraud, disputes between consumers and merchants and merchant insolvency;


-- our ability to safeguard against breaches of privacy and security when processing electronic transactions;


-- the imposition of and our compliance with rules and practice procedures implemented by credit card and check clearing associations;


-- our ability to adapt to changes in technology, including technology relating to electronic payments systems;


-- our ability to protect our intellectual property;


-- our relationships with our suppliers and the banking associations that we rely upon to process our electronic transactions;


-- disruptions in the function of our electronic payments systems and technological defects; and


-- the factors described under Item 1A "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2006 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2006.


There may be additional risks and uncertainties and other factors that we do not currently view as material or that are not necessarily known. The forward looking statements made in this document are only made as of the date of this document. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in circumstances or any other reason after the date of this press release.


The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their companies without fear of litigation. We are relying on the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act in connection with the forward-looking statements included in this press release.


Consolidated Balance Sheets, Statements of Operations and Statements of Cash Flows follow:


<<


OPTIMAL GROUP INC.


Consolidated Balance Sheets


(Unaudited)


September 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005


(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


September 30, December 31,


2006 2005


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Assets


Current assets:


Cash and cash equivalents $ 138,545 $ 98,236


Cash held as reserves 21,015 22,722


Short-term investments 56,110 82,361


Short-term investments held as reserves 4,510 3,014


Settlement assets 16,894 20,727


Accounts receivable 6,951 4,681


Income taxes receivable and refundable


investment tax credits 1,056 1,055


Prepaid expenses and deposits 1,568 1,006


Future income taxes 2,262 2,349


Current assets related to discontinued


operations 1,534 10,944


----------------------------------------------------------------------


250,445 247,095


Long-term receivables 3,204 3,528


Property and equipment 2,454 2,660


Goodwill and other intangible assets) 107,632 117,090


Other asset 10,423 10,462


Long-term assets related to discontinued


operations - 3,848


----------------------------------------------------------------------


$ 374,158 $ 384,683


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity


Current liabilities:


Bank indebtedness $ 7,324 $ 8,390


Customer reserves and security deposits 98,831 112,422


Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 24,303 21,796


Income taxes payable 9,380 9,003


Future income taxes 382 836


Current liabilities related to


discontinued operations 2,085 7,062


----------------------------------------------------------------------


142,305 159,509


Non-controlling interest 14,975 12,926


Future income taxes 2,044 8,958


Shareholders' equity:


Share capital 200,465 195,149


Additional paid-in capital 23,161 25,884


Deficit (7,308) (16,259)


Cumulative translation adjustment (1,484) (1,484)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


214,834 203,290


Contingencies and other


----------------------------------------------------------------------


$ 374,158 $ 384,683


----------------------------------------------------------------------


>>


<<


OPTIMAL GROUP INC.


Consolidated Statements of Operations


(Unaudited)


Periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005


(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Three months ended Nine months ended


September 30, September 30,


------------------------------------------------


2006 2005 2006 2005


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Revenues $ 53,297 $ 35,754 $ 157,961 $ 92,870


Expenses:


Transaction


processing 26,353 15,184 76,406 41,390


Selling, general and


administrative 15,014 9,203 41,533 23,811


Amortization of


intangibles


pertaining to


transaction


processing 3,090 2,338 9,155 4,845


Amortization of


property and


equipment 389 270 1,155 978


Stock-based


compensation


pertaining to


selling, general and


administrative 671 3,211 1,006 7,318


Research and


development 849 578 2,479 1,850


Operating leases 409 372 1,161 877


Impairment loss 1,910 - 1,910 -


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from


continuing operations


before undernoted


items 4,612 4,598 23,156 11,801


Investment income 2,369 847 5,886 1,678


Gain on sale of


interest in FireOne - (167) - 30,411


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from


continuing operations


before income tax


provision and non-


controlling interest 6,981 5,278 29,042 43,890


Income tax (recovery)


provision (3,098) 1,424 1,225 7,721


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from


continuing operations


before non-


controlling interest 10,079 3,854 27,817 36,169


Non-controlling


interest 1,361 1,508 5,518 1,738


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from


continuing operations 8,718 2,346 22,299 34,431


Loss from discontinued


operations (2,489) (1,879) (7,990) (13,211)


Loss on disposal of


discontinued


operations (4,283) - (4,283) -


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Net earnings $ 1,946 $ 467 $ 10,026 $ 21,220


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Weighted average


number of shares:


Basic 23,687,171 23,044,050 23,574,945 22,751,982


Plus impact of stock


options and warrants 1,871,072 2,595,454 2,201,549 2,260,674


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Diluted 25,558,243 25,639,504 25,776,494 25,012,656


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) per


share:


Continuing


operations:


Basic $ 0.37 $ 0.10 $ 0.95 $ 1.51


Diluted 0.34 0.09 0.87 1.38


Discontinued


operations:


Basic (0.29) (0.08) (0.52) (0.58)


Diluted (0.26) (0.07) (0.48) (0.53)


Net:


Basic 0.08 0.02 0.43 0.93


Diluted 0.08 0.02 0.39 0.85


>>


<<


OPTIMAL GROUP INC.


Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows


(Unaudited)


Periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005


(expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Three months ended Nine months ended


September 30, September 30,


------------------ ------------------


2006 2005 2006 2005


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


Cash flows from (used in)


operating activities:


Net earnings $ 1,946 $ 467 $ 10,026 $ 21,220


Add: loss from discontinued


operations 2,489 1,879 7,990 13,211


loss on disposal of


discontinued


operations 4,283 - 4,283 -


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


Net earnings from continuing


operations 8,718 2,346 22,299 34,431


Adjustments for items not


affecting cash:


Non-controlling interest 1,361 1,508 5,518 1,738


Gain on sale of interest in


FireOne - 167 - (30,411)


Amortization 3,479 2,608 10,310 5,823


Future income taxes (4,959) 307 (7,500) 1,566


Impairment loss 1,910 - 1,910 -


Stock-based compensation 671 3,211 1,006 7,318


Foreign exchange 145 74 (723) 567


Net change in operating assets


and liabilities 2,436 22,038 (9,037) 25,334


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


13,761 32,259 23,783 46,366


Cash flows from (used in)


financing activities:


Proceeds on exercise of RSUs in


FireOne Group Plc 3 - 24 -


FireOne Group Plc dividends


paid to minority interest (2,689) - (4,796) -


Proceeds from issuance of Class


"A" shares 31 1,741 4,078 6,702


Repurchase of Class "A" shares - - (2,264) -


(Decrease) increase in bank


indebtedness (1,657) 50 (719) (2,195)


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


(4,312) 1,791 (3,677) 4,507


Cash flows from (used in)


investing activities:


Proceeds on sale of interest in


FireOne - - - 44,146


Purchase of property, equipment


and intangible assets (859) (622) (2,557) (1,425)


(Aquisition of) proceeds from


maturity of short-term


investments (7,997) 143 26,251 60,205


(Increase) decrease of from note


receivable (265) (61) 324 76


Decrease in cash held in escrow - 816 - 3,536


Acquisition of MCA, including


acquisition costs of $49 - (1,020) - (3,709)


Payment of balance of sale of NPS - (1,500) - (3,000)


Acquisition of UBC, including


acquisition costs of $277 - - - (44,277)


Transactions costs - (1,491) - (5,918)


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


(9,121) (3,735) 24,018 49,634


Effect of exchange rate changes


on cash and cash equivalents


during the period (25) 264 377 (404)


Cash flows of discontinued


operations


Operating cash flows (802) (2,240) (3,998) (5,823)


Financing cash flows (42) - (107) (470)


Investing cash flows (5) (81) (87) (790)


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


(849) (2,321) (4,192) (7,083)


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


Net (decrease) increase in cash


and cash equivalents (546) 28,258 40,309 93,020


Cash and cash equivalents,


beginning of period 139,091 127,699 98,236 62,937


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


Cash and cash equivalents, end of


period $138,545 $155,957 $138,545 $155,957


--------------------------------------------------- ------------------


>>


Annex A


Segmented Disclosure


The Company now operates in two segments, namely gaming and non-gaming payment processing services. In 2005, the Company operated in three segments that included hardware maintenance and repair outsourcing services. The net results of this segment are reported as discontinued operations. Comparative figures have been reclassified to conform with this new presentation. Transaction processing costs, administrative expenses and other fees charged among the segments are in the normal course of operations and are measured at the exchange amount, which is the amount of consideration established and agreed to by the parties. Management measures the results of operations based on segment income before income taxes adjusted for certain non-cash and non-recurring items provided by each business segment.


On October 13, 2006, the Company ceased processing settlement transactions originating from the United States' consumers that may be viewed as related to online gambling, which represented approximately 83% and 84% of the Company's total gaming payment processing services segment revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006, respectively.


(a) Information on the operating segments is as follows:


<<


Payment


services Eliminations/


Gaming Non- Unallocated Consolidated


gaming


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Three months ended September 30, 2006:


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Revenues $26,204 $29,290 $ (2,197)$ 53,297


Transaction processing 10,317 17,029 (993) 26,353


Selling, general and


administrative 8,668 7,620 (1,274) 15,014


Research and development 135 714 - 849


Operating leases 88 321 - 409


----------------------------------------------------------------------


6,996 3,606 70 10,672


Stock-based compensation 427 244 - 671


Impairment loss 1,910 - 1,910


Amortization 268 3,208 3 3,479


----------------------------------------------------------------------


4,391 154 67 4,612


Investment income 1,343 1,026 - 2,369


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from continuing


operations before income


taxes and non-controlling


interest 5,734 1,180 67 6,981


Income tax provision


(recovery) 922 (4,020) - (3,098)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from continuing


operations before undernoted 4,812 5,200 67 10,079


Non-controlling interest 1,361 - - 1,361


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from continuing


operations 3,451 5,200 67 8,718


Loss from discontinued


operations (including


restructuring of $1,031) - - (2,489) (2,489)


Loss on disposal of


discontinued operations - - (4,283) (4,283)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Net earnings (loss) $ 3,451 $ 5,200 $ (6,705)$ 1,946


----------------------------------------------------------------------


>>


<<


Payment


services Eliminations/


Gaming Non- Unallocated Consolidated


gaming


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Three months ended September 30, 2005:


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Revenues $19,968 $17,768 $ (1,982)$ 35,754


Transaction processing 8,001 8,103 (920) 15,184


Selling, general and


administrative 3,330 6,935 (1,062) 9,203


Research and development 83 495 - 578


Operating leases 73 299 - 372


----------------------------------------------------------------------


8,481 1,936 - 10,417


Stock-based compensation 929 2,282 - 3,211


Amortization 235 2,373 - 2,608


----------------------------------------------------------------------


7,317 (2,719) - 4,598


Investment income 51 796 - 847


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) from


continuing operations before


income taxes and non-


controlling interest 7,368 (1,923) - 5,445


Income tax provision


(recovery) 2,696 (1,272) - 1,424


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) from


continuing operations before


undernoted 4,672 (651) - 4,021


Sale of interest in FireOne - - 167 167


Non-controlling interest 1,508 - - 1,508


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) from


continuing operations 3,164 (651) (167) 2,346


Loss from discontinued


operations - - (1,879) (1,879)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Net earnings (loss) $ 3,164 $ (651)$ (2,046)$ 467


----------------------------------------------------------------------


>>


<<


Payment


services Eliminations/


Gaming Non- Unallocated Consolidated


gaming


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Nine months ended September 30, 2006:


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Revenues $76,193 $88,409 $ (6,641)$ 157,961


Transaction processing 27,359 52,073 (3,026) 76,406


Selling, general and


administrative 20,826 24,535 (3,828) 41,533


Research and development 426 2,053 - 2,479


Operating leases 223 938 - 1,161


----------------------------------------------------------------------


27,359 8,810 213 36,382


Stock-based compensation 641 365 - 1,006


Impairment loss 1,910 - - 1,910


Amortization 801 9,501 8 10,310


----------------------------------------------------------------------


24,007 (1,056) 205 23,156


Investment income 3,464 2,422 - 5,886


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from continuing


operations before income


taxes and non-controlling


interest 27,471 1,366 205 29,042


Income tax provision


(recovery) 4,963 (3,896) 158 1,225


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from continuing


operations before undernoted 22,508 5,262 47 27,817


Non-controlling interest 5,518 - - 5,518


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings from continuing


operations 16,990 5,262 47 22,299


Loss from discontinued


operations (including


restructuring of $3,414) - - (7,990) (7,990)


Loss on disposal of


discontinued oeprations - - (4,283) (4,283)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Net earnings (loss) $16,990 $ 5,262 $ (12,226)$ 10,026


----------------------------------------------------------------------


>>


<<


Payment


services Eliminations/


Gaming Non- Unallocated Consolidated


gaming


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Nine months ended September 30, 2005:


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Revenues $52,442 $44,607 $ (4,179)$ 92,870


Transaction processing 21,502 22,441 (2,553) 41,390


Selling, general and


administrative 8,029 17,408 (1,626) 23,811


Research and development 993 857 - 1,850


Operating leases 241 636 - 877


----------------------------------------------------------------------


21,677 3,265 - 24,942


Stock-based compensation 1,595 5,723 - 7,318


Amortization 719 5,104 - 5,823


----------------------------------------------------------------------


19,363 (7,562) - 11,801


Investment income 159 1,519 - 1,678


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) from


continuing operations before


income taxes and non-


controlling interest 19,522 (6,043) - 13,479


Income tax provision


(recovery) 7,193 528 - 7,721


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) from


continuing operations before


undernoted 12,329 (6,571) - 5,758


Gain on sale of interest


inFireOne - - 30,411 30,411


Non-controlling interest 1,738 - - 1,738


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Earnings (loss) from


continuing operations 10,591 (6,571) 30,411 34,431


Loss from discontinued


operations (including


restructuring of $266) - - (13,211) (13,211)


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Net earnings (loss) $10,591 $(6,571)$ 17,200 $ 21,220


----------------------------------------------------------------------


>>


Annex B


Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information


We supplement our reporting of net earnings (loss) determined in accordance with Canadian and U.S. GAAP by reporting "adjusted earnings (loss)" as a measure of earnings (loss) in this earnings release. In establishing this supplemental measure of earnings (loss), we exclude foreign exchange gains and losses, discontinued operations, impairment losses, restructuring costs, gain on sale of interest in FireOne and stock-based compensation from net earnings (loss) as management believes that foreign exchange gains and losses are largely uncontrollable by management and discontinued operations, impairment losses, restructuring costs, gain on sale of interest in FireOne and stock-based compensation are not reflective of our core operations.


Adjusted earnings include the results of gaming transaction processing affected by the enactment of the Act.


Management believes that adjusted earnings (loss) is useful to investors as a measure of our earnings (loss) because it is, for management, a primary measure of our performance, and provides a more meaningful reflection of our earnings potential.


Adjusted earnings (loss) does not have a standardized meaning under Canadian or U.S. GAAP and therefore should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, net earnings (loss) or any other amount determined in accordance with Canadian and U.S. GAAP. Our measure of adjusted earnings (loss) reflects management's judgment in regard to the impact of foreign exchange gains and losses, discontinued operations, impairment losses, restructuring costs, gain on sale of interest in FireOne and stock-based compensation on our core operations, and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.


<<


OPTIMAL GROUP INC.


Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information


(expressed in thousands except per share amounts)


Three months ended Nine months ended


September 30, September 30,


-------------------- -------------------


2006 2005 2006 2005


unaudited unaudited unaudited unaudited


Net earnings $ 1,946 467 $ 10,026 21,220


Add (deduct):


Foreign exchange (included


in selling, general and


administrative) 11 444 493 577


Stock-based compensation


(pertaining to selling,


general and administrative) 671 3,211 1,006 7,318


Impairment loss 1,910 - 1,910 -


Sale of interest in FireOne - 167 - (30,411)


Loss from discontinued


operations (including


restructuring costs) 2,489 1,879 7,990 13,211


Loss on disposal of


discontinued operations 4,283 - 4,283 -


-------------------- -------------------


Adjusted earnings $ 11,310 6,168 $ 25,708 11,915


-------------------- -------------------


Diluted shares 25,558 25,640 25,776 25,013


Adjusted earnings per


diluted share $ 0.44 $0.24 $ 1.00 $0.48


>>


For further information: Optimal Group Inc. Gary Wechsler, 514-738-8885 Chief Financial Officer gary@optimalgrp.com

newswire
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.




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During the 4th and 7th of December a non-refuse offer was made by Europa Casino to new players enabl...

CasinoBonusGuy receives 3 industry award nominations

1 December 2008

Online Casino Games Portal CasinoBonusGuy has been nominated for ''Best Casino Affiliate'' ''Best Bi...

Online casino Vegas Partner Lounge awards a Caribbean cruise trip and Porche

1 December 2008

Online casino group Vegas Partner Lounge's leading promotion ''Casino Treasure Cruise'' is a yearly ...

Launch of new online games-Money Casino

1 December 2008

Curacao licensed online site Money Casino released one new slot game and upgraded existing slot bonu...

No-Tax Policy in Ireland towards Online Casinos

1 December 2008

The Irish gambling taxes are so low in comparison to most of the rest of the world that it is little...

Online Casinos are not recession proof-debate

26 November 2008

The long held belief that ''gambling is recession proof'' has been proved wrong this year as Las Veg...

High Video Poker payout at All Slots Casino

25 November 2008

One of the highest payouts a player can win in on online non-progressive casino has been given to To...

Cowlitz Casino partners with Pasenka Band of Nomlaki Indians

24 November 2008

Vancouver, Washington- In an effort to build a casino resort near La Centre, Clark County- a Norther...

Ripe time for Casino in Georgia

24 November 2008

For the last 20 years City Council leaders debate the idea of a casino in Atlanta with the belief th...

Online Casino Club Vegas USA releases a new i-Slot “Baby Boomers: Cash Cruise”

10 September 2008

Sep. 10 Curacao -- (Press Release) Club Vegas USA has released yet another thrilling i-Slot game cal...

Club Vegas USA - New Online Casino Powered by Rival Launched - Accepts US players

6 August 2008

Club Vegas USA is latest online casino Powered by Rival to be released. Rival is one of the up and c...

The United States Fears Not to Pay Billions to Antigua in WTO Casino UIGEA Case

6 October 2007

Reuters reported recently that the United States is not worried about having to pay $100 billion in ...

MircroGaming Releases Exciting New Games!

5 October 2007

The release of a new game is always a special event in the gambling industry, but when Microgaming, ...

Sixth annual European i-Gaming Congress and Expo Begins

4 October 2007

The sixth annual European i-Gaming Congress and Expo got underway at the spacious Barcelona Diagonal...

United States Released UIGEA Online Gambling Guidelines

3 October 2007

The United States government released proposed guidelines for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforce...

UIGEA Implementation Rules Published

2 October 2007

On October 1, 2007 the Federal Reserve and the Department of the Treasury released their joint repor...

Norway Gears Up to Ban Online Casinos

1 October 2007

Although the passage of the UIGEA last year made it difficult for American players to gamble online,...

Are British Gambling Laws too Lax?

30 September 2007

Are the new lax gambling laws causing more and more Britons to be under the sway of compulsive gambl...

Full Tilt Reponds to Bot Allegations

29 September 2007

You may have a surprise in your Full Tilt Poker Account today! After recent allegations that bots we...

Roy Winston Wins $1.5 million in Poker Tournament

28 September 2007

Coming off a 26th-place finish at the World Series of Poker, Rancho Mirage's Roy Winston won the Bor...

Bureaucracy Deals Poker Charity Game Dud

27 September 2007

But the Gloucester Township homemaker never expected another fight -- this time with bureaucrats -- ...

Charities Adopt Poker as Chosen Game for Fundraising

26 September 2007

It should come as a surprise to no one that charity-poker games have emerged in recent years as an i...

Track's Poker Room Lures High Stakes Poker Players

25 September 2007

Spurred by the three-month success of high stakes poker, the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track’s pok...

Betfair Online Casino Goes Green

24 September 2007

Online Casino Group Betfair has announced that it has boosted its IT energy efficiency to support it...

32Red.com Online Casinos to Sell BetDirect.com Sportsbook Subsidiary

23 September 2007

Rumors have been circulating for a while now about the future of 32Red.com and its Gibraltar-based B...

CryptoLogic makes casino games out of Marvel Comics!

21 September 2007

CryptoLogic has announced that they have received exclusive rights to make slots and other casino ga...

Will the WTO overturn the UIGEA?

20 September 2007

Since the beginning of the U.S. Presidents first term, the Bush administration has been trying to ke...

Coast Casinos Show Record August

19 September 2007

The coastal casino in the State of Mississippi have had a diffilcutl few years, yet it seems that th...

Queen Gambles and Wins Raffle!

18 September 2007

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II recently found that not only was she one of the most richest women in...

Online Casino Comes out with Tasteless Twin Towers Promotion.

16 September 2007

It seems that there is no limit to how low some online casinos can go in order to secure a profit. V...

Americas Watchdog Raises Hell against Illegal Online Casinos

15 September 2007

After a 10-month investigation into the slimy world of Internet "casinos or sports books", Americas ...

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