Allied Gaming & Entertainment Inc. - Annual Report: 2020 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(MARK ONE)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from               to               

Commission file number: 001-38226

ALLIED ESPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

17877 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 300

Irvine, California, 92614

(Address of principal executive offices)

(949) 225-2600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐   No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐   No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒   No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒   No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐   No ☒

The aggregate market value of common stock outstanding, other than shares held by affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2020 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed fiscal quarter), was approximately $21,486,413 based on the price of $2.11, the closing price on June 30, 2020. For purposes of this computation, all officers, directors, and 10% beneficial owners of the registrant are deemed to be affiliates. Such determination should not be deemed to be an admission that such officers, directors or 10% beneficial owners, are or were, in fact, affiliates of the registrant.

As of April 12, 2021, 39,139,502 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, were issued and outstanding.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS;

RISK FACTOR SUMMARY

The information in this Report includes “forward-looking statements” under Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this Report, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this Report, the words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors” included in this Report. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that management’s expectations and estimates are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable and data management believes to be reliable, our actual results, performance or achievements are subject to future risks and uncertainties, any of which could materially affect our actual performance.

We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this Report occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this Report are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary note. This cautionary note should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Report.

A summary of the principal risk factors that make investing in our securities risky and might cause our actual results to differ is set forth below. The following is only a summary of the principal risks that may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. This summary should be read in conjunction with the more complete discussion of the risk factors we face, which are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this Report.

Risks Related to the Sale Transaction

Risks Related to us if the Sale Transaction is Completed

Allied Esports Risk Factors

Risks Related to Allied Esports’ Intellectual Property

Risks Related to WPT’s Current Business

Risks Related to WPT’s Current Industry

Risks Related to the Businesses of Both Allied Esports and WPT

General Risk Factors

PART I

Item 1. Business

Overview of Business

Unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “AESE” and the “Company” refer to Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

The Company operates a premier public esports and entertainment company, consisting of the Allied Esports and World Poker Tour businesses. For the past 16 years of its 18-year history, WPT’s business model has successfully utilized the following three pillars for its business model in the sport of poker, which the Company believes can be utilized by Allied Esports:

The Allied Esports Business

Gaming is one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the entertainment sector, with an estimated 2.7 billion gamers globally, and esports is the major driver of this growth. Esports, short for “electronic sports,” is a general label that comprises a diverse offering of competitive electronic games that gamers play against each other. Some of the popular esports games currently being played include Fortnite, League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch and FIFA. Although you can play games on your own against the computer or console, one of the ways esports is different than the video games of old is the community and spectator nature of esports, whereby competitive play against another person — either one-on-one or in teams — that is viewed by an online and in-person audience, is a central feature of esports. Since players play against each other online, a global network of players and viewers has developed as these players compete against each other worldwide. Additionally, game developers have greatly increased the watchability of games, which has made the spectator aspect of gaming much more prevalent and further drives expansion of the gaming market. The expanded reach of high-speed Internet service and the computer technology advances in the last decade have also greatly accelerated the growth of esports. Esports has now become so popular that many colleges offer scholarships in esports and the best-known esports teams are receiving mainstream sponsorships and are being bought or invested in by celebrities, athletes and professional sports teams. The highest profile esports gamers have significant online audiences as they stream themselves playing against other players online and potentially can generate millions of dollars in sponsorship money and subscription fees from their online streaming channels. It is projected that by 2023, 646 million people will be watching esports globally, and that global esports revenue will grow to approximately $1.5 billion.

WPT successfully implemented a three-pillar strategy for over 16 years of its 18-year history. We believe this model can continue and also be applied to Allied Esports and the esports industry over time. Allied Esports intends to use those same pillars — in-person experiences, multiplatform content, and interactive services—independently and in connection with its strategic partners. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in our long-term growth plans for Allied Esports, and although our long-term strategy remains to fully implement the three-pillar strategy, we are currently focused on continuing our in-person experiences at our current arenas and developing multiplatform content. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in our long-term growth plans for Allied Esports, and although our long-term strategy remains to fully implement the three-pillar strategy, we are currently focused on continuing our in-person experiences at our current arenas and developing multiplatform content.

In June 2019, Allied Esports entered into a series of strategic transactions with Simon Equity Development, LLC and its affiliates (collectively, “Simon”), a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use destinations, pursuant to which Allied Esports organized and staged an esports event program called the Simon Cup at certain Simon shopping centers in the U.S. and online. In January 2020, Allied Esports entered into a strategic partnership with Brookfield Property Partners, one of the world’s premier real estate companies, in which Allied Esports will develop integrated esports experience venues at mutually agreed upon shopping malls owned and/or operated by Brookfield or its affiliates that will include a dedicated gaming space and production capabilities to attract and to activate esports and other emerging live events. In connection with the foregoing partnership, Brookfield made a $5 million equity investment into the Company. As a result of the adverse effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the short-term operations and plans of Allied Esports, Allied Esports and its strategic partners are delaying further execution on their strategic plans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

In-person Experiences

Allied Esports will continue delivering first-in-class live experiences to customers at Allied Esports’ branded properties worldwide. Starting with the flagship esports arena, the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas, the AE Studios in Germany, its on-mall esports venues – the first of which that is planned to be open at the Mall of Georgia with construction and opening dates postponed until further assessment can be made following the COVID-19 pandemic, and its affiliate arenas in China and Australia, Allied Esports offers esports fans state-of-the-art facilities to compete against other players in esports competitions, host live events with esports superstars that potentially stream to millions of viewers worldwide, produce and distribute incredible esports content with its on-site production facilities and studios and provide an attractive facility for hosting corporate events, tournaments, game launches or other events. Additionally, Allied Esports has two mobile esports arenas, which are 18-wheel semi-trailers that convert into first class esports arenas and competition stages with full content production capabilities and interactive talent studios. Through this worldwide network of arenas, Allied Esports believes it can offer customers an unmatched ability to participate in simultaneous global esports events and offer sponsors and partners a truly scalable global platform and audience to promote their businesses and products. Allied Esports’ flagship HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas serves as a marquee destination for esports fans globally, and has become one of the most recognized esports venues in the world.

Flagship Arena. In March 2018, Allied Esports opened its first flagship arena, the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas, at the Luxor Casino on the Vegas strip, whose pyramid is one of the most visible landmarks in Las Vegas. This arena has 80 to 100 gaming stations, two bars, food service, private rooms, a production facility, and space for up to 1,000 people for events. The arena is custom-built for esports tournaments and has a broadcast-ready television studio to broadcast live events and produce content. Allied Esports monetizes the arena through renting the space for live events; merchandise sales; daily usage fees from day-to-day gamers using the gaming stations; tournament entry and player venue fees; food and beverage; and sponsorship (i.e., our HyperX naming rights relationship).

Affiliate Arenas. One of Allied Esports’ strategic advantages is its global network of esports arena partners, which enables it to host events and promote competitions around the world, with those competitions culminating in live events held at the flagship arena in Las Vegas. Allied Esports achieves this through its Affiliate Program, which consists of strategic partnerships with third-party esports operators around the globe. Allied Esports generally charges these affiliates an upfront fee and a minimal annual revenue share of gross revenue, starting in the second year of the operation of the venue. Allied Esports’ brand visibility and reputation have already resulted in affiliate arrangements with arenas and gaming centers in China and a multi-year agreement with Fortress Esports Pty Ltd, a new gaming, esports and entertainment venue enterprise in Australia, which opened its first affiliate arena in Melbourne in March 2020 and reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2020. This network of affiliate arenas allows Allied Esports to scale its brand penetration worldwide on a rapid basis, driving more gamers into the Allied Esports ecosystem, with minimal costs to Allied Esports. Furthermore, the content that can be produced by these affiliate arenas can be on-sold by Allied Esports, with minimal production costs.

Mobile Arenas. The mobile arenas are 18-wheeler trucks that expand out into fully functional esports arenas with event hosting, broadcasting and production capabilities. The mobility of the trucks makes them ideal for sponsors to reach a large audience in multiple locations at an economical cost. The trucks serve as mobile billboards for potential third-party sponsorship, as well as the Allied Esports brand, providing highly visible brand presence wherever they appear. Allied Esports currently has two mobile arena trucks, with the first truck based in Germany and serving the European market, and a second truck based in Las Vegas and serving the U.S. market.

Strategic Investor Events. In addition to Allied Esports utilizing in-person experiences at its flagship, mobile and affiliate arenas, Allied Esports plans to leverage its experience to develop events and content with its strategic investors, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners.

Allied Esports plans to collaborate with Brookfield Property Partners to create a new product offering focused on delivering esports experiences through integrated gaming venues and production facilities in select shopping centers around the U.S. that are owned and/or operated by Brookfield. The on-mall venues will be designed to activate esports and other emerging live events through tournament play of all levels and daily use, featuring PC and console gaming, plus full food and beverage options, and experiential retail. The venues will have the capability to be expanded into common areas for larger esports activations and live events.

In addition, on September 30, 2019, Allied Esports and Simon launched The Simon Cup, a co-branded esports competition and gaming tournament series of on-mall regional festivals combining online and in-person play at select Simon centers in the New York and Los Angeles markets, with the winners of the regionals moving on to HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas, where the first Simon Cup Champion was crowned on November 23, 2019.

As a result of the material adverse effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the short-term operations and plans of Allied Esports, Allied Esports and its strategic partners are delaying further execution on their strategic plans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Multiplatform Content: Leveraging Branded Properties and Strategic Partnerships to Develop Content

Allied Esports’ worldwide network of branded esports properties provides Allied Esports with a platform to potentially develop a significant amount of content to distribute via digital live streams, broadcast and cable, and social media outlets. Allied Esports believes that its arenas will draw top-level esports talent (such as professional streamer Ninja, who was the featured talent at a successful event at Allied Esports’ Las Vegas arena in April 2018) for purposes of hosting events and developing content, which it can distribute live, post-produce into fully-produced episodic content, or repackage for over the top streaming platform and social media distribution. Allied Esports intends to monetize the content in multiple ways, including direct sales of the content, sponsorship revenue, and subscription and/or advertising fees for viewers of the content.

We believe Allied Esports’ ecosystem of esports branded properties gives it the reach, reputation and experience to produce world-class live events, in partnership with some of the most prominent names in the esports industry. These live events provide Allied Esports with the material to produce exciting content that can be distributed via three different formats, each of which has its own revenue generation model: live streaming, post-produced episodic content, and short-form repackaged content.

Live Streaming. Live streaming is the most popular esports content delivery channel today, as it offers the best interactive experiences for the audience. Vast improvements in technology and Internet service and speed have made live streaming with large audiences widely available today. Well-known gamers live stream themselves playing their favorite games on any of the popular streaming services (Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Gaming, etc.) to a worldwide audience. The streamers derive revenue from ad sales, sponsorship, subscription fees and gift payments from spectators. Through Allied Esports’ ecosystem of esports arenas, Allied Esports can offer streamers a large platform to put on live events that can be simultaneously streamed on both the streamer’s channels and on Allied Esports’ channels. An example is a streaming event Allied Esports held with one of the most prominent streamers in esports, Tyler Blevins, AKA Ninja, in April 2018. Famous for his streaming channel where he plays the popular esports game Fortnite, Ninja held a live event at the Las Vegas flagship arena that set records for Twitch live streams, with over 667,000 peak concurrent viewers and 2.4 million unique viewers. To put those audience numbers in perspective, those numbers are significantly higher than viewership of the average regular season NBA game in 2019. Allied Esports was able to sell multiple sponsorships for the event and earned significant revenue from the food and beverage, merchandise sales and usage fees from the gaming stations. Although large audiences can be garnered through these live event streams, there are limitations on the streams, as they have a one-and-done nature; repeat viewing is not popular for these events, which limits the sponsorship opportunities.

Post-Produced Content. Allied Esports intends to develop esports entertainment programming around its live experiences and, using its experienced editing and production teams, create serial, episodic content and segments that tell compelling storylines around its gaming talent, in person experiences, and gaming events around the world. Allied Esports developed this technique through the WPT, who took the slow-paced game of poker and dramatized it and created storylines that made for exciting and compelling viewing. This post-produced content can be valuable real estate for sponsors, as Allied Esports can integrate sponsors seamlessly into the show in a way that feels organic to the viewers. Allied Esports can focus on different storylines, create excitement via editing and music inclusion, and generally elevate the production quality from that achievable in a live stream. Allied Esports can then monetize this episodic content via sponsorship, advertising, selling the content itself to third party distributors, or even use it as a marketing tool to drive customers to come to Allied Esports’ branded properties, buy its merchandise or otherwise interact with Allied Esports.

Repackaged Content. The library of content Allied Esports will develop from events can be cut into smaller clips that can be used as marketing and promotion of the Allied Esports brand on social media. Allied Esports can also edit content to create new content, such as “best of” shows, focusing on one particular game as played by multiple well-known streamers, regional shows focusing on talent from a particular country, and so on.

Allied Esports’ global branded esports properties ecosystem will create opportunities for live events which provide material to develop great content, all of which Allied Esports can monetize in multiple ways. The large customer base Allied Esports develops through these in-person experiences, live streams and content distribution will give it a customer base to launch interactive services.

Interactive Services: Developing an Esports Entertainment Platform

Allied Esports intends to develop its own online platform where esports players and fans can watch, play and win with other members of the esports community and top esports personalities. The online platform will enable fans to compete against each other as well as participate in esports programs starring their favorite players. Subscriptions will provide members with exclusive access to numerous unique and proprietary experiences, products and services that are not available outside of Allied Esports’ ecosystem, such as exclusive online content, member-only tournaments, prizes and cash awards, exclusive live event and merchandise access, exclusive opportunities to be part of our entertainment programming, VIP treatment at Allied Esports’ arenas, and much more. Allied Esports intends to use the authenticity and reach driven by its in-person experiences and content viewership to drive platform adoption by esports fans. Allied Esports’ executive team has years of experience developing online platforms — its CEO, Frank Ng, has managed and run online platforms with approximately 700 million registered users in China for over 14 years, and its COO, David Moon, has produced, published and operated numerous game services for over 20 years, including helping build NHN Corporation’s global footprint to over 1 million concurrent users. Furthermore, WPT has developed and operated its subscription platform for poker fans, ClubWPT, since 2010, and developed and operated a social poker product, PlayWPT, starting in 2016. PlayWPT was licensed to a third party in May of 2018.

The WPT Business

The Company owns the World Poker Tour^® (WPT^®) — a premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based poker tournaments, television, online and mobile. A leading innovator in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT helped ignite the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments. WPT’s Tour Events are held at locations throughout the world and have awarded more than one billion in prize dollars in its 18-year history. WPT has broadcast globally in more than 150 countries and territories, and is currently producing its 18th season, which airs on FOX Sports Regional Networks in the United States. Season 18 of WPT is sponsored by its online subscription-based poker service, ClubWPT.com. WPT offers a suite of online poker services which it operates by itself and through its partners offering consumers the ability to access gaming content on a year-round 24/7 basis. ClubWPT.com is a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 43 states and territories across the United States, Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, with innovative features and state-of-the-art creative elements inspired by WPT’s 18 years of experience in gaming entertainment. In June 2020, ClubWPT launched a premium level of ClubWPT membership called ClubWPT Diamond, which allows members to play for larger prize pools, more qualifying seats to official WPT live events, and exclusive line-ups of unique experience packages. In addition, WPT licenses its brand to social gaming sites through partners like Zynga as well as to educational learning platforms such as LearnWPT. These online products are scalable and offer geographic access that might be limited if WPT relied on tour stop participation alone. Additionally, WPT benefits from managing its own distribution business which currently has more than 1,100 hours of broadcast-ready content, and offers demographically similar programming to its poker content, such as esports, golf and MMA. WPT uses this large suite of programming as leverage to seek preferred airtimes on its various distribution channels where it may promote its online products or offer airtime to sponsors in territories they seek to enter. WPT also participates in strategic brand license, partnership, sponsorship opportunities and music licensing. As described below, WPT applies a three-pillar model of in-person experiences, developing multiplatform content and providing interactive services, to the sport of poker.

In-person Experiences: Worldwide Poker Tournaments

World Poker Tour Events. The WPT is a sports league of affiliated poker tournaments that are held at prestigious casinos and poker rooms around the world. WPT licenses the WPT brand to these casinos and card rooms so that they can brand their poker tournaments as WPT events, and these events are integrated into WPT’s tour. These events form the backbone of WPT’s brand identity and have turned the WPT into one of the most recognizable names in gaming. WPT has developed different types of tours, generally distinguishable by the size of the buy-in for competitors in the applicable tour’s events. The WPT Main Tour events generally have the biggest buy-ins (usually between $3,500 and $10,000), are held at the largest and most prestigious casinos and card rooms and are attended by many of the top professional poker players in the world. The WPT DeepStacks Tour and WPT500 events are smaller than Main Tour events, with buy-ins ranging from $300 to $1,000, and are meant to cater to the lower- to medium-stakes players. In addition, through a third-party licensing arrangement, WPT licenses its name to a third party operating the WPT League, which are small bar-league poker events held at bars and clubs on a social basis. These live events create touchpoints to a large community of poker players to whom WPT can market other WPT live events, advertise and market its sponsor’s products, and push towards its interactive products. Furthermore, the live events create the content WPT uses to monetize its brand, as set forth below. The World Poker Tour live events have been postponed during the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus throughout the world.

Multiplatform Content: The World Poker Tour Television Shows

The Content. WPT films the final table of six participants from a select group of WPT’s Main Tour stops, where the players compete for some of the poker world’s largest tournament prize pools. We then edit the footage from these tour stops, resulting in a series of one-hour or two-hour episodes which are distributed for telecast to both domestic audiences via our broadcast agreement with Sinclair, and international television audiences via numerous international distribution agreements. WPT has an agreement with Poker Go, a prominent poker-centric online platform, pursuant to which WPT live streams many of its events to Poker Go’s customer base. Many of WPT’s live events that are not broadcast on Sinclair are live streamed on Poker Go, which ensures almost all of WPT’s events are broadcast on some format. In addition, WPT films and produces special episodes based on a variety of non-traditional poker tournaments and/or cash games, which it also distributes for telecast along with the episodes based on WPT’s regular tour stops. Furthermore, WPT produced specialized shows meant to promote and market its ClubWPT membership site, such as its “King of the Club” shows in which ClubWPT members won the right, by winning certain tournaments on the ClubWPT platform, to play against each other for cash and prizes in a single-table tournament that was filmed and broadcast on FSN. WPT also filmed and prepared for distribution another series of shows to promote ClubWPT called “Challenge the Champs”, in which ClubWPT members who qualified on the ClubWPT platform received the chance to play against former WPT Main Tour champions for cash and prizes. These episodes premiered on FSN in August and September 2019.

WPT previously produced and broadcasted on FSN a series of shows called WPT Alpha8, based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments with buy-ins of $100,000. In the Alpha8 events, some of the most elite high-stakes players in the world played in poker tournaments against one another in glamorous casinos and card rooms around the world, with the final eight players of each tournament filmed for production of the television episodes. The inaugural season of WPT Alpha8 began in 2013 and aired for three seasons, ending in 2016 and continues to be distributed internationally. In addition to the strategic advantage of the “World Poker Tour” and WPT-related brands, WPT has created significant efficiencies in its content programming through its affiliation and use of Allied ESports’ HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas venue to film some of its Main Tour final tables and other special events. This change, which just began for Season 17, has significantly reduced production costs by reducing transportation and set up fees and has allowed for more content to be produced at a significantly more efficient cost. Moreover, by reducing the physical location needs from its casino partners that would otherwise be featured in a WPT televised event, WPT has greatly expanded the number of potential casino customers that can meet the requirements for hosting a WPT televised final table. Finally, WPT creates, owns and publishes its own music for WPT shows. In addition to receiving royalties for the music integrated into these programs, WPT has created a database of over 2,300 musical pieces which may be licensed for itself or for other third-party producers.

WPT Distribution Footprint. All of the WPT television programs air on Sinclair’s RSNs in the U.S., and in 33 different territories worldwide pursuant to licensing and distribution arrangements with various linear and digital networks. Virtually all of WPT’s 17-season poker library is fully available for distribution, providing hundreds of hours of top-tier broadcast grade poker sports content. WPT has greatly expanded the reach of its content by licensing it for broadcast on many digital platforms as well, such as PlutoTV, Unreel Entertainment, Samsung TV Plus, and many others. WPT does not receive fees from Sinclair for the domestic distribution of our content. Instead, WPT uses the WPT show to heavily promote its ClubWPT product and other online products and partnerships, such as Zynga’s WPT social poker game. WPT does provide Sinclair with a guaranteed revenue share from ClubWPT’s operations in exchange for significant promotion and distribution of the programs featuring ClubWPT marketing. This arrangement ensures that Sinclair has an incentive to keep WPT’s show on the air and to market and promote the show, as they share in the show’s success to the extent ClubWPT’s revenue increases. Since the ClubWPT customer base and broadcast television viewers are similar in demographics, the symbiotic relationship between Sinclair and WPT works well to keep WPT’s brand widely known and accessible to millions of people in the U.S. The Sinclair agreement also has other important broadcast requirements to ensure that WPT’s programming remains “appointment television” and airs at particular times on both the Sinclair networks and the RSNs. Internationally, some of WPT’s distribution partners pay WPT fees to broadcast content, but usually, WPT’s international revenues are based on distribution deals that pay via advertising time and sponsorship sales, as well as the intrinsic value of spreading WPT’s brand awareness worldwide. The international reach of WPT-related shows has grown meaningfully as a result of our expanding digital distribution footprint. WPT receives additional fees from our digital distribution agreements, but again see these as brand-building exercises and as avenues to get more people exposure for WPT’s online products, sponsors and advertisers. In addition to its World Poker Tour content, WPT also distributes various sports and lifestyle programming through its distribution business. As a result, WPT now controls over 1,100 hours of programming from which it may generate distribution fees, license fees, sponsorship revenue and music licensing revenue, as well as serving as a vehicle to promote its online gaming products worldwide. The ability to “bundle,” or offer large amounts of content, provides WPT distribution leverage in negotiating the amount of airings or preferred airing times of its content.

The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) recently acquired 21st Century Fox (“FOX”). Under the terms of the acquisition, FOX’s non-regional news and sports assets, including FSN, were spun off into a new company, Fox Corporation (which is commonly referred to as “New Fox”), which remains owned by the prior FOX shareholders. The Department of Justice required Disney to sell all RSNs within ninety (90) days after the closing of the Disney/FOX acquisition. The RSNs (including FSN) were recently purchased by a joint venture company owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, Inc. (collectively, “Sinclair”). To date, Sinclair’s acquisition of the RSNs (including FSN) has not had any material effect on the airing of WPT’s content.

Sponsorship Revenue. Sponsorship revenue is the prime economic driver of the distribution of WPT content. WPT partners with prestigious brands, such as Dr. Pepper (soft drinks), Hublot (high-end timepieces), Corona (beer), Rockstar (energy drinks), Baccarat (fine crystal), Party Poker (online gaming in Europe), and offers them the ability to become the “Official ________ of the World Poker Tour”. The Season 17 sponsors have included Hublot, Rockstar, Baccarat, Faded Spade Poker (a playing card manufacturer), and Zynga Inc. (social gaming operator). WPT is able to seamlessly integrate its sponsors into the WPT television show by displaying sponsors on poker tables, on television sets, and specialized segments that are brought to viewers by the applicable sponsor. By integrating WPT’s sponsors into the show, WPT provides a powerful marketing tool in that viewers are seeing the sponsor as part of the show they are watching, as opposed to an advertisement that they may mute or skip if possible. WPT’s live events also offer WPT sponsors a great advertising platform to market directly to WPT players via signage, product sampling suites, flyers, and similar marketing endeavors.

Interactive Services: Poker Platforms

WPT’s live event global footprint and distribution of its content via broadcast, streaming and social media, allow WPT to generate significant marketing opportunities for both its sponsors and its own products. WPT has taken advantage of this marketing arm to promote several interactive products: ClubWPT, its subscription-based online poker club that WPT owns and operates, which also offers social poker; PlayWPT, a web and mobile social poker product that is operated by a third party utilizing software and branding that WPT licenses to such provider; Zynga Poker, who operates one of the world’s largest social poker products, to whom WPT has licensed its brand for certain WPT-branded poker tournaments on their platform; and HongKong Triple Sevens Interactive Co., Ltd, who licenses WPT’s Alpha8 brand to operate a social poker product they are in the process of developing.

ClubWPT. WPT’s subscription-based online club, ClubWPT.com, is operated in accordance with the principles of sweepstakes law and is available in 43 states and territories across the United States, Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom. A free alternative means of entry is offered for participants who wish to play in the tournaments but do not wish to purchase the other membership benefits. VIP members can play poker to win a share of $100,000 in cash and prizes every month, including seats in live WPT poker tournaments. Other benefits include access to every season of the WPT television series and all related content, discounted tickets to live events through ScoreBig, everyday savings for everyday things via the ClubWPT Entertainment Savers Guide, and other member benefits. In January of 2019, WPT added freemium social poker and casino gaming on the platform. Since that time, daily active revenue has risen steadily, and we anticipate the freemium products on the platform will be a meaningful driver of ClubWPT revenue going forward. The subscription fee for ClubWPT remains the same each month and players are not allowed to wager actual money online. One must be eighteen or older to participate. In June 2020, ClubWPT launched a premium level of ClubWPT membership called ClubWPT Diamond, which allows members to play for larger prize pools, more qualifying seats to official WPT live events, and exclusive line-up of unique experience packages.

Zynga Poker. WPT entered into a 3-year licensing agreement with Zynga, Inc. in 2018 pursuant to which Zynga agreed to pay WPT $3 million per year in exchange for the right to license the WPT name and brand to its massive social gaming database for WPT-branded poker tournaments on the Zynga social poker platform. WPT supports Zynga’s efforts through extensive marketing of its brand through its marketing network which includes its television programs, advertisements, and social media channels. Zynga has further used the WPT tournaments as a vehicle to reward their players through qualifying players to play in real money poker tournaments at WPT affiliated casinos. The partnership means that the Zynga and WPT brands elevate each other’s profile in the poker community through millions of impressions annually.

PlayWPT and Alpha8 Social Poker. WPT’s 3-year license agreements for PlayWPT and the Alpha8 social poker product that each commenced in 2018 provide WPT with a share of all revenue generated on those respective platforms, with annual minimums of the greater of $500,000 or 20% of revenue generated for PlayWPT, and the greater of $200,000 or 20% of revenue generated for the Alpha8 social poker product. These arrangements offer WPT significant annual payments based on the value and prestige of WPT’s brands and WPT’s ability to market and promote the platforms.

In addition to the three-pillar approach to monetizing the WPT brands as described above, WPT has also been able to combine these approaches in a regional manner to create localized versions of the WPT in other parts of the world. For example, WPT has an agreement with Adda52, one of the largest online poker operators in India, pursuant to which Adda52 utilizes WPT brands to put on WPT-branded tournaments, create and sell WPT merchandise, sponsor and distribute WPT content, and otherwise market and promote their own products using the WPT name. WPT had a similar arrangement for the Asia-Pacific region with WPT’s former parent company, Ourgame, and is negotiating similar arrangements with parties in other parts of the world, such as Latin America. These brand licensing arrangements not only provide WPT with revenue derived from upfront payments and revenue share, but they broaden WPT’s brand reach in localized ways to parts of the world that WPT would be hard-pressed to effectively market to on its own. WPT believes that this increased reach will have long-term benefits to WPT’s brand image and profitability.

Recent Developments.

On January 19, 2021, the Company and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries, Allied Esports Media, Inc. (“Esports Media,” and together with the Company, the “Selling Parties”) and Club Services, Inc. (“CSI”), entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Original Agreement”) with Element Partners, LLC (“Buyer”), pursuant to which the Selling Parties have agreed to sell 100% of the outstanding capital stock of CSI to Buyer. CSI is the Company’s indirect wholly-owned subsidiary that directly or indirectly owns 100% of the outstanding capital stock of each of the legal entities that collectively operate or engage in the Company’s poker-related business and assets (the “WPT Business”). The proposed sale of CSI is referred to herein as the “Sale Transaction.” In connection with the Original Agreement, Buyer agreed to pay Esports Media a total purchase price of $78.25 million for the stock of CSI, including an initial purchase price at closing of $68.25 million and $10.0 million in future payments after the closing of the Sale Transaction. After the execution of the Original Agreement, the Company received multiple unsolicited competing proposals to sell the Company and/or CSI to Bally’s Corporation. As a result of such proposals and further negotiation with Buyer, the Selling Parties, CSI and Buyer entered into an Amended and Restated Stock Purchase Agreement on March 19, 2021, and thereafter amended such agreement on March 29, 2021 (as amended, the “Stock Purchase Agreement”).

Buyer has agreed to pay Esports Media a total purchase price of $105 million for the stock of CSI (the “base purchase price”) at the closing of the Sale Transaction, as further described below. The base purchase price will be adjusted to reflect the amount of CSI’s cash, indebtedness and accrued and unpaid transaction expenses as of the closing of the Sale Transaction. Buyer remitted a $10.0 million advance payment of the base purchase price upon the execution of the Stock Purchase Agreement and is required to pay the balance of the base purchase price at the closing of the Sale Transaction.

The Stock Purchase Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, covenants and indemnification provisions. The closing of the Sale Transaction is subject to closing conditions, including the approval of the Sale Transaction by the Company’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions. The Company intends to consummate the Sale Transaction shortly after obtaining stockholder approval, assuming all other conditions to the completion of the Sale Transaction have been satisfied or waived by the appropriate parties.

The Stock Purchase Agreement may be terminated by Buyer or the Company if the closing of the Sale Transaction has not occurred by September 30, 2021, or upon the occurrence of certain customary events as set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Buyer may be required to pay a $10.0 million non-performance fee to the Company, and the Selling Parties may be required to pay a $3.45 million termination fee to the Buyer, and the Selling Parties may be required to return to Buyer the $10.0 million advance payment of the purchase price and reimburse Buyer for up to $1.0 million of its documented out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with the authorization, preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of the Stock Purchase Agreement and the Sale Transaction.

Effective upon any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, other than a termination in which Buyer is required to pay a non-performance fee to us, Buyer (or its affiliate) and Peerless Media Limited, an indirect subsidiary of the Company that owns intellectual property related to the WPT Business, will enter into a 3-year brand license for Buyer’s (or its affiliate’s) use of the WPT brand in the territory of Asia for real-money gaming in exchange for revenue-based royalty payments of 20% of qualifying revenues, and minimum annual guaranteed royalty payments of $4.0 million, $6.0 million and $8.0 million for the first, second and third years, respectively. Such license will be subject to further customary terms and conditions and provide Peerless Media Limited with a $2.0 million buy-out right after the first year. In the event of any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement under any circumstance in which the Buyer is required to pay a termination fee to us, the Company will have the option, but not the obligation, to require the Buyer to enter into such license agreement with Peerless Media Limited.

The rapid growth and popularity of gaming and esports during the COVID-19 pandemic has driven interest in the Company’s esports business, Allied Esports. In January 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors decided to explore strategic options for the esports business in order to maximize value to its stockholders, including a possible sale, and the Company has engaged a financial advisor to assist with the process. If the Company pursues and ultimately completes a sale of the esports business in addition to the sale of the WPT Business in the Sale Transaction (described below), the Company expects to proceed (likely under a new name) as a publicly traded holding company focused on using its cash resources to explore opportunities in online entertainment, including but not limited to, real money gaming and other gaming sectors. However, the Company does not plan to limit itself to any particular industry or geographic location in its efforts to identify prospective target businesses. Currently, the Company does not have any specific merger, asset acquisition, reorganization or other business combination under consideration or contemplation. At this time no potential or particular buyer has been identified to purchase the esports business, and there are no initial or ongoing negotiations in respect of the sale of the esports business.

Corporate Organization

Our principal offices are located at 17877 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 300, Irvine, California, 92614, and our telephone number at that office is (949) 225-2600.

Allied Esports Entertainment Inc., (“AESE”), formerly known as Black Ridge Acquisition Corp, or “BRAC”, was incorporated in Delaware on May 9, 2017 as a blank check company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

Allied Esports Media, Inc. (“AEM”), a Delaware corporation, was formed in November 2018 to act as a holding company for Allied Esports International Inc. (“Allied Esports”) and immediately prior to close of the Merger (as defined below) to also include Noble Link Global Limited (“Noble Link”). Allied Esports, together with its subsidiaries described below owns and operates the esports-related businesses of AESE. Noble Link (prior to the AEM Merger) and its wholly owned subsidiaries Peerless Media Limited, Club Services, Inc. and WPT Enterprises, Inc. operate the poker-related business of AESE and are collectively referred to herein as “World Poker Tour” or “WPT.” Prior to the Merger, as described below, Noble Link and Allied Esports were subsidiaries of Ourgame International Holdings Limited (“Ourgame”).

On December 19, 2018, BRAC, Noble Link and AEM executed an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (as amended from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”). On August 9, 2019 (the “Closing Date”), Noble Link was merged with and into AEM, with AEM being the surviving entity, which was accounted for as a common control merger (the “AEM Merger”). Further, on August 9, 2019, a subsidiary of AESE merged with AEM pursuant to the Merger Agreement, with AEM being the surviving entity (the “Merger”). The Merger was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization, and AEM is deemed to be the accounting acquirer. Consequently, the assets and liabilities and the historical operations that are reflected in the combined financial statements prior to the Merger are those of Allied Esports and WPT. The preferred stock, common stock, additional paid in capital and earnings per share amount in the combined financial statements for the period prior to the Merger have been restated to reflect the recapitalization in accordance with the shares issued to the Former Parent as a result of the Merger. References herein to the “Company” are to the combination of AEM and WPT during the period prior to the AEM Merger and are to AESE and subsidiaries after the Merger.

Allied Esports operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries Allied Esports International, Inc., (“AEII”), Esports Arena Las Vegas, LLC (“ESALV”) and Allied Esports GmbH (“AEGmbH”). AEII operates global competitive esports properties designed to connect players and fans via a network of connected arenas. ESALV operates a flagship gaming arena located at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. AEGmbH operates a mobile esports truck that serves as both a battleground and content generation hub and also operates a studio for recording and streaming gaming events.

Our fiscal year ends December 31. Neither we nor any of our predecessors have been in bankruptcy, receivership or any similar proceeding.

Regulation

WPT tournaments are conducted by the host casinos and card rooms, and we believe WPT is not subject to government gaming regulation in connection with its affiliation with and telecasts of these events. We continue to monitor the legality of Internet gaming in domestic and international jurisdictions, but cannot be certain that changes in existing regulations will be beneficial to the gaming market. WPT’s subscription-based online club, ClubWPT.com, is operated in accordance with the principles of sweepstakes law. A free alternative means of entry is offered for participants who wish to play in the tournaments but do not wish to purchase the other membership benefits. The subscription fee for ClubWPT remains the same each month and players are not allowed to wager actual money online. One must be eighteen or older to participate. However, the awarding of cash and prizes will require compliance with the laws or regulations in various states or countries over sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways, are complicated and constantly changing.

Allied Esports intends to offer subscribers the chance to win cash and prizes when playing esports games and tournaments on the esports gaming platform it intends to develop. Similar to WPT, Allied Esports will be subject to the complicated laws and regulations in various states or countries over sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways. Any negative finding of law regarding the characterization of the type of online activity carried out on the esports gaming platform could limit or prevent Allied Esports’ ability to obtain subscribers in those jurisdictions. In addition, Allied Esports is subject to a number of foreign and domestic laws and regulations that affect companies conducting business on the Internet. In addition, laws and regulations relating to user privacy, data collection, retention, electronic commerce, consumer protection, content, advertising, localization, and information security have been adopted or are being considered for adoption by many jurisdictions and countries throughout the world.

Intellectual Property

We believe that to maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace, we must develop and maintain protection of the proprietary aspects of our technology. We rely on a combination of trademarks, patent, trade secret intellectual property rights and other measures to protect our intellectual property.

WPT has filed trademarks for the names of its shows, including the World Poker Tour name and logos. The trademark “World Poker Tour” has been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) on the principal register in connection with entertainment services, clothing, playing cards and poker chips, and housewares and glass; and on the supplemental register in connection with electronic and scientific apparatus. Other registered marks around the world include: “Alpha8” in the U.S., Canada, China, Europe, South Africa and Uruguay; “Battle of Champions” in the U.S.; “Card Design” in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela; “Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship” in the U.S.; “Hollywood Home Game” in the U.S.; “Ladies’ Night” in the U.S.; “Latin American Poker Tour” in Peru and Europe; “Poker Détente” in Europe; “Poker Walk of Fame” in the U.S.; “PPT” in the U.S., Canada and Europe; “PPT & Design” in the U.S. and Canada; “Professional Poker Tour” in the U.S.; “Professional Poker Tour PPT & Design” in the U.S.; “Royal Flush Girls” in the U.S.; “Time Slots” in Canada, Europe and the U.S.; “World Poker Tour” in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Europe, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Africa and Venezuela; “World Poker Tour & Design” in the U.S., Canada and Europe; “WPT” in the U.S., Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Venezuela; “WPT8 Design” in U.S., Australia, Canada, China, Europe, South Africa and Uruguay; “WPT Academy” in Europe; “WPT Alpha8 Design” in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, South Africa and Uruguay; “WPT Boot Camp” in the U.S.; “WPT Poker Corner” in the U.S., Canada and Europe; “WPT Spade Card Design” in China; “WPT World Poker Tour & Design” in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Europe and Korea. We have registered approximately 2,100 Internet domain names in 70 regions around the world. We also have proprietary rights to our portfolio of registered and unregistered copyrighted materials, which includes the episodes of the televised programming and music that we produce, subject to licenses related to these episodes provided under our agreements with our distributors and our international telecast license agreements, as well as the WPT Academy database and online videos.

WPT has filed five U.S. and international patent applications. One patent relating to a specially designed game table that uses integral lighting, was issued by the USPTO in 2007. Another patent, relating to systems and methods reducing fraud in electronic games having virtual currency, was issued by the USPTO in April 2020. A third patent relating to systems and methods for securing virtual currencies and enhancing electronic products, was issued by the USPTO in May 2020. WPT’s remaining patent applications relate to (1) systems and methods to reduce impact of network disruptions; and (2) systems and methods to provide multiple commentary streams for the same broadcast content.

Allied Esports has one patent in the U.S. related to systems and methods for latency in networked competitive multiplayer gaming that was issued by the UPSTO in July 2020. It has also registered approximately 45 domain names. Allied Esports has filed for trademark protection for the following marks as well: “Allied Esports” has been filed in the U.S., “Allied Esports” bold mark has been filed in China and Europe; The “Allied Esports” logos have been filed in the U.S. and Europe; the “Allied Esports Member Property Network” logo has been filed in China and Europe; the “Big Betty” logos have been registered in Europe; “E-sports Arena” have been registered in China, “Esports Superstars” logo has been filed in the U.S.; “Legend Series” logo has been filed in the U.S. and Europe; and the “Allied Esports” emblem has been filed in China and Europe.

Competition

WPT competes with other poker-related television programming, including ESPN’s coverage of the “World Series of Poker” and its “World Series of Poker” Circuit Events, among others. These and other producers of poker-related programming are well established and may have significantly greater resources than WPT does. Based on the popularity of these poker-related televised programs, WPT believes that additional competing televised poker programs may currently be in development or may be developed in the future. WPT’s programming also competes for telecast audiences and advertising revenue with telecasts of mainstream professional and amateur sports, as well as other entertainment and leisure activities.

The esports gaming industry is also competitive. Competitors range from established leagues and championships owned directly, as well as leagues franchised by well-known and capitalized game publishers and developers, interactive entertainment companies, diversified media companies and emerging start-ups. New competitors will likely continue to emerge, and many of these competitors will have greater financial resources than Allied Esports.

Territories

We sell products and services throughout the world.

Employees

As of April 11, 2021, we had approximately 114 employees, including 44 employees that operated under collective-bargaining agreements.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the specific risks described below before making an investment decision. Any of the risks we describe below could cause our business, financial condition, results of operations or future prospects to be materially adversely affected.

The market price of our common stock could decline if one or more of these risks and uncertainties develop into actual events and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or future prospects. Amounts within the “Risk Factors” section are stated in thousands with the exception of share information.

Risks Related to the Sale Transaction

If the Company fails to complete the Sale Transaction, it may not be able to successfully complete another strategic transaction.

The consummation of the proposed Sale Transaction is subject to a number of closing conditions, including that the Company’s stockholders approve the Sale Transaction. The obligation of Buyer to complete the Sale Transaction is also subject to the absence of a change in circumstances that are materially adverse to the Company’s financial condition, assets, business or results of operations. If the closing conditions for the Sale Transaction are not satisfied, then the Stock Purchase Agreement can be terminated.

If the Company does not complete the Sale Transaction, it will review all options for continuing operations, possibly including seeking to identify and effect an alternative business combination, sale of assets or another similar strategic transaction or transactions. However, the Company may not be able to consummate such an alternative transaction on favorable terms, if at all, and a third party may not offer to purchase the Company’s assets for a price equal to or greater than the price proposed to be paid by Buyer. If the Company is unable to successfully consummate one or more alternative strategic transactions relating to its business, the Company will continue to execute on its current business plan. The Company intends to continue exploring strategic options for its esports business, including the possible sale of such business.

If we fail to complete the Sale Transaction, the Company’s business may be harmed, we may not be able to find another buyer for the WPT business and our stock price could be negatively impacted

The Company cannot predict whether it will succeed in obtaining the approval of its stockholders, or that the other conditions to close the Sale Transaction will be satisfied. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that the Sale Transaction will be completed.

Following the Company’s public announcement of the Sale Transaction, third parties may be unwilling to enter into material agreements with the Company. New and existing customers and business partners may prefer to enter into agreements with the Company’s competitors because such customers and partners perceive that its relationships are likely to be more stable. If the Company fails to complete the Sale Transaction, the failure to maintain existing relationships with our customers, suppliers and employees or enter into new relationships, may harm our business, and the results of operations, financial condition and the market price for our common stock may decline.

In addition, if we are required to pay a termination fee or expense reimbursements in connection with the termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, we may have difficulty recouping such costs, in addition to the costs incurred in connection with negotiating the Sale Transaction.

We may not be able to find another buyer willing to pay an equivalent or higher price in an alternative transaction than the price that would be paid pursuant to the Sale Transaction. Further, we may experience negative reactions from the financial markets, which could cause a decrease in the market price of our stock, particularly if the market price reflects a market assumption that the Sale Transaction will be completed. We may also experience negative reactions from our customers, employees and vendors, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

Pending the completion of the Sale Transaction, the Company may not make certain changes in the business and may not be able to enter into a business combination with another party.

Covenants in the Stock Purchase Agreement impede the Company’s ability to enter into specified transactions that are not in the ordinary course of business pending completion of the Sale Transaction. Existing and potential customers and vendors of our poker business may delay or cease entering into transactions with our poker business until the ownership and management of the poker business is clarified and employees and other key partners in the poker business may choose to leave the poker business due to uncertainties inherent in the Sale Transaction process.

Moreover, while the Stock Purchase Agreement is in effect and subject to limited exceptions, the Company is prohibited from soliciting, initiating, encouraging, taking actions designed to facilitate any inquiries or the making of any proposal or offer that could lead to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with regard to, an acquisition proposal with any third party, subject to specified exceptions. Any such acquisition proposal could be favorable to the Company’s stockholders. Bally’s Corporation has in the past made unsolicited proposals to acquire the WPT business, and the provisions of the Stock Purchase Agreement prohibit us from continuing or initiating new discussions with Bally’s Corporation, subject to the limited exceptions set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement.

The Company will incur significant expenses in connection with the Sale Transaction and could be required to make significant payments if the Stock Purchase Agreement is terminated under certain conditions.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding a termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Company may be required to pay a $3.45 million termination fee to Buyer, and we may be required to reimburse Buyer for up to $1.0 million of its documented out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with the authorization, preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of the Stock Purchase Agreement and the Sale Transaction. In addition, the Company expects to pay legal fees, accounting fees and financial and other advisory fees and expenses whether or not the Sale Transaction is completed. As a result, we may have difficulty recouping the costs incurred in connection with pursuing the Sale Transaction, and our cash position would be adversely impacted.

The WPT business will be subject to the terms of a license agreement for real money gaming in Asia if the Stock Purchase Agreement is terminated under certain circumstances.

Effective upon any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, other than a termination in which Buyer is required to pay a termination or non-performance fee to us, Buyer (or its affiliate) and Peerless Media Limited, an indirect subsidiary of the Company that owns intellectual property related to the WPT Business, will enter into a 3-year brand license for Buyer’s (or its affiliate’s) use of the WPT brand in the territory of Asia for real-money gaming in exchange for revenue-based royalty payments of 20% of qualifying revenues, and minimum annual guaranteed royalty payments of $4.0 million, $6.0 million and $8.0 million for the first, second and third years, respectively. Such license will be subject to further customary terms and conditions, and provide Peerless Media Limited with a $2.0 million buy-out right after the first year. In the event of any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement under any circumstance in which the Buyer is required to pay a termination fee to us, the Company will have the option, but not obligation, to require the Buyer to into such license agreement with Peerless Media Limited. The form of the agreement governing the license is attached as Exhibit B to the Stock Purchase Agreement. The existence of the license will prevent us from pursuing and entering into a similar license in the Asian territory with another third party that may have contained terms that are more advantageous to us. In addition, if we wish to pursue a sale of the WPT Business to another purchaser after termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, the existence of this license may deter another otherwise interested third party purchaser from pursuing an acquisition of the WPT Business, or reduce the consideration such a party would be will to pay for it.

The announcement and pendency of the Sale Transaction, whether or not completed, may adversely affect us.

The announcement and pendency of the Sale Transaction may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock, our business or our relationships with clients, customers, suppliers and employees. Third parties may be unwilling to enter into material agreements with respect to the WPT Business. Additionally, employees working in the WPT Business may become concerned about the future of the WPT Business, and lose focus or seek other employment. In addition, while the completion of the Sale Transaction is pending, we may be unable to attract and retain key personnel and our management’s focus and attention and employee resources may be diverted from operational matters or the exploration of strategic operations for our esports business, including its possible sale.

The Stock Purchase Agreement limits our ability to pursue alternatives to the Sale Transaction.

The Stock Purchase Agreement contains provisions that may make it more difficult for us to sell our entire company or the WPT Business to any party other than Element Partners, LLC. These provisions include the prohibition on our ability to solicit competing proposals and the requirement that we pay Buyer a termination fee of $3.45 million if we terminate the Stock Purchase Agreement to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a superior proposal. These provisions could make it less advantageous for a third party that might have an interest in acquiring us or all of or a significant part of the WPT Business to consider or propose an alternative transaction, even if that party were prepared to pay consideration with a higher value than the consideration to be paid by Buyer. Bally’s Corporation has in the past made unsolicited proposals to acquire the WPT Business, and the provisions of the Stock Purchase Agreement prohibit us from continuing or initiating new discussions with Bally’s Corporation, subject to the limited exceptions set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement.

Risks Related to us if the Sale Transaction is Completed

Buyer may not honor all of its obligations under the Stock Purchase Agreement.

Effective upon any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, other than a termination in which Buyer is required to pay a termination or non-performance fee to us, Buyer (or its affiliate) and Peerless Media Limited, an indirect subsidiary of the Company that owns intellectual property related to the WPT Business, will enter into a 3-year brand license for Buyer’s (or its affiliate’s) use of the WPT brand in the territory of Asia for real-money gaming in exchange for revenue-based royalty payments of 20% of qualifying revenues, and minimum annual guaranteed royalty payments of $4.0 million, $6.0 million and $8.0 million for the first, second and third years, respectively. Such license will be subject to further customary terms and conditions, and provide Peerless Media Limited with a $2.0 million buy-out right after the first year. In the event of any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement under any circumstance in which the Buyer is required to pay a termination fee to us, the Company will have the option, but not obligation, to require the Buyer to into such license agreement with Peerless Media Limited. The form of the agreement governing the license is attached as Exhibit B to the Stock Purchase Agreement. Buyer may not honor all of its obligations under the Stock Purchase Agreement and the licensing agreement.

The Company will become a company with cash, investments, and our esports business, which may prove difficult for investors to evaluate our ability to achieve stated business objectives.

After the Sale Transaction is completed, we will have disposed of substantially all of our operating assets other than cash, investments and our esports business. The Company recently announced that its Board of Directors has decided to explore strategic options for the esports business in order to maximize its value to stockholders, including a possible sale, and the Company has engaged a financial advisor to assist with the process. If the Company pursues and ultimately completes a sale of the esports business, we would then become a development stage company with no historic operating results. In that situation we would expect to proceed (likely under a new name) as a publicly traded holding company focused on using our cash resources to explore opportunities in online entertainment, including but not limited to, real money gaming and other gaming sectors; however, we do not plan to limit ourselves to any particular industry or geographic location in its efforts to identify prospective target businesses. Currently, however, we have no specific merger, asset acquisition, reorganization or other business combination under consideration or contemplation. We have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, had substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction. We may be unsuccessful in pursuing acquisition targets, or acquisition targets, if acquired, may not prove to have successful operations.

We have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock with the proceeds of the Sale Transaction; as a result, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock with the proceeds of the Sale Transaction. Any future determination to pay dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to applicable laws, and will depend on a number of factors, including our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions, general business conditions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

Following the closing of the Sale Transaction, we will be subject to five-year non-solicitation and non-competition covenants under the Stock Purchase Agreement, which will limit our ability to operate in poker related fields.

Following the closing of the Sale Transaction, we will be subject to five-year non-solicitation and non-competition covenants made in the Stock Purchase Agreement. During such five-year period, we will be prohibited from participating or engaging in, in any manner or capacity, the Restricted Business, and from soliciting the customers, suppliers or employees of the WPT Business. For this purpose, the “Restricted Business” means, generally, any business involving variants of the game of poker specified in the Stock Purchase Agreement and any activities ancillary or related to such variants of poker, including, without limitation, (i) organizing, hosting, operating, promoting, and/or conducting events relating to poker, (ii) broadcasting or distributing content relating to such events, (iii) organizing, hosting, operating, promoting, and/or conducting clubs or organizations related to poker, and (iv) commercializing products and merchandise relating to poker. While we do not believe these limitations will negatively affect our esports business, these restrictions may adversely impact our future opportunities.

Risks Related to the Current Business

In addition to the other information contained in this Report, you should carefully consider each of the risks described below. Until the close of the Sale Transaction, the Company expects to continue to execute its current business strategy with respect to its esports and poker-related business. Except as specifically described below, the following discussion of risks related to the Company does not reflect changes to the Company’s business that may occur if it consummates the Sale Transaction. Allied Esports International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates the esports-related businesses of AESE, and are collectively referred to as “Allied Esports.”. Peerless Media Limited, CSI and WPT Enterprises, Inc. operate the poker-related business of AESE and are collectively referred to herein as “World Poker Tour” or “WPT.”

Allied Esports Risk Factors

Allied Esports is subject to risks associated with operating in a rapidly developing industry and a relatively new market.

Many elements of Allied Esports’ business are unique, evolving and relatively unproven. Its business and prospects depend on the continuing development of live streaming of competitive esports gaming. The market for esports gaming competition is relatively new and rapidly developing and is subject to significant challenges. Allied Esports’ business relies upon its ability to grow and garner an active gamer community, and successfully monetize this community through tournament fees, live event ticket sales, and advertising and sponsorships. In addition, Allied Esports’ continued growth depends, in part, on its ability to respond to constant changes in the esports gaming industry, including technological evolution, shifts in gamer trends and demands, introductions of new games, game publisher intellectual property right practices, and industry standards and practices. While change in this industry may be inevitable, and Allied Esports will try to adapt its business model as needed to accommodate change and remain on the forefront of its competitors, Allied Esports may be unsuccessful in doing so and does not provide any guarantees or assurances of success as the industry continues to evolve.

Allied Esports may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to achieve profitability.

Allied Esports expects its operating expenses to increase significantly as it continues to expand its marketing efforts and operations in existing and new geographies and vertical markets (including its online esports tournament and gaming subscription platform it intends to develop). In addition, Allied Esports expects to continue to incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses related to being a public company. If its revenue declines or fails to grow at a rate faster than these increases in operating expenses, it will not be able to achieve profitability in future periods. As a result, Allied Esports may generate losses. Allied Esports cannot assure you that it will achieve profitability.

Allied Esports generates a portion of its revenues from advertising and sponsorship. If it fails to attract more advertisers and sponsors to its live events, tournaments or content, or if advertisers or sponsors are less willing to advertise with or sponsor Allied Esports, its revenues may be adversely affected.

Allied Esports generates revenue from advertising and sponsorship, and it expects to further develop and expand its focus on these revenues in the future. These revenues partly depend on the advertisers’ willingness to advertise in the esports gaming industry. If the esports gaming advertising and sponsorship market does not continue to grow, or if Allied Esports is unable to capture and retain a sufficient share of that market, Allied Esports’ ability to achieve profitability may be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, with unfavorable economic external factors, sponsors and advertisers may not have enough budget allocations for spending in sponsorship and advertising in esports, which would also lead to an adverse impact on Allied Esports’ revenue stream.

Allied Esports’ business model may not remain effective and it cannot guarantee that its future monetization strategies will be successfully implemented or generate sustainable revenues and profit.

Allied Esports generates revenues from advertising and sponsorship of its live events, its content, the sale of merchandising, and the operation of its esports arenas. Allied Esports has generated, and expects to continue to generate, a substantial portion of revenues using this revenue model in the near term. Although Allied Esports anticipates growth in Allied Esports’ business utilizing this revenue model, there is no guarantee that growth will continue in the future, and the demand for its offerings may change, decrease substantially or dissipate, or it may fail to anticipate and serve esports gamer demands effectively. The COVID-19 outbreak may also continue to cause the demand for our in-person events to reduce and shift demand to online gaming. Allied Esports may determine to enter into new opportunities to expand its business, including online gaming platforms, which may or may not be successful. Any such expansions involve additional risks and costs that could materially and adversely affect its business.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the long-term growth plans of Allied Esports, and we may not be able to implement and grow our three-pillar objectives for long-term success in the near future, or event at all.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in our long-term growth plans for Allied Esports, and although our long-term strategy remains to fully implement the three-pillar strategy, we are currently focused on continuing our in-person experiences at our current arenas and developing multiplatform content. There is no guarantee that we will be able in the near future or at any point to be able to expand our in-person experience to arenas beyond those in which we are currently operating or develop a develop an esports platform.

Allied Esports’ long-term growth strategy depends on the availability of suitable locations for its proprietary and licensed esports arenas and its ability to open new locations and operate them profitably.

A key element of Allied Esports’ long-term growth strategy is to extend its brand by opening additional flagship arenas throughout the world and licensing the Allied Esports brand to third party esports arena operators, which it believes will provide attractive returns on investment. However, desirable locations may not be available at an acceptable cost. Opening these additional locations will depend upon a number of factors, many of which are beyond Allied Esports’ control, including its ability or the ability of the selected licensee to:

If Allied Esports succeeds in opening new arenas on a timely and cost-effective basis, it may nonetheless be unable to attract enough gamers or spectators to the new location (or to existing locations of affiliated arenas) because its entertainment and menu options might not appeal to them. Failure to do so could have a significant adverse effect on Allied Esports’ overall operating results.

Allied Esports has not entered into definitive license agreements with all game publishers that it currently has relationships with, and it may never do so.

Although Allied Esports has relationships with many game publishers for tournament event and content experiences involving their respective intellectual properties and enters into definitive license agreements with such game publishers from time to time, Allied Esports does not have definitive license agreements in place with all of its game publishers. No assurances can be given as to when or if it will be able to come to agreeable terms with game publishers for any future license agreements. If Allied Esports is unable to come to mutually agreeable terms and enter into definitive license agreements with game publishers, game publishers may unilaterally choose to discontinue its relationship with Allied Esports, thereby preventing Allied Esports from offering tournament event and content experiences using their game intellectual property. Should game publishers choose not to allow Allied Esports to offer tournament event and content experiences involving their intellectual property to Allied Esports’ customers, the popularity of Allied Esports’ tournaments and content may decline, which could materially and adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.

Even if Allied Esports is able to license its brand to third party esports operators, there is a risk that those operators could damage its brand by operating esports arenas that are not at Allied Esports’ standards of operation.

As Allied Esports licenses the Allied Esports brand to third party esports arena operators around the world, it will depend on those operators to run those arenas at a quality level similar to Allied Esports’ owned and operated arenas. Allied Esports’ strategy depends on customers associating the third party esports arenas as part of Allied Esports’ network of affiliated arenas, which it believes will expand its brand recognition and increase customers, revenue, and growth. If Allied Esports’ affiliate arenas are poorly operated, or if those operators fail to use Allied Esports’ name and branding in a manner consistent with Allied Esports’ corporate messaging and branding, or if there are safety issues or other negative occurrences at affiliate arenas, Allied Esports’ name and brand could be significantly damaged, which would make its expansion difficult and materially adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.

Allied Esports’ long-term growth strategy includes deploying additional mobile arenas in the U.S. and Europe to host its tournaments and events and it must operate them profitably.

A key element of Allied Esports’ long-term growth strategy is to extend its brand by increasing and adding to its portfolio of mobile arenas in the U.S. and Europe, as we believe doing so will provide attractive returns on investment. Adding these mobile arenas will depend upon a number of factors, many of which are beyond Allied Esports’ control, including but not limited to our ability, or the ability of our licensees, to:

The nature of hosting esports events exposes Allied Esports to negative publicity or customer complaints, including in relation to, among other things, accidents, injuries or thefts at the arenas, and health and safety concerns.

Allied Esports’ business of hosting esports events inherently exposes it to negative publicity or customer complaints as a result of accidents, injuries or, in extreme cases, deaths arising from incidents occurring at our arenas, including health, safety or security issues, and quality and service standards. Even isolated or sporadic incidents or accidents may have a negative impact on Allied Esports’ brand image and reputation, the arenas’ popularity with gamers and spectators or the ability to host esports events at all.

Allied Esports’ marketing and advertising efforts may fail to resonate with gamers.

Allied Esports’ live events, tournaments and competitions are marketed through a diverse spectrum of advertising and promotional programs such as online and mobile advertising, marketing through websites, event sponsorship and direct communications with the esports gaming community including via email, blogs and other electronic means. An increasing portion of Allied Esports’ marketing activity is taking place on social media platforms that are either outside, or not totally within, its direct control. Changes to gamer preferences, marketing regulations, privacy and data protection laws, technology changes or service disruptions may negatively impact its ability to reach target gamers. Allied Esports’ ability to market its tournaments and competitions is dependent in part upon the success of these programs.

The esports gaming industry is competitive, and gamers may prefer competitors’ arenas, leagues, competitions or tournaments over those offered by Allied Esports.

The esports gaming industry is competitive. Competitors range from established leagues and championships owned directly, as well as leagues franchised by well-known and capitalized game publishers and developers, interactive entertainment companies, diversified media companies and emerging start-ups. New competitors will likely continue to emerge. Many of these competitors may have greater financial resources than Allied Esports. If Allied Esports’ competitors develop and launch competing arenas, leagues, tournaments or competitions, Allied Esports’ revenue and margins could decline.

Allied Esports may not provide events or tournaments with games or titles for which the esports gaming community is interested.

Allied Esports must attract and retain the popular esports gaming titles in order to maintain and increase the popularity of its live events, leagues, tournaments and competitions. Allied Esports must identify and license popular games that resonate with the esports gamer community on an ongoing basis. Allied Esports cannot assure you that it can attract and license popular esports games from their publishers, and failure to do so would have a material and adverse impact on Allied Esports’ results of operations and financial conditions.

If Allied Esports fails to keep its existing gamers engaged, acquire new gamers and expand interest in its live events, leagues, tournaments and competitions, its business, its ability to achieve profitability and its prospects may be adversely affected.

Allied Esports’ success depends on its ability to maintain and grow the number of gamers attending its live events, tournaments and competitions, and keep its gamers and attendees highly engaged. In order to attract, retain and engage gamers and remain competitive, Allied Esports must continue to develop and expand its live events, leagues, produce engaging tournaments and competitions, and implement new content formats, technologies and strategies to improve its product offerings. There is no assurance it will be able to do so.

A decline in the number of gamers may adversely affect the engagement level of gamers with Allied Esports’ tournament and entertainment platform under development may reduce our revenue opportunities and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

It is vital to Allied Esports’ operations that its planned online esports tournament and gaming subscriptions platform be responsive to evolving gamer preferences and offer first-tier esports game content and other services that attracts gamers. Allied Esports must also keep providing gamers new features and functions to enable superior content viewing and interaction, or the number of gamers utilizing the platform will likely decline. Any decline in the number of gamers will likely have a material and adverse effect on our operations.

There is no guarantee that Allied Esports will be able to complete its planned online esports tournament and gaming subscription platform, or that such platform once completed will be or remain popular.

Allied Esports cannot assure you that the online esports tournament and gaming subscription platform it intends to develop will be completed in a timely manner or, if completed, become popular with gamers to offset the costs incurred to operate and expand it. This will require substantial costs and expenses. If such increased costs and expenses do not effectively translate into improved gamer engagement, Allied Esports’ results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

If Allied Esports fails to maintain and enhance its brands, its business, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Allied Esports believes that maintaining and enhancing its brands is important for its business to succeed by increasing the number of gamers and engagement by the esports community. Since Allied Esports operates in a highly competitive market, brand maintenance and enhancement directly affects its ability to maintain and enhance its market position. As Allied Esports expands, it may conduct various marketing and brand promotion activities using various methods to continue promoting its brands, but it cannot assure you that these activities will be successful. In addition, negative publicity, regardless of its veracity, could harm Allied Esports’ brands and reputation, which may materially and adversely affect Allied Esports’ business, results of operations and prospects.

If Allied Esports fails to anticipate and successfully implement new esports technologies or adopt new business strategies, technologies or methods, its business may suffer.

Rapid technology changes in the esports gaming market requires Allied Esports to anticipate, sometimes years in advance, which technologies it must develop, implement and take advantage of in order to be and remain competitive in the esports gaming market. Allied Esports has invested, and in the future may invest, in new business strategies including its to-be-developed online esports tournament and entertainment subscription platform, technologies, products, or games to engage a growing number of gamers and deliver the best gaming experiences possible. These endeavors involve significant risks and uncertainties, and no assurance can be given that the technology it adopts and the features it pursues will be successful. If Allied Esports does not successfully implement these new technologies, its reputation may be materially adversely affected and its financial condition and operating results may be impacted.

Allied Esports uses third-party services in connection with its business, and any disruption to these services could result in a disruption to its business, negative publicity and a slowdown in the growth of its users, materially and adversely affecting its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Allied Esports’ business depends on services provided by, and relationships with, various third parties, including cloud hosting, server operators, broadband providers, and computing peripheral suppliers, among others. The failure of any of these parties to perform in compliance with our agreements may negatively impact Allied Esports’ business.

Additionally, if such third parties increase their prices, fail to provide their services effectively, terminate their service or agreements or discontinue their relationships with Allied Esports, Allied Esports could suffer service interruptions, reduced revenues or increased costs, any of which may have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Allied Esports may not be able to procure the necessary permits and licenses to operate its arenas.

Allied Esports must obtain certain permits and licenses, including liquor licenses, to operate its arenas. Often these processes can be expensive and time consuming. There is no guarantee that Allied Esports will be able to obtain such permits and licenses on a timely or cost-effective basis. Any delays could jeopardize the ability of Allied Esports to operate the arenas and host events. As a result, Allied Esports’ business could suffer.

Rules and regulations governing sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways vary by state and country and these rules and regulations could restrict or eliminate Allied Esports’ ability to generate revenues on its esports gaming platform it intends to develop, which could materially and adversely impact the viability of this business.

As part of its esports gaming platform to be developed, Allied Esports intends to offer subscribers the chance to win cash and prizes when playing esports games and tournaments on the platform. Awarding cash and prizes would require compliance with the laws or regulations in various states or countries over sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways, which are complex and constantly changing. Any negative finding of law regarding the characterization of the type of online activity carried out on the esports gaming platform could limit or prevent Allied Esports’ ability to obtain subscribers in those jurisdictions, which in turn could significantly impact Allied Esports’ ability to generate revenue. The ability or willingness to work with Allied Esports by payment processors and other service providers necessary to conduct the esports gaming platform business also may be limited due to such changes in laws or any perceived negative consequences of engaging in the business of sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways that will be utilized by the esports gaming platform.

Negotiations with unionized employees could delay opening or operating Allied Esports’ arenas.

Certain of Allied Esports’ employees are represented by one or more unions. Allied Esports will need to engage such unions to seek to employ the services of the employees on mutually acceptable terms. However, Allied Esports cannot guarantee that such negotiations will be timely concluded to avoid interruption in its tournament schedule, or that such negotiations will ultimately result in an agreement. Any failure to timely conclude the negotiations could cause a delay in Allied Esports’ ability to timely open arenas or host events. Either of these events would adversely affect Allied Esports’ ability to achieve profitability.

Allied Esports’ business is subject to regulation, and changes in applicable regulations may negatively impact its business.

Allied Esports is subject to a number of foreign and domestic laws and regulations that affect companies conducting business on the Internet. In addition, laws and regulations relating to user privacy, data collection, retention, electronic commerce, consumer protection, content, advertising, localization, and information security have been adopted or are being considered for adoption by many jurisdictions and countries throughout the world. These laws could harm Allied Esports’ business by limiting the products and services it can offer consumers or the manner in which it offers them. The compliance costs for these laws may increase in the future as a result of changes in interpretation. Furthermore, Allied Esports’ failure to comply with these laws or the application of these laws in an unanticipated manner may harm its business and result in penalties or significant legal liability.

Allied Esports’ ability to attract esports events to its flagship arena may become difficult if the Nevada legislature establishes a Nevada Esports Commission, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

The Nevada state legislature is currently in its 81st Session and has introduced Senate Bill 165 relating to the creation of the Nevada Esports Commission, which if passed would be tasked with creating regulations overseeing esports competitions within the State. Such a move is the first of its kind in the U.S. and would promulgate regulations in areas such as integrity of competition, testing for controlled substances, qualifications for tournament organizers and participating players. The Bill's intention is to make Nevada a more attractive destination for hosting esports tournaments. However, game publishers, tournament organizers and players may not look favorably on additional regulatory requirements that result from the bill, if passed, and it could have a material adverse effect on our ability to attract esports events to Nevada, and on our operations. To date, Senate Bill 165 has not been passed.

Risks Related to Allied Esports’ Intellectual Property

Allied Esports licenses certain brand names under agreements that will expire and may also be subject to claims of infringement of third-party intellectual property rights.

Allied Esports has a three-year license with a third party, ending in July 2021, to use the names “Esports Arena Las Vegas” and “Esports Arena Drive”, which are part of the branding for its Las Vegas flagship esports arena location and its US-based mobile arena, respectively. Once that license expires, there is no assurance that Allied Esports will be able to further license those names or purchase them on satisfactory terms. Although Allied Esports intends to market and promote its esports arenas using intellectual property it owns and controls, there are no assurances that those efforts will be fruitful and that it will be able to maintain brand awareness once the license expires.

Furthermore, third parties may claim that Allied Esports has infringed their intellectual property rights. Although Allied Esports takes steps to avoid violating the intellectual property rights of others, it is possible that third parties still may claim infringement. Infringement claims against us, whether valid or not, may be expensive to defend and divert the attention of Allied Esports’ management and employees from business operations. Such claims or litigation could require Allied Esports to pay damages, royalties, legal fees and other costs. Allied Esports also could be required to stop offering, distributing or supporting esports games, its to-be-developed gaming platform or other features or services which incorporate the affected intellectual property rights, redesign products, features or services to avoid infringement, or obtain a license, all of which could be costly and harm its business.

Allied Esports’ technology, content and brands are subject to the threat of piracy, unauthorized copying and other forms of intellectual property infringement.

Allied Esports regards its technology, content and brands as proprietary and takes measures to protect it from infringement. Piracy and other forms of unauthorized copying and use of technology, content and brands are persistent, and policing is difficult. Further, the laws of some countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States, or are poorly enforced. Legal protection of Allied Esports’ rights may be ineffective in such countries, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Allied Esports may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of its intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.

Allied Esports regards its registered trademark and pending trademarks, service marks, pending patents, domain names, trade secrets, proprietary technologies and similar intellectual property as critical to its success. Allied Esports relies on trademark and patent law, trade secret protection and confidentiality and license agreements with its employees and others to protect its proprietary rights.

Allied Esports has invested significant resources to develop its own intellectual property and acquire licenses to use and distribute the intellectual property of others. Failure to maintain or protect these rights could harm its business. In addition, any unauthorized use of our intellectual property by third parties may adversely affect its current and future revenues.

Allied Esports may not be able to develop compelling intellectual property content or secure media content distributors to promote, sell, and distribute such content, which could harm its business and competitive position.

Allied Esports intends to produce licensable content from the various live events, tournaments, and its own initiatives and brands to sell to viewers worldwide. There is no guarantee that it will be able to develop content that is compelling to its targeted customers. Media and gaming company competitors, many of which are better funded, are also creating content from esports events, and it will be difficult to create content that stands out and attracts customers. Furthermore, to carry out Allied Esports’ worldwide distribution plans, film and media distribution partners will be needed and, in the event, Allied Esports is not able to secure content distributors on terms acceptable to Allied Esports, this will have a significant adverse impact on revenue streams from the sale or licensing of intellectual property.

Risks Related to WPT’s Current Business

WPT’s broadcast agreement with Fox Sports Net (“FSN”) sets a minimum level of distribution that is significantly less than the current distribution level. If WPT’s current level of distribution is reduced, the reduction could materially and adversely affect WPT’s results of operations.

Currently, WPT broadcasts certain of its worldwide Main Tour events throughout the United States on FSN (whose regional sports networks, or “RSN’s” were purchased by Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, Inc. (collectively, “Sinclair”), and they are also available on ClubWPT.com on demand, and on various digital streaming platforms. WPT’s programming agreement to broadcast the television series does not provide for any license fees to be paid to WPT for the broadcast rights, and contains a minimum level of distribution. Currently, WPT’s programming is broadcast significantly more frequently that the minimum threshold under the programming agreement. With no license fee in place for the distribution, WPT benefits from the program’s distribution and promotion of WPT’s online products (ClubWPT) and generates fees from sponsors by integrating sponsor logos and other advertising materials into its programs and around the broadcast of the shows through music royalties and distribution of the shows in other markets. The Season 17 sponsors included Hublot S.A., a luxury watch maker, Rockstar, Inc., an energy drink company, Baccarat, Inc., a manufacturer and retailer of fine crystal, Faded Spade Poker, LLC, a playing card manufacturer, and Zynga Inc., a social gaming operator. If WPT’s level of distribution were reduced by Sinclair, the value of the foregoing would be significantly reduced and it may be difficult for WPT to find sponsors on terms acceptable to WPT, or at all.

WPT’s production costs may increase.

In May 2016, WPT entered into a programming agreement for FSN (now Sinclair) to broadcast Seasons 15 through 18 of the WPT television series through calendar year 2021 on terms that are similar to the prior programming agreement discussed above. WPT may be required to pay the cost to produce these shows for Sinclair and depending on the amount of the related revenues it is able to generate, the lack of license fees could have a material adverse effect on WPT’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

WPT’s production of its television show has been halted, and it is not known when production may resume.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, WPT has been unable to film and produce final tables from some of its previous main tour events. Although WPT anticipates filming those final tables in 2021, there is no way to predict when or if WPT will be able to film those final tables. Furthermore, the casino partners from whose events those final tables derive, as well as the players that are waiting to play such final tables, may decide not to play the final table and split the prize money, or enter into other arrangements that will make it difficult to film such final tables. If WPT cannot film those final tables, and if its production of future final tables remain in jeopardy due to COVID-19 or other factors, WPT may not be able to meet its obligations to the distributors of its content, its sponsors, or its casino partners, which could have a material adverse effect on WPT’s financial condition and future business prospects.

Sinclair’s acquisition of FSN could have negative consequences on World Poker Tour.

The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) recently acquired 21^st Century Fox (“FOX”). Under the terms of the acquisition, FOX’s non-regional news and sports assets, including FSN, were spun off into a new company, Fox Corporation (which is commonly referred to as “New Fox”), which remains owned by the prior FOX shareholders. The Department of Justice required Disney to sell all RSNs obtained as part of the acquisition within ninety (90) days after the closing of the Disney/FOX acquisition. WPT’s programming agreement with FSN’s owner requires FSN to ensure WPT’s programming reaches a certain amount of households, which requires FSN’s owner to ensure we are broadcast on the RSNs. The FSN agreement also has other important broadcast requirements to ensure that WPT’s programming remains “appointment television” and airs at particular times on both the FSN networks and the RSNs. The RSNs (including FSN) were ultimately purchased by a joint venture company owned by Sinclair. Although Sinclair purchased all or substantially all of FOX’s RSNs, it will be difficult to ensure WPT’s programming is carried on all of the RSNs, or at the times and dates WPT finds desirable. Even though WPT’s FSN programming agreement will remain an enforceable obligation against Sinclair, there is no assurance that Sinclair will continue to broadcast WPT’s programming on FSN on terms WPT finds reasonable, if at all. Furthermore, the sale of the RSN’s to Sinclair and the changes to the FOX and the FSN business could negatively affect WPT’s ability to find other traditional television network distribution of the WPT shows in the United States. Any reduction or change of WPT’s distribution footprint has the potential to negatively affect its brand and associated sponsorship, marketing and promotional efforts.

There is no assurance that Sinclair will broadcast future seasons of the World Poker Tour, which would materially and adversely affect WPT’s results of operations.

In May 2016, WPT entered into an agreement for FSN (now Sinclair) to broadcast Seasons 15 through 18 of the WPT television series through calendar year 2021. If Sinclair elects to discontinue airing either series and WPT cannot replace its programming agreement with an agreement with a comparable U.S. broadcaster, it may be difficult for WPT to obtain sponsorship funds, it will be detrimental to the viability of the WPT brand and, consequently, would have a material adverse effect on WPT’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Consumers shifting to online video on-demand services like Hulu and Netflix and away from cable could have negative consequences on World Poker Tour.

Historically, WPT has relied on traditional television network distribution in order to build its brand and generate sponsorship revenue. As online video on-demand services such as Hulu and Netflix have become increasingly popular compared to traditional cable subscriptions, WPT has increased its digital distribution. If these “cable-cutting” trends intensify, however, there is no assurance that WPT can maintain or increase its total distribution and if it cannot, it may be difficult for WPT to obtain sponsorship funds, it will be detrimental to the viability of the WPT brand and, consequently, it would have a material adverse effect on WPT’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The ClubWPT.com business is currently heavily dependent upon television as a major source for the generation of new monthly subscribers and WPT continually seeks cost effective online and traditional marketing to generate new subscribers, which if not achieved could materially and adversely affect its results of operations.

ClubWPT is the official subscription online poker club of the World Poker Tour. VIP users pay a monthly subscription fee for exclusive access to full episodes from every past season of the WPT television show, plus magazine access, coupons, and more. Each month, members can play poker to win a share of cash and prizes, including seats to WPT events. In addition, in January 2019, WPT added free-to-play (also known as “freemium”) social poker and casino gaming on the platform, whereby free chips are offered for play, but additional chips can be purchased (there are no cash prizes offered for freemium play). WPT has produced ClubWPT.com-branded television shows that aired on FSN (such as our “King of the Club” television shows), as well as incorporating significant branding and advertising of ClubWPT into the WPT television shows to build awareness and drive traffic to ClubWPT.com. In order for the ClubWPT business (including its freemium offering) to continue as a viable business, WPT needs to continuously identify cost efficient marketing tools to generate new subscribers for ClubWPT. Traditionally, WPT has marketed by using its large library of content online as a driver to the platform, or through its social media footprint. The number of paid subscribers at ClubWPT grew throughout 2019 as a result of a significant promotion by FSN, while daily active users of our freemium products has increased since we introduced them in January 2019. The number of paid subscribers could decrease in future quarters due to the lack of current spending on marketing for new players. WPT will need to increase its marketing and promotion of ClubWPT through alternative means, such as social media, in person at WPT live events, via cross-promotion with the Allied Esports business, and via other means to ensure ClubWPT remains viable.

WPT’s reliance on Pala Interactive LLC (“Pala”) as a third-party systems provider is subject to system security risks and business viability risks that could disrupt services provided to ClubWPT.com customers, and any such disruption could reduce WPT’s revenue, increase its expenses and harm its reputation.

Experienced computer programmers and hackers may be able to penetrate Pala’s network security and misappropriate confidential information, create system disruptions or cause shutdowns. In addition, computer programmers and hackers may be able to develop and deploy viruses, worms and other malicious software programs that attack their products or otherwise exploit security vulnerabilities in their products. As a result, WPT could lose its existing or potential customers. Pala is a third-party vendor whose business is dependent upon the real money gaming and social gaming business environment. Any business interruption or failure by Pala would directly affect WPT’s online business as WPT would need to find a suitable alternative platform provider.

Rules and regulations governing sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways vary by state and country and these rules and regulations could restrict or eliminate WPT’s ability to generate revenues at ClubWPT.com, which could materially and adversely impact the viability of this business.

Changes in laws or regulations in various states or countries over sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways or a negative finding of law regarding the characterization of the type of online activity carried out on ClubWPT.com could result in WPT’s inability to obtain subscribers in those jurisdictions, which in turn could significantly impact WPT’s ability to generate revenue. The ability or willingness to work with WPT by payment processors and other service providers necessary to conduct the ClubWPT.com business also may be limited due to such changes in laws or any perceived negative consequences of engaging in the business of sweepstakes, promotions and giveaways that are utilized by ClubWPT.com.

WPT’s success depends in part on our brands and any future brands it may develop, and if the value of its brands were to diminish, its business would be adversely affected. Licensees of WPT’s brands may diminish the value of its brands.

WPT’s success depends on its World Poker Tour and Alpha 8 brands, which consist of a portfolio of trademarks, service marks and copyrighted materials. WPT’s intellectual property portfolio includes, but is not limited to, existing and future episodes of the televised programming produced in connection with its existing and future brands and certain elements of these episodes, trade names and other intellectual property rights. In connection with WPT’s branding and licensing operations, WPT entered into agreements with certain licensors to utilize the WPT brand and intellectual property in connection with mobile, social media and casual games, horse racing, amateur poker leagues, governmental lottery games, and in-person and online education and training poker workshops. While specific contractual provisions require that the licensees maintain the quality of WPT’s licensed brands, WPT cannot be certain that its licensees or their manufacturers and distributors will honor their contractual obligations or that they will not take other actions that will diminish the value of WPT’s brands prior to its ability to detect and prevent any such actions.

WPT may not be able to protect the format of its episodes, its current and future brands and its other proprietary rights.

WPT is susceptible to others imitating its television show format and other products and infringing on its intellectual property rights. Litigation may be necessary to enforce WPT’s intellectual property rights and to determine the validity and scope of its proprietary rights. Any litigation could result in substantial expense, may reduce WPT’s profits and may not adequately protect its intellectual property rights upon which it is substantially dependent. In addition, the laws of certain foreign countries do not always protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the U.S. Imitation of WPT’s television show formats and other products or infringement of its intellectual property rights could diminish the value of its brands or otherwise adversely affect its revenues.

Any litigation or claims against WPT based upon its intellectual property or other third-party rights, whether or not successful, could result in substantial costs and harm its reputation. In addition, such litigation or claims could force WPT to do one or more of the following: to cease exploitation of the WPT television series and related products or portions thereof that violate the potentially infringed third party rights or intellectual property, which would adversely affect WPT’s revenue; to negotiate a license from the holder of the intellectual property or other right alleged to have been infringed, which license may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all; or to modify the WPT television series and related products or portions thereof to avoid infringing the intellectual property or other rights of a third party, which may be costly and time-consuming or impossible to accomplish.

Early termination of WPT’s agreements with member casinos or violation by member casinos of the restrictive covenants contained in these agreements could negatively affect the size of telecast audiences and lead to declines in the performance of WPT’s other lines of business.

WPT entered into written agreements with all of the “member casinos” that host WPT tournament stops. However, any member casino may elect to withdraw its tournament from the WPT lineup and terminate the agreement by giving WPT notice by a specified date or, if earlier, a specified length of time before the date of the tournament, which is generally four to six months. While each agreement remains in effect and, in some cases, for varying periods of time thereafter, the member casino is prohibited from televising the tournament itself, permitting any third party to televise the tournament or licensing its name, trademarks or likeness to any other party in conjunction with the telecast of a poker tournament. If a significant number of these member casinos were to terminate their agreements and/or allow a competing company to telecast their tournaments after their expiration for the restricted time period, this could result in a decline in WPT’s future telecast audiences, which in turn would lead to declines in the performance and success of WPT’s other lines of business. If one or more member casinos were to breach the exclusivity provisions of their contracts with WPT by letting a competing company telecast their tournaments within the restricted time period, litigation may be necessary to enforce those rights. Any litigation could result in substantial expense.

Refusal of any gaming commission to register WPT as a non-gaming vendor for its branded casino tournaments could jeopardize the ability of WPT to continue holding its events at member casinos.

Some states require WPT to register with the state’s gaming commissions as a non-gaming vendor of the member casino that runs a WPT-branded tournament. If such gaming commissions refuse to provide the necessary vendor license, the member casino may not be able to hold WPT’s tournaments, and WPT’s business could suffer.

Termination or impairment of WPT’s relationships with key licensing and strategic partners could adversely affect its revenues and results of operations.

WPT has developed relationships with key strategic partners in many areas of its business, including poker tournament event sponsorship, merchandise licensing, social poker and casino games, corporate sponsorship and international distribution. WPT hopes to derive significant income from its licensing arrangements and its agreements with its strategic partners are vital to finding these licensing arrangements. If WPT were to fail to manage its existing licensing relationships, this failure could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations. WPT would also be materially adversely affected if it were to lose rights under any of its other key contracts or if the counterparty to any of these contracts were to breach its obligations to WPT. WPT relies on a limited number of contracts under which third parties provide it with services vital to WPT’s business.

These agreements include WPT’s agreements with:

If WPT’s relationship with any of these or certain other third parties were to be interrupted, or the services provided by any of these third parties were to be delayed or deteriorate for any reason without being adequately replaced, WPT’s business could be materially adversely affected. If WPT is forced to find a replacement for any of these strategic partners, this could create disruption in its business and may result in reduced revenues, increased costs or diversion of management’s attention and resources.

In addition, while WPT has significant control over its licensed products and advertising, WPT does not have operational and financial control over these third parties, and it has limited influence with respect to the manner in which they conduct their businesses. If any of these strategic partners experiences a significant downturn in its business or were otherwise unable to honor its obligations to WPT, WPT’s business could be materially disrupted.

The loss of the services of Adam Pliska or other key employees or on-air talent, or WPT’s failure to attract key individuals, could adversely affect its business.

WPT is highly dependent on the services of Adam Pliska, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of WPT, as well as President of the Company.

WPT’s continued success is also dependent upon retention of other key management executives and upon its ability to attract and retain employees and on-air talent to implement its corporate development strategy and its branding and licensing efforts. The loss of some of its senior executives, or an inability to attract or retain other key individuals, could materially adversely affect WPT. Growth in WPT’s business is dependent, to a large degree, on its ability to retain and attract such employees. WPT seeks to compensate and provide incentives to its key executives, as well as other employees, through competitive salaries, stock ownership and bonus plans, but it can make no assurance that these programs will allow WPT to retain key employees or hire new employees. In addition, WPT’s future success may also be affected by the potential need to replace its key on-air talent.

Any disputes with the IATSE 700 Editors Union could delay finishing production of shows needing to be delivered to Sinclair or increase WPT’s costs to produce the shows.

From time to time, certain of WPT’s employees involved in producing the WPT series are members of IATSE 700 Editors Union, and WPT renewed its contract with such union in August 2019 for a three-year term. Although WPT has a current union agreement in place, there is no guarantee that future disagreements with WPT’s unionized employees will not lead to any interruption in services. Any failure to timely negotiate and/or settle any such disagreements could cause a delay in WPT’s ability to timely produce the WPT series for Sinclair, and the costs to do so could increase. Either of these events would adversely affect WPT’s profitability.

WPT’s quarterly results may fluctuate, which may negatively affect the value of the common stock.

Under sponsorship agreements for WPT, revenues are recognized as each episode is aired. Therefore, WPT’s quarterly revenue can fluctuate significantly depending on the number of episodes aired in any one quarter. In addition, the sales of consumer products that utilize WPT’s licensed intellectual property vary greatly, due to holiday seasons, school schedules and other outside factors. As a result, WPT’s financial results can be expected to fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, leading to volatility and a possible adverse effect on the market price of the common stock.

Risks Related to WPT’s Current Industry

WPT’s television programming may be unable to maintain a sufficient audience for a variety of reasons, many of which are beyond its control.

Television production is a speculative business because revenues and income derived from television depend primarily upon the continued acceptance of that programming by the public, which is difficult to predict. Public acceptance of particular programming is dependent upon, among other things, the quality of the programming, the strength of networks on which the programming is telecast, the promotion and scheduling of the programming and the quality and acceptance of competing television programming and other sources of entertainment and information. Popularity of programming can also be negatively impacted by excessive telecasting of the programming beyond viewers’ saturation thresholds.

WPT’s ability to create and sponsor its television programming profitably may be negatively affected by adverse trends that apply to the television production business generally.

Television revenues and income may be affected by a number of factors, many of which are not within WPT’s control. These factors include a general decline in television viewers, pricing pressure in the television advertising industry, strength of the stations on which its programming is telecast, general economic conditions, increases in production costs and availability of other forms of entertainment and leisure time activities. Furthermore, as the popularity of streaming content over the Internet increases and more consumers “cut the cord” and cease watching traditional broadcast television, the audience for WPT’s programming will be dispersed across multiple platforms and its programming could have less overall impact and watchability. All of these factors, as well as others, may quickly change and these changes cannot be predicted with certainty. WPT’s future sponsorship opportunities may also be adversely affected by these changes. Accordingly, if any of these changes were to occur, the revenues WPT generates from television programming could decline.

A decline in general economic conditions or the popularity of WPT’s brand of televised poker tournaments could adversely impact its business.

Because WPT’s operations are affected by general economic conditions and consumer tastes, its future success is unpredictable. The demand for entertainment and leisure activities tends to be highly sensitive to consumers’ disposable incomes and thus a decline in general economic conditions could, in turn, have a material adverse effect on WPT’s business, operating results and financial condition and the price of the Company’s common stock. An economic decline, including the current economic decline as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, could also adversely affect WPT’s corporate sponsorship business, sales of its branded merchandise and other aspects of its business.

The continued popularity of WPT’s type of poker entertainment is vital in maintaining the ability to leverage its brand and develop products or services that appeal to its target audiences, which, in turn, is important to WPT’s long-term results of operations. Public tastes are unpredictable and subject to change and may be affected by changes in the political and social climates of those countries and territories in which WPT operates. A change in public opinion could have a material adverse effect on WPT’s business, operating results and financial condition and, ultimately, the price of the Company’s common stock.

The political or social climate regarding gaming and poker could negatively impact WPT’s ability to negotiate future telecast license arrangements and could negatively impact its chances of renewal.

Although the popularity of poker, in particular, and gaming, in general, has continued to grow in the U.S. and abroad, gaming has historically experienced backlash from various constituencies and communities. Currently, the legal operational status of Internet-based casinos and card rooms remains unclear in some countries. The U.S. government has taken steps to curb activities that it believes constitutes unlawful online gaming through legislation such as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 and through arrests of off-shore online gaming operators traveling in the U.S. Also, on November 2, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) issued an opinion that interprets the federal Wire Act as prohibiting any gambling that crosses state lines, including non-sports related gambling. This opinion expands the prior opinion issued by the DOJ in 2011 that interpreted the Wire Act as prohibiting interstate sports gambling only.

Based on the uncertain regulatory environment surrounding the marketing and promotion of Internet-based casinos and card rooms to viewers in the U.S., Sinclair has final edit rights to the shows that it broadcasts. Sinclair had indicated that it will only display the “dot com” names or logos of Internet-based casinos and card rooms in its telecasts that are explicitly legal in select territories in the United States. However, if Sinclair elects not to allow the display of “dot com” logos on the WPT show, whether because of the recent DOJ opinion or otherwise, WPT may not be able to attract other Internet-based casino sponsors or retain existing online card rooms sponsoring WPT’s tour. Additionally, increased regulatory scrutiny on Internet gambling sites may eliminate these sites as sources of advertising revenue for television networks that exhibit poker-related programming, thereby potentially impacting the value of such programming to these networks. Additionally, many participants in WPT’s tournament events are sponsored by Internet-based casino sponsors and existing online card rooms. If such sponsors’ revenues are reduced, they may not be able to sponsor WPT’s tournament participants at the same level or at all, which could cause WPT’s tournament participation to decline (in terms of numbers and professional players) and the quality and distribution of our WPT series could suffer.

The television entertainment market in which WPT operates is highly competitive and competitors with greater financial resources or marketplace presence may enter this market to WPT’s detriment.

WPT competes with other poker-related television programming, including ESPN’s coverage of the “World Series of Poker” and its “World Series of Poker” Circuit Events, among others. These and other producers of poker-related programming may be well established and may have significantly greater resources than WPT does. Based on the popularity of these poker-related televised programs, WPT believes that additional competing televised poker programs may currently be in development or may be developed in the future. WPT’s programming also competes for telecast audiences and advertising revenue with telecasts of mainstream professional and amateur sports, as well as other entertainment and leisure activities. These competing programs and activities, and the brands that they build may decrease the popularity of the WPT television series and dilute the WPT’s brand. This would adversely affect WPT’s operating results and financial condition and, ultimately, the price of the Company’s common stock.

Risks Related to the Businesses of Both Allied Esports and WPT

Allied Esports and WPT have historically operated at a net loss on a consolidated basis, and there is no guarantee that that the consolidated company will be able to be profitable.

The consolidated operations of Allied Esports and the WPT have resulted in net losses of $45,058,830 and $16,738,729 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We do not know with any degree of certainty whether or when the consolidated operations of Allied Esports and the WPT will become profitable. Even if we are able to achieve profitability in future periods, we may not be able to sustain or increase our profitability in successive periods.

We have formulated our business plans and strategies based on certain assumptions regarding the acceptance of our business model and the marketing of our products and services. Nevertheless, our assessments regarding market size, market share, market acceptance of our products and services and a variety of other factors may prove incorrect. Our future success will depend upon many factors, including factors beyond our control and those that cannot be predicted at this time.

Forecasts of our market and market growth may prove to be inaccurate, and even if the markets in which we compete achieve the forecasted growth, there can be no assurance that our business will grow at similar rates, or at all.

Growth forecasts included in SEC filings relating to our market opportunities and the expected growth in those markets are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates which may prove to be inaccurate. We also plan to operate in a number of foreign markets, and a downturn in any of those markets could have a significant adverse effect on our businesses. Even if these markets meets our size estimate and experiences the forecasted growth, we may not grow our business at a similar rate, or at all. Our growth is subject to many factors, including our success in implementing our business strategy, which is subject to many risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, the forecasts of market growth should not be taken as indicative of our future growth.

Any actual or perceived failure by us to comply with our privacy policies or legal or regulatory requirements in one or multiple jurisdictions could result in proceedings, actions or penalties against us.

Allied Esports and WPT have implemented various features intended to better comply with applicable privacy and security requirements in the collection and use of customer data, but these features do not ensure compliance and may not be effective against all potential privacy and data security concerns. A wide variety of domestic and foreign laws and regulations apply to the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer, disposal and other processing of personal data. These data protection and privacy-related laws and regulations are evolving and may result in regulatory and public scrutiny and escalating levels of enforcement and sanctions. Our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations, or to protect any personal data, could result in enforcement actions against us, including fines, claims for damages by customers and other affected individuals, damage to our reputation and loss of goodwill (both in relation to existing customers and prospective customers), any of which could adversely affect our business, operating results, financial performance and prospects.

Evolving and changing definitions of personal data and personal information within the EU, the United States and elsewhere may limit or inhibit our ability to operate or expand our business. In jurisdictions outside of the United States, we may face data protection and privacy requirements that are more stringent than those in place in the United States. We are at risk of enforcement actions taken by certain EU data protection authorities until such point in time that we may be able to ensure that all transfers of personal data to us in the United States from the EU are conducted in compliance with all applicable regulatory obligations, the guidance of data protection authorities and evolving best practices. The European General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) may impose additional obligations, costs and risks upon our business. The GDPR may increase substantially the penalties to which we could be subject in the event of any non-compliance. In addition, we may incur substantial expense in complying with the obligations imposed by the GDPR and we may be required to make significant changes in our business operations, all of which may adversely affect our revenues and our business overall.

Loss, retention or misuse of certain information and alleged violations of laws and regulations relating to privacy and data security, and any relevant claims, may expose us to potential liability and may require us to expend significant resources on data security and in responding to and defending such allegations and claims. In addition, future laws, regulations, standards and other obligations, and changes in the interpretation of existing laws, regulations, standards and other obligations could impair our ability to collect, use or disclose data relating to individuals, which could increase our costs and impair our ability to maintain and grow our customer base and increase our revenue.

Allied Esports and WPT publicly post their privacy policies and practices concerning processing, use and disclosure of the personally identifiable information provided to them by website visitors. Publication of such privacy policies and other statements published that provide promises and assurances about privacy and security can subject us to potential state and federal action if they are found to be deceptive or misrepresentative of actual policies and practices or if actual practices are found to be unfair. Evolving and changing definitions of what constitutes “Personal Information” and “Personal Data” within the EU, the United States and elsewhere, especially relating to classification of IP addresses, machine or device identification numbers, location data and other information, may limit or inhibit our ability to operate or expand our business, including limiting technology alliance relationships that may involve the sharing of data.

Our failure to raise additional capital or generate cash flows necessary to pay debt, expand our operations and invest in new business initiatives in the future could reduce our ability to compete successfully and harm our operating results.

In the future we need to raise additional funds, and we may not be able to obtain additional debt or equity financing on favorable terms, if at all. If we raise additional equity financing, our security holders may experience significant dilution of their ownership interests. If we engage in debt financing, we may be required to accept terms that restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness, force us to maintain specified liquidity or other ratios or restrict our ability to pay dividends or make acquisitions. If we cannot raise capital on acceptable terms, or at all, we may not be able to, among other things:

Although we have been able to fund our current working capital requirements through operations, debt and equity financing, there is no assurance that we will be able to do so in the future. As a result, our auditors have indicated that the above-mentioned conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

Our business depends substantially on the continuing efforts of our executive officers, key employees and qualified personnel, and our business operations may be severely disrupted if we lose the services of such personnel.

Our future success depends substantially on the continued efforts of our executive officers and key employees. If one or more of our executive officers or key employees are unable or unwilling to continue their services with us, we might not be able to replace them easily, in a timely manner, or at all. Since the esports gaming and poker industry is characterized by high demand and intense competition for talent, we cannot assure you that we will be able to attract or retain qualified staff or other highly skilled employees. If any of our executive officers or key employees terminate their services with us, our business may be severely disrupted, our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected and we may incur additional expenses to recruit, train and retain qualified personnel.

We may experience security breaches and cyber threats.

We face cyber risks and threats that could damage, disrupt or allow third parties to gain improper access to our networks and platforms, supporting infrastructure, intellectual property and other assets. In addition, we rely on technological infrastructure, including third party cloud hosting and broadband, provided by third party business partners to support the functionality of our platforms and content distribution. These business partners are also subject to cyber risks and threats. Such cyber risks and threats may be difficult to detect. The techniques that may be used to obtain unauthorized access or disable, degrade, exploit or sabotage these networks and gaming platforms change frequently and often are not detected. Our systems and processes and those of our third-party business partners may not be adequate. Any failure to prevent or mitigate security breaches or cyber risks, or respond adequately to a security breach or cyber risk, could result in interruptions to our platforms, degrade the gamer/user experiences, cause gamers/users to lose confidence in our platforms and cease utilizing them, as well as significant legal and financial exposure. This could harm our business and reputation, disrupt our relationships with partners and diminish our competitive position.

Global health threats, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, may adversely affect the operations of our Allied Esports and WPT businesses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of a widespread outbreak of contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 respiratory illness first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. A significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could affect demand for our products and services. Specifically, as a global entertainment company that hosts numerous live events with spectators and participants in destination cities, outbreaks may cause such people to avoid traveling to our destination cities and attending our events. Sponsors of such events may also cancel such events as precautionary measures or based on guidelines from local or federal health agencies. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, live events to be hosted by both of our Allied Esports and WPT businesses have been cancelled. Allied Esports and WPT businesses started conducting live events again on a limited basis in June 2020. However, many other previously scheduled live events remain indefinitely postponed or have been cancelled. And at this time, we cannot determine the extent that such outbreak will continue to have on our future operations.

General Risk Factors

The market price of shares of our common stock may be volatile, which could cause the value of your investment to decline.

The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. Securities markets worldwide experience significant price and volume fluctuations. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market or political conditions, could reduce the market price of shares of our common stock regardless of our operating performance. In addition, our operating results could be below the expectations of public market analysts and investors due to a number of potential factors, including variations in our quarterly operating results or dividends, if any, to stockholders, additions or departures of key management personnel, failure to meet analysts’ earnings estimates, publication of research reports about our industry, litigation and government investigations, changes or proposed changes in laws or regulations or differing interpretations or enforcement thereof affecting our business, adverse market reaction to any indebtedness we may incur or securities we may issue in the future, changes in market valuations of similar companies or speculation in the press or investment community, announcements by our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, dispositions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments, adverse publicity about the industries we participate in or individual scandals, and, in response, the market price of shares of our common stock could decrease significantly. You may be unable to resell your shares of common stock at or above a price you feel is appropriate.

In the past few years, stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations. In the past, following periods of volatility in the overall market and the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against these companies. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources.

We have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock; as a result, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

We have no current plans to pay dividends on our common stock. Any future determination to pay dividends will be made at the discretion of our Board of Directors, subject to applicable laws, and will depend on a number of factors, including our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions, general business conditions and other factors that our Board of Directors may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay cash dividends is restricted by the terms of our debt financing arrangements, and any future debt financing arrangement likely will contain terms restricting or limiting the amount of dividends that may be declared or paid on our common stock. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

If our operating and financial performance in any given period does not meet the guidance that we provide to the public, the market price of our common stock may decline.

We may, but are not obligated to, provide public guidance on our expected operating and financial results for future periods. Any such guidance will be comprised of forward-looking statements subject to the risks and uncertainties described in our public filings and public statements. Our actual results may not always be in line with or exceed any guidance we have provided, especially in times of economic uncertainty. If, in the future, our operating or financial results for a particular period do not meet any guidance we provide or the expectations of investment analysts, or if we reduce our guidance for future periods, the market price of our common stock may decline as well. Even if we do issue public guidance, there can be no assurance that we will continue to do so in the future.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.

Our ability to make scheduled interest payments on or to refinance our debt obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. In some cases, we will also be required to obtain the consent our lenders to refinance material portions of our indebtedness. We cannot assure you that we will maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premiums, and interest, if any, on our indebtedness. Some of our indebtedness is maturing in the near term, and if we are unable to raise sufficient capital or generate cash through our operations, we will be unable to meet our debt obligations at maturity.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends, sell assets, seek additional capital or seek to restructure or refinance our indebtedness. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. Our ability to restructure or refinance our debt will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of our debt could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our business operations. We may not be able to effect any such alternative measures on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, even if successful, those alternative actions may not allow us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. If our operating results and available cash are insufficient to meet our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to attempt to meet our debt service and other obligations. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or consummate dispositions at prices that we believe are fair, and the proceeds that we do receive may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due.

We incur increased costs and are subject to additional regulations and requirements as a result of being a public company, which could lower our profits or make it more difficult to run our business.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that are not incurred by private companies, including costs associated with public company reporting requirements. We also have incurred and will continue to incur costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and related rules implemented by the SEC and the Nasdaq Capital Market. The expenses generally incurred by public companies for reporting and corporate governance purposes have been increasing. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly, although we are currently unable to estimate these costs with any degree of certainty. These laws and regulations also may make it more difficult or costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our Board of Directors, on our board committees or as our executive officers. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our common stock on the Nasdaq market, fines, sanctions and other regulatory action and potentially civil litigation.

Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Primo Vital Limited, Ourgame International Holdings Limited (“Ourgame”) owns a significant percentage of our outstanding common stock, enabling it to exert significant influence over our operations and activities, which may affect the trading price of our common stock.

According to its SEC filings, Ourgame, through Primo Vital Limited, beneficially owns and controls approximately 35.7% of our outstanding common stock. Primo Vital Limited is entitled to full voting rights with respect to the shares of common stock that it owns. This concentrated ownership enables Ourgame to exert significant influence over all matters requiring stockholder votes, including: the election of directors; mergers, consolidations, acquisitions and other strategic transactions; the sale of all or substantially all of our assets and other decisions affecting our capital structure; amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation or our bylaws; and our winding up and dissolution. The interests of Ourgame may not always coincide with our interests or the interests of our other stockholders, and Ourgame’s influence may delay, deter or prevent acts that would be favored by us or our other stockholders. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control of the Company. Also, Ourgame may seek to cause us to take courses of action that, in its judgment, could enhance its investments in us, but which might involve risks to our other stockholders or adversely affect us or our other stockholders. As a result, the market price of our shares could decline. In addition, this concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our shares because prospective investors may perceive disadvantages in owning shares in a company such as our company with such a significant stockholder.

We are an “emerging growth company,” and the reduced public company reporting requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We qualify as an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted and plan to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These provisions include, but are not limited to: being permitted to have only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related selected financial data and management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations disclosure; an exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements; reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation arrangements in our periodic reports, registration statements and proxy statements; and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, the JOBS Act permits emerging growth companies to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We intend to take advantage of the exemptions discussed above. As a result, the information we provide will be different than the information that is available with respect to other public companies. In our SEC filings, we do not include all of the executive compensation-related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. We cannot predict whether investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock, and the market price of our common stock may be more volatile.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the end of our 2022 fiscal year, (ii) the first fiscal year after our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion, (iii) the date on which we have, during the immediately preceding three-year period, issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities or (iv) the end of any fiscal year in which the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of the second quarter of that fiscal year.

Our failure to achieve and maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting could adversely affect our financial position and lower our stock price.

As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations of the applicable listing standards of Nasdaq. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports. Nevertheless, all internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.

Management identified the following material weaknesses in internal controls as of December 31, 2019, which persist as of December 31, 2020:

As a company with limited accounting resources, a significant amount of management’s time and attention has been and will be diverted from our business to work toward compliance with these regulatory requirements. This diversion of management’s time and attention may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

These material weaknesses and any significant deficiencies could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations and may result in a restatement of our financial statements for prior periods. Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting also could adversely affect the results of periodic management evaluations and any annual independent registered public accounting firm attestation reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting that we may be required to include in our periodic reports that will be filed with the SEC. Ineffective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial and other information, which would likely have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock. In addition, if we are unable to continue to meet these requirements, we may not be able to maintain our common stock listing on Nasdaq.

Increases in interest rates may cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

While interest rates are falling and have in recent years been at record low levels, any return to increases in interest rates may cause a corresponding decline in demand for equity investments. Any such increase in interest rates or reduction in demand for our common stock resulting from other relatively more attractive investment opportunities may cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business or publish negative reports, the market price of our common stock could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. If one of more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the market price or trading volume of our common stock to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrades our common stock or if our reporting results do not meet their expectations, the market price of our common stock could decline.

You will be diluted by the future issuance of common stock, preferred stock, or securities convertible into common or preferred stock, in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions, capital raises or otherwise.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue these shares of common stock and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to common stock for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Board of Directors in its sole discretion, whether in connection with acquisitions or otherwise.

In the future, we expect to obtain financing or to further increase our capital resources by issuing additional shares of our capital stock or offering debt or other equity securities, including senior or subordinated notes, debt securities convertible into equity or shares of preferred stock. Issuing additional shares of our capital stock or other equity securities or securities convertible into equity may dilute the economic and voting rights of our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our common stock or both. Debt securities convertible into equity could be subject to adjustments in the conversion ratio pursuant to which certain events may increase the number of equity securities issuable upon conversion. Preferred shares, if issued, could have a preference with respect to liquidating distributions or a preference with respect to dividend payments that could limit our ability to pay dividends to the holders of our common stock. Our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, which may adversely affect the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings. As a result, holders of our common stock bear the risk that our future offerings may reduce the market price of our common stock and dilute their stockholdings in us.

Additionally, we have reserved an aggregate of 3,463,305 shares of common stock for issuance under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Incentive Plan”). Any common stock that we issue, including under our Incentive Plan or other equity incentive plans that we may adopt in the future, would dilute the percentage ownership held by our common stockholders. We have filed an effective registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock issued pursuant to our Incentive Plan. Accordingly, shares registered under such registration statement will be available for sale in the open market upon issuance.

The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for certain legal actions between the Company and its stockholders, which could limit the Company’s stockholders’ ability to obtain a judicial forum viewed by the stockholders as more favorable for disputes with the Company or the Company’s directors, officers or employees.

The Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, provides that unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or the Company’s Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another state court located within the State of Delaware, or if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. This exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. It could apply, however, to a suit that falls within one or more of the categories enumerated in the exclusive forum provision and asserts claims under the Securities Act, inasmuch as Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rule and regulations thereunder. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision with respect to claims under the Securities Act, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions. These exclusive-forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of its choosing for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees.

If a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to the Company’s management.

Our Board of Directors’ ability to issue undesignated preferred stock and the existence of anti-takeover provisions may depress the value of our common stock.

The Company’s authorized capital includes 1,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock. Our Board has the power to issue any or all of the shares of preferred stock, including the authority to establish one or more series and to fix the powers, preferences, rights and limitations of such class or series, without seeking stockholder approval, subject to certain limitations on this power under Nasdaq listing requirements. Further, as a Delaware corporation, we are subject to provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law regarding “business combinations.” We may, in the future, consider adopting additional anti-takeover measures. The authority of our Board to issue undesignated stock and the anti-takeover provisions of Delaware law, as well as any future anti-takeover measures adopted by us, may, in certain circumstances, delay, deter or prevent takeover attempts and other changes in control of our company that are not approved by our Board. As a result, our stockholders may lose opportunities to dispose of their shares at favorable prices generally available in takeover attempts or that may be available under a merger proposal and the market price, voting and other rights of the holders of common stock may also be affected.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

The Company’s main offices are leased and are located at 17877 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 300, Irvine, California, 92614. The Company considers this office space adequate for its current operations. The initial lease term will expire in 2033, and the Company has two five-year options to renew. On March 10, 2021, WPT entered into an amendment of its lease with Onni Wilshire Courtyard, LLC for its production offices in Los Angeles, which extended the term of the lease until November 31, 2031, with one five-year option to extend the term.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The Company is involved in various disputes, claims, liens and litigation matters arising out of the normal course of business. While the outcome of these disputes, claims, liens and litigation matters cannot be predicted with certainty, after consulting with legal counsel, management does not believe that the outcome of these matters, either individually or collectively, will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AESE.”

Holders

On April 11, 2021, there were 30 holders of record of our common stock, one of which was Cede & Co., a nominee for The Depository Trust Company, or DTC. Shares of common stock that are held by financial institutions as nominees for beneficial owners are deposited into participant accounts at DTC, and are considered to be held of record by Cede & Co. as one stockholder.

Dividends

We anticipate that we will retain all available funds and any future earnings, if any, for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. In addition, our credit facilities materially restrict, and future debt instruments may materially restrict, our ability to pay dividends on our common stock. Payment of future cash dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors after taking into account various factors, including our financial condition, operating results, current and anticipated cash needs, the requirements of our current or then-existing debt instruments and other factors our Board of Directors deems relevant.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

None.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

Not Applicable.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, which are included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contains statements that are forward-looking. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risk, uncertainties and other factors. These statements are often identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “estimate,” or “continue,” and similar expressions or variations. Actual results could differ materially because of the factors discussed in “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors that we have not identified.

Overview

Allied Esports Entertainment Inc. (“AESE”), formerly known as Black Ridge Acquisition Corp, or “BRAC,” was incorporated in Delaware on May 9, 2017 as a blank check company for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

Allied Esports Media, Inc. (“AEM”), a Delaware corporation, was formed in November 2018 to act as a holding company for Allied Esports International Inc. (“Allied Esports”) and immediately prior to the closing of the Merger (see below) to also include Noble Link Global Limited (“Noble Link”). On December 19, 2018, BRAC, Noble Link and AEM executed an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (as amended, the “Merger Agreement”).

On August 9, 2019 (the “Closing Date”), Noble Link merged with and into AEM, with AEM being the surviving entity. Further, on the Closing Date, a subsidiary of AESE merged with and into AEM pursuant to the Merger Agreement, with AEM being the surviving entity (the “Merger”). Allied Esports, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates the esports-related businesses of AESE. Noble Link (prior to the Merger) and its wholly owned subsidiaries Peerless Media Limited, Club Services, Inc. and WPT Enterprises, Inc. operate the poker-related business of AESE and are collectively referred to herein as “World Poker Tour” or “WPT.”

References to the “Company” are to the combination of AEM, Allied Esports and WPT during the period prior to the Merger and to AESE and its subsidiaries after the Merger.

The Company

AESE operates a premier public esports and entertainment company, consisting of the Allied Esports and World Poker Tour businesses.

Allied Esports

Gaming is one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the entertainment sector, with an estimated 2.56 billion gamers playing esports globally, and esports is the major driver of this growth. Esports, short for “electronic sports,” is a general label that comprises a diverse offering of competitive electronic games that gamers play against each other. It is projected that by 2023, 646 million people will be watching esports globally, and that global esports revenue will grow to approximately $1.5 billion.

The esports gaming industry is relatively new and is challenging. Competition is rapidly developing. Allied Esports’ business relies upon its ability to grow and garner an active gamer community, and successfully monetize this community through tournament fees, live event ticket sales, and advertising and sponsorships utilizing a three-pillar approach, which includes:

Its growth also depends, in part, on its ability to respond to technological evolution, shifts in gamer trends and demands, introductions of new games, game publisher intellectual property right practices, and industry standards and practices. While change in this industry may be inevitable, Allied Esports will try to adapt its business model as needed to accommodate change and remain on the forefront of its competitors, by collaborating with its strategic investors, including certain affiliates of Simon Property Group, Inc., a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use destinations (“Simon”), and with certain affiliates of Brookfield Property Partners, one of the world’s premier real estate companies.

Allied Esports’ business plan requires significant capital expenditures, and it expects its operating expenses to increase significantly as it continues to expand its marketing efforts and operations in existing and new geographies and vertical markets (including its online esports tournament and gaming subscription platform it intends to develop). A key element of Allied Esports’ growth strategy is to extend its brand by opening additional flagship arenas throughout the world and by licensing the Allied Esports brand to third party esports arena operators, which it believes will provide attractive returns on investment.

World Poker Tour

The World Poker Tour is a premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based poker tournaments, television, online and mobile. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT helped ignite the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments. WPT’s Tour Events are held at locations throughout the world and have awarded more than one billion in prize dollars in its 18-year history. WPT has broadcast globally in more than 150 countries and territories, and is currently producing its 18th season, which airs on FOX Sports Regional Networks in the United States. Season 18 of WPT is currently sponsored by its online subscription-based poker service, ClubWPT.com. WPT offers a suite of online poker services which it operates by itself and through its partners offering consumers the ability to access gaming content on a year-round 24/7 basis. ClubWPT.com is a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 35 states across the United States and Washington D.C., and four foreign countries, with innovative features and state-of-the-art creative elements inspired by WPT’s 18 years of experience in gaming entertainment. In addition, WPT licenses its brand to social gaming sites through partners like Zynga as well as to educational learning platforms such as LearnWPT. These online products are scalable and offer geographic access that might be limited if WPT relied on tour stop participation alone. Additionally, WPT benefits from managing its own distribution business which currently has more than 1,100 hours of broadcast-ready content, and offers demographically similar programming to its poker content, such as esports, golf and MMA. WPT uses this large suite of programming as leverage to seek preferred airtimes on its various distribution channels where it may promote its online products or offer airtime to sponsors in territories they seek to enter. WPT also participates in strategic brand license, partnership, sponsorship opportunities and music licensing, applying its three-pillar model of in-person experiences, multiplatform content and interactive services, described above, to the sport of poker.

Recent Developments

Sale of WPT Business. On January 19, 2021, the Company and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries, Allied Esports Media, Inc. (“Esports Media,” and together with the Company, the “Selling Parties”) and Club Services, Inc. (“CSI”), entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Original Agreement”) with Element Partners, LLC (“Buyer”), pursuant to which the Selling Parties have agreed to sell 100% of the outstanding capital stock of CSI to Buyer. CSI is the Company’s indirect wholly-owned subsidiary that directly or indirectly owns 100% of the outstanding capital stock of each of the legal entities that collectively operate or engage in the Company’s poker-related business and assets (the “WPT Business”). The proposed sale of CSI is referred to herein as the “Sale Transaction.” In connection with the Original Agreement, Buyer agreed to pay Esports Media a total purchase price of $78.25 million for the stock of CSI, including an initial purchase price at closing of $68.25 million and $10.0 million in future payments after the closing of the Sale Transaction. After the execution of the Original Agreement, the Company received multiple unsolicited competing proposals to sell the Company and/or CSI to Bally’s Corporation. As a result of such proposals and further negotiation with Buyer, the Selling Parties, CSI and Buyer entered into an Amended and Restated Stock Purchase Agreement on March 19, 2021, and thereafter amended such agreement on March 29, 2021 (as amended, the “Stock Purchase Agreement”). 

Buyer has agreed to pay Esports Media a total purchase price of $105 million for the stock of CSI (the “base purchase price”) at the closing of the Sale Transaction, as further described below. The base purchase price will be adjusted to reflect the amount of CSI’s cash, indebtedness and accrued and unpaid transaction expenses as of the closing of the Sale Transaction. Buyer remitted a $10.0 million advance payment of the base purchase price upon the execution of the Stock Purchase Agreement and is required to pay the balance of the base purchase price at the closing of the Sale Transaction.

The Stock Purchase Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, covenants and indemnification provisions. The closing of the Sale Transaction is subject to closing conditions, including the approval of the Sale Transaction by the Company’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions. The Company intends to consummate the Sale Transaction shortly after obtaining stockholder approval, assuming all other conditions to the completion of the Sale Transaction have been satisfied or waived by the appropriate parties.

The Stock Purchase Agreement may be terminated by Buyer or the Company if the closing of the Sale Transaction has not occurred by September 30, 2021, or upon the occurrence of certain customary events as set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Buyer may be required to pay a $10.0 million non-performance fee to the Company, and the Selling Parties may be required to pay a $3.45 million termination fee to the Buyer, and the Selling Parties may be required to return to Buyer the $10.0 million advance payment of the purchase price and reimburse Buyer for up to $1.0 million of its documented out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with the authorization, preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of the Stock Purchase Agreement and the Sale Transaction.

Effective upon any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement, other than a termination in which Buyer is required to pay a non-performance fee to us, Buyer (or its affiliate) and Peerless Media Limited, an indirect subsidiary of the Company that owns intellectual property related to the WPT Business, will enter into a 3-year brand license for Buyer’s (or its affiliate’s) use of the WPT brand in the territory of Asia for real-money gaming in exchange for revenue-based royalty payments of 20% of qualifying revenues, and minimum annual guaranteed royalty payments of $4.0 million, $6.0 million and $8.0 million for the first, second and third years, respectively. Such license will be subject to further customary terms and conditions and provide Peerless Media Limited with a $2.0 million buy-out right after the first year. In the event of any termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement under any circumstance in which the Buyer is required to pay a termination fee to us, the Company will have the option, but not the obligation, to require the Buyer to enter into such license agreement with Peerless Media Limited.

Change of Control Agreements. On December 30, 2020, our Board of Directors authorized us to enter into an agreement with the CEO which, upon the closing of a transaction that resulted in a change-in-control of WPT, as defined, would obligate us to pay the CEO $1,000,000 upon the earlier of his termination of employment with AESE without cause, as defined, or the two-year anniversary of the closing of the change-in-control transaction. Payment may be made in either cash or shares of AESE common stock (valued at the trailing 10-day volume-weighted- average-price prior to the issuance date), at our discretion.

On December 30, 2020, our Board of Directors authorized WPT to enter into agreements with the WPT CEO and General Counsel which, upon the closing of a transaction that resulted in a change-in-control of WPT, as defined, would obligate WPT to pay the WPT CEO and General Counsel aggregate lump-sum severance payments of $522,827.

On December 30, 2020, our Board of Directors approved, subject to a change-in-control of WPT which accelerates the vesting of AESE option grants held by WPT employees, the extension of the exercise period of the options as follows: (i) the options to purchase an aggregate of 340,000 shares of AESE common stock held by the WPT CEO and General Counsel may be exercised until the 10-year anniversary of the issuance date, and (ii) the remaining options to purchase an aggregate of 300,000 shares of AESE common stock may be exercised until the one-year anniversary of the change-in-control.

Employment Agreement Amendment. On December 31, 2020, the Company and Frank Ng, who serves as Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company, amended Mr. Ng’s employment agreement (the “Employment Agreement Amendment”). The Employment Agreement Amendment provides that Mr. Ng’s annual salary will be $400,000 per year payable in cash, and that we may, but are no longer required to, issue to Mr. Ng any shares of our common stock as compensation for his services.

COVID-19 Pandemic. The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 respiratory illness has had an adverse effect on the Company. As a global entertainment company that hosts numerous live events with spectators and participants in destination cities, such outbreak has caused people to avoid traveling to and attending our events. Allied Esports and WPT businesses have cancelled or postponed live events, and until Allied Esports’ flagship gaming arena located at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada reopened on June 25, 2020 these businesses were operating online only. The arena is currently running under a modified schedule for daily play and weekly tournaments, and the WPT business continues to operate primarily online. Production of certain content has been temporarily halted. At this time, we cannot determine the full extent of the impact that such outbreak may have on our operations.

TV Azteca Amended Agreement. On July 20, 2020, we entered into an Amendment to TV Azteca Agreement (the “Azteca Amendment). The Azteca Amendment provides that, subject to the approval of the terms of the Azteca Amendment by the our Board of Directors: (i) TV Azteca waives our obligations under the Term Sheet to pay TV Azteca $1,000,000 on each of March 1, 2021 and March 1, 2022 for various strategic initiatives, and to further invest in and develop an esports platform for the Mexican market; (ii) we shall waive the 24-month lock-up that prohibits TV Azteca from selling or transferring the 763,904 shares of our common stock TV Azteca purchased pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement (the “Purchased Shares”); (iii) TV Azteca may sell the Purchased Shares in compliance with applicable securities laws, subject to selling at a reasonable market price and subject to a daily volume cap not to exceed 25% of the our total daily Nasdaq trading volume; and (iv) if TV Azteca sells all of the Purchased Shares within a three-month period following our Board of Directors approval of the Azteca Amendment, for gross proceeds of less than $1,600,000, then on March 1, 2021, we shall contribute additional capital to the parties’ strategic alliance pursuant to the Term Sheet in an amount equal to such shortage. TV Azteca did not sell all of the Purchased Shares within such timeframe and we are no longer is required to contribute additional capital to the parties’ strategic alliance pursuant to the Term Sheet.

Simon Partnership. We previously entered into a Share Purchase Agreement and an Escrow Agreement (the “Purchase Agreements”) and related services agreements with Simon Equity Development, LLC and its affiliates (collectively, “Simon”), which set forth the terms of a strategic investment by Simon to develop an annual esports program in collaboration with the Company. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreements, $4,950,000 was previously held in an escrow account to be used for development of such activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed indefinitely the parties’ ability to plan and budget for the 2020 and 2021 esports programming and esports venues. On March 26, 2020, the remaining balance in the escrow account, $3,650,000, was transferred to Simon. The parties have agreed to extend the due date from March 8, 2020 to January 31, 2021 under the applicable agreements to continue to develop and budget for the annual esports program and esports venues in future years once the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. As of the date of this document, no additional documents have been drafted or executed between the Company and Simon, but discussions are ongoing.

Brookfield Partnership. On January 14, 2020, we issued 758,725 shares of its common stock to BPR Cumulus LLC, an affiliate of Brookfield Property Partners (“Brookfield”) in exchange for $5,000,000 (the “Purchase Price”) pursuant to a Share Purchase Agreement. The Purchase Price was placed into escrow and is to be used by us or our subsidiaries to develop integrated esports experience venues at mutually agreed upon shopping malls owned and/or operated by Brookfield or any of its affiliates, that will include a dedicated gaming space and production capabilities to attract and to activate esports and other emerging live events. As of the date of this document, no additional documents have been drafted or executed between the Company and Brookfield, but discussions are ongoing. The parties have agreed not to move forward with any leases until the pandemic has ended but are currently discussing alternative initiatives while they wait.

Litigation. On March 23, 2020, an employee of Allied Esports filed a claim in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging various employment misconduct against Allied Esports, the Company, and an officer of the Company in connection with a competition being hosted by Allied Esports. The claim alleged damages in excess of $3.1 million and suggested that the defendants could be subject to punitive damages. The parties agreed to a mediation and all claims asserted against us by the employee were settled on September 10, 2020 for an amount significantly less than the original claim. The matter is now closed.

CARES Act. On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) which contains tax and spending provisions intended to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act includes the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), a program designed to aid small- and medium-sized businesses through federally guaranteed loans distributed through banks. These loans are intended to guarantee eight weeks of payroll and other costs to provide support to participating businesses and increase the ability of these businesses to retain workers. During May 2020, we received aggregate cash proceeds of $1,592,429 pursuant to three loans provided in connection with the PPP (the “PPP Loans”), of which proceeds in the aggregate amount of $907,079 were received by Allied Esports and proceeds in the amount of $685,300 were received by WPT. While the PPP Loans currently have a two-year maturity, the amended law permits each borrower to request a five-year maturity from its lender.

Under the terms of the CARES Act, as amended by the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, we are eligible to apply for and receive forgiveness for all or a portion of PPP Loans. Such forgiveness will be determined, subject to limitations, based on the use of PPP Loans proceeds for certain permissible purposes as set forth in the PPP, including, but not limited to, payroll costs (as defined under the PPP) and mortgage interest, rent or utility costs (collectively, “Qualifying Expenses”), and the maintenance of employee and compensation levels during the twenty-four-week period following the funding of the PPP Loan. On January 26, 2021, WPT Enterprises, Inc., the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, received notice from its lender that the entirety of the $685,300 of outstanding principal of its PPP Loan was forgiven. We have applied for complete forgiveness of our remaining PPP Loans; however, no assurance is provided that we will be able to obtain forgiveness of the remaining PPP Loans in whole or in part.

Debt Conversion. On April 29, 2020, we entered into a Secured Convertible Note Modification and Conversion Agreement (the “Amendment 1”), with a holder of a $5,000,000 Bridge Note (the “Noteholder”), pursuant to which the Noteholder converted $2,000,000 of the principal amount of its Bridge Note into 1,250,000 shares of our common stock at a reduced conversion price of $1.60 per share. On May 22, 2020, we entered into a Secured Convertible Note Modification and Conversion Agreement No. 2 (“Amendment 2”) with the Noteholder pursuant to which the remaining principal amount of the Note ($3,000,000) was converted into 2,142,857 shares of our common stock at a reduced conversion price of $1.40 per share. Further, pursuant to Amendment 2, interest on the $5,000,000 principal owed to the Noteholder prior to conversion will continue to accrue through the original maturity date of the Bridge Note, as if the principal amount had not been converted. On June 8, 2020, we entered into Secured Convertible Note Modification Agreement No. 3 (“Amendment 3” and together with Amendment 1 and Amendment 2, the “Amendments”) with the Noteholder. Pursuant to Amendment 3, the total minimum accrued interest payable pursuant to Amendment 2 in the amount of $1,421,096 was converted into principal under the Noteholder’s Bridge Note (the “Amended Bridge Note”) The Amended Bridge Note matures on February 23, 2022, but will be paid upon the sale of WPT. Interest on the Amended Bridge Note will accrue commencing on August 23, 2020 at 12% per annum (increasing to 15% per annum upon an event of default as defined). Principal and interest owed under the Amended Bridge Note is not convertible into shares of our common stock. We recorded a conversion inducement charge of $5,247,531 as a result of the Amendments, consisting of $4,998,845 representing the value of common stock issued upon conversion in excess of the common stock issuable under the original terms of the $5,000,000 Bridge Note, and $248,686, representing the excess of minimum interest payable pursuant to Amendment 3 over the interest payable pursuant to the original terms of the $5,000,000 Bridge Note.

Extension of Bridge Notes. On June 8, 2020, the Company and the holders (the “Extending Bridge Noteholders”) of two Bridge Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (together, the “Extended Bridge Notes”), each entered into a Secured Convertible Note Modification (Extension) Agreement with the Company (together, the “Bridge Note Extensions”) pursuant to which, among other things, the Extending Bridge Noteholders agreed to extend the maturity date of their respective Extended Bridge Note until February 23, 2022, but will be paid upon the sale of WPT. Interest on the Extended Bridge Notes will continue to accrue at 12.0% per year and may be prepaid without penalty. The remaining provisions of the Extended Bridge Notes remain unchanged and in effect. One of the Extending Bridge Noteholders is Man Sha, the spouse of Frank Ng, our Chief Executive Officer and a Director.

On August 13, 2020 we paid an aggregate of $425,096 related to interest payable on the Extended Bridge Notes, such that the balance of principal and interest outstanding under the Extended Bridge Notes as of December 31, 2020 is $2,000,000 and $85,870, respectively.

Senior Secured Convertible Notes. On June 8, 2020, pursuant to a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and certain accredited investors (the “Investors”), we issued two senior secured convertible notes (the “Senior Notes”) with an aggregate principal balance of $9,600,000 and immediately vested five-year warrants to purchase an aggregate 1,454,546 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $4.125 per share for net cash proceeds of $9,000,000. The Senior Notes bear interest at 8% per annum and mature on June 8, 2022, with an aggregate of $1,536,000 of interest guaranteed to be paid to the Investors. The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, and we agreed that we would not take on additional debt from third parties without the Investors’ written approval, subject to certain exceptions for ordinary course trade debt. We also agreed to use 35% of the proceeds from future financings in excess of $3 million (or $5 million if approved by the Investors) to pay down the outstanding balance on the Senior Notes. We have reserved our rights under the Purchase Agreement to consummate, subject to certain exceptions, a debtor or equity offering of up to $5 million in the future.

The Senior Notes and two years of interest are payable in equal monthly installments (the “Monthly Redemption Payment”), commencing on August 7, 2020. Each Monthly Redemption Payment may be paid at the Company’s option in cash, or in shares of common stock (the “Stock Settlement Option”) at a price equal to 87% of the lowest daily volume-weighted-average-price in the 10 days prior to the scheduled payment date (the “Stock Settlement Price”), provided that (i) we give thirty days written irrevocable notice (the “Monthly Redemption Notice”), (ii) all amounts due have been paid timely, (iii) there are sufficient number of authorized shares available to be issued, (iv) the Investors do not possess any material non-public information at the time we issue the common stock, and (v) our shares have met certain minimum volume and closing price thresholds. The Stock Settlement Price cannot be lower than $0.734 per share. Monthly Redemption Payments paid in cash require the payment of a 10% premium in addition to the monthly installment.

Each Investor may accelerate up to four Monthly Redemption Payments in any calendar month and may elect to have such accelerated Monthly Redemption Payments paid in shares of our common stock at the Stock Settlement Price of the contemporaneous or immediately prior Monthly Redemption Payment, instead of in cash.

The Senior Notes are convertible at each Investor’s option, in whole or in part, and from time to time, into shares of our common stock (the “Holder Conversion Option” and together, with the Stock Settlement Option, the “ECOs”) at $3.30 per share (subject to adjustment to convert at the same price as any subsequent issuances of our common stock at a lower issuance price, subject to certain exceptions) (the “Holder Conversion Price”); provided, however, that the parties may not affect any such conversion that would result in an Investor (together with its affiliates) owning in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the conversion (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). Each Investor, upon notice to the Company, may elect to increase or decrease its Beneficial Ownership Limitation, provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation may not exceed 9.99%.

Between August 7 and January 4, 2021, we issued 10,208,223 shares of our common stock as redemption payments on the Senior Notes. As of the close of business on January 4, 2021, the principal and accrued interest associated with the Senior Notes were repaid in full.

Additional Common Stock Issuance. On May 15, 2020, we closed on a sale of 1,018,848 shares of common stock to our Chairman of the Board, in exchange for $2,000,000 of cash proceeds, pursuant to our March 9, 2020 exercise of a February 25, 2020 Put Option Agreement.

On September 29, 2020, we received proceeds of $21,875 from the Chairman, representing the disgorgement of short swing profits realized from the sale of shares.

On January 4, 2021, we issued to our non-executive directors an aggregate of 126,584 shares of common stock from our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan. The shares were issued for their director services to the Company.

Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included herein. In addition to historical consolidated financial information, the following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company’s plans, estimates, or beliefs. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those discussed below and elsewhere in this prospectus, particularly in “Risk Factors.” The Company assumes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

Continuing Operations

Our continuing operations consist of our esports gaming operations, which take place at global competitive esports properties designed to connect players and fans via a network of connected arenas. Through our subsidiary Allied Esports, we offer esports fans state-of-the-art facilities to compete against other players in esports competitions, host live events with esports superstars that potentially stream to millions of viewers worldwide, produce and distribute esports content with at our on-site production facilities and studios. At our flagship arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, we provide an attractive facility for hosting corporate events, tournaments, game launches or other events. Additionally, Allied Esports has two mobile esports arenas, which are 18-wheel semi-trailers that convert into first class esports arenas and competition stages with full content production capabilities and interactive talent studios.

Discontinued Operations

WPT is an internationally televised gaming and entertainment company with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online and mobile applications. WPT has been involved in the sport of poker since 2002 and created a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments. WPT has broadcasted globally in more than 150 countries and territories and its shows are sponsored by established brands in many areas, including watches, crystal, playing cards and online social poker operators. WPT also operates ClubWPT.com, a subscription-based site that offers its members inside access to the WPT content database, as well as sweepstakes-based poker product that allows members to play for real cash and prizes in 36 states and territories across the United States and 4 foreign countries. WPT also participates in strategic brand licensing, partnership, and sponsorship opportunities.

On January 19, 2021, we entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) to sell the equity interests of our subsidiaries that own and operate the WPT business, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, for a base purchase price of $78.25 million, which was subsequently amended to $105 million (the “Sale Transaction”). This base purchase price will be adjusted to reflect the amount of the WPT business cash, indebtedness and accrued and unpaid transaction expenses as of the closing of the Sale Transaction. We have committed to a plan to sell the WPT business prior to December 31, 2020. Accordingly, the WPT business has been recast as discontinued operations.

In reaching the decision to enter into the SPA, our Board of Directors, in consultation with management as well as its financial and legal advisors, considered a number of factors, including the risks and challenges facing the WPT business in the future as compared to the opportunities available to the WPT business in the future, and the availability of strategic alternatives. After careful consideration, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the Stock Purchase Agreement and determined that the Sale Transaction is in our best interest and is in the best interest of our stockholders, and that the Sale Transaction and the Stock Purchase Agreement reflect the highest value for the WPT business reasonably attainable for our stockholders.

Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Revenues – Continuing Operations

In-person experience revenues decreased by approximately $4.5 million, or 60%, to approximately $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $7.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease in in-person experience revenues was driven by a $3.9 million decrease in Esports Arena Las Vegas revenue and a $0.5 million decrease in sponsorship and gaming revenue. These decreases are a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting limited ability to hold events throughout 2020.

Multiplatform content revenues increased by approximately $0.1 million, or 346%, to approximately $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in multiplatform content revenues related primarily to an increase in distribution revenue earned in connection with an esports tournament held during December 2020, partially offset by a decrease in content revenue earned during the period resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Costs and expenses – Continuing Operations

In-person costs (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) decreased by approximately $2.0 million, or 42%, to approximately $2.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease is a result of the limited ability to hold events throughout 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Multiplatform costs (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) decreased by approximately $0.1 million, or 77%, to approximately $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Multiplatform costs recognized during 2019 were incurred in connection with creating content surrounding the Simon Cup tournament, in order to attract additional sponsors.

Online operating expenses increased by approximately $0.1 million, or 64%, to approximately $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $0.1 million for the year ended December 31,2019.

Selling and marketing expenses decreased by approximately $1.3 million, or 83%, to approximately $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease in selling and marketing expenses is primarily the result of a reduction in advertising and event marketing as a result of the limited ability to hold events throughout 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

General and administrative expenses increased by approximately $0.7 million, or 7%, to approximately $11.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $10.4 million for the year ended December 31,2019. Corporate expenses increased approximately $3.9 million, including approximately $1.4 million of legal and professional fees, $2.2 million of compensation expense, $0.6 million of insurance expense and $0.4 million of facility and tax related expenses. These increases were a result of only 5 months of activity in 2019, which occurred after the merger, while compared to 12 months of activity in 2020, in addition to $0.6 million in corporate bonuses accrued for 2020 (which is payable contingent upon the closing of the sale of WPT) compared to $0.0 million in 2019. The corporate increases were partially offset by an approximate $3.2 million decrease in general and administrative expense at Allied Esports, including a $1.7 million decrease in legal and professional fees, a $1.0 million decrease in compensation expense (partially offset by $0.2 million increase in bonus expense at Allied Esports), and a $0.6 million decrease in travel expenses. These decreases were a result of reduced salaries and workforce in addition to a reduction in professional services as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stock-based compensation increased by approximately $4.9 million, or 1,973%, to approximately $5.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from approximately $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase included $3.7 million related to the return of cash held in escrow associated with an escrow agreement with Simon. In addition, stock options granted in September and November of 2019 were amortized for a full year in 2020 as opposed to only a few months in 2019.

Depreciation and amortization remained relatively flat with a small increase of approximately $0.06 million or 2%, for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019.

Impairment of investments was approximately $6.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, of which $5.0 million was the result of the write off of our investment in TV Azteca, for which management determined that the future cash flows are not expected to be sufficient to recover the carrying value of this investment, and $1.1 million was related to the impairment of our investment in Esports Arena, LLC (“ESA”). We recorded $0.6 million of impairment losses during the year ended December 31, 2019, related to the impairment of our investment in ESA.

Impairment of property and equipment was approximately $5.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to $0.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The impairment resulted from management’s determination that the projected cash flows from our leasehold improvements and software will not be sufficient to recover the carrying value of those assets.

We recorded approximately $0.3 million of impairment of intangible assets during the year ended December 2019, as the result of management’s determination that the projected cash flows from certain intellectual property would not be sufficient to recover the carrying value of those assets. There was no impairment of intangible assets during the year ended December 31, 2020.

Other income (expense)

Conversion inducement expense of approximately $5.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2020, resulted from the reduction in the conversion price and the increase in interest payable to induce the conversion of certain convertible debt converted during the period. There was no conversion inducement expense recorded for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Extinguishment loss on acceleration of debt redemption of approximately $3.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2020, resulted from the acceleration of monthly payments on the Senior Secured notes that were issued in June 2020. There was no extinguishment loss recorded for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Interest expense was approximately $5.5 million and approximately $1.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, representing an increase of $4.4 million, or 413%. Interest expense consisted of interest incurred on convertible debt, including $3.0 million of amortized debt discount. The increase in interest expense is primarily the result of $9.6 million of Senior Secured convertible debt issued during 2020.

Results of Discontinued Operations

We recognized income from discontinued operations, net of tax, of approximately $0.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to a net loss from discontinued operations of approximately $1.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2019. The improvement in results from discontinued operations is primarily due to an increase in revenues from our subscription-based poker service and other online products during the period in response to the COVID pandemic.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The following table summarizes our total current assets, liabilities and working capital deficit from continuing operations at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Our primary sources of liquidity and capital resources are cash on the balance sheet and funds raised through debt or equity financing.

As of December 31, 2020, we had cash of $0.4 million (not including approximately $5.0 million of restricted cash and a working capital deficit from continuing operations of approximately $9.9 million. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we incurred net losses from continuing operations of approximately $45.8 million and $15.5 million, respectively, and used cash in continuing operations of approximately $5.2 million and $7.6 million, respectively. Further, convertible debt obligations and related accrued interest in the gross principal amount of $2.0 million mature on February 23, 2022, but will be paid upon the closing of the sale of WPT (see Recent Developments). In addition, bridge note obligations and related accrued interest in the principal amount of $1.4 million mature on February 23, 2022, but will also be paid upon the closing of the sale of WPT. During January 2021, we issued an aggregate of 529,383 shares of our common stock in full satisfaction of approximately $0.6 million and $0.1 million of the remaining principal and interest, respectively, owed on the senior secured convertible notes.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) as a pandemic which continues to spread throughout the United States. As a global entertainment company that hosts numerous live events with spectators and participants in destination cities, the outbreak has caused people to avoid traveling to and attending these events. Allied Esports’ has cancelled or postponed live events, and before the reopening of Allied Esports’ flagship gaming arena located at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 25, 2020 the business was operating online only. The arena is currently running under a modified schedule and limited capacity (up to 65% capacity depending on the event) for daily play and weekly tournaments. We continue to monitor the outbreak of COVID-19 and the related business and travel restrictions, and changes to behavior intended to reduce its spread, and the related impact on our operations, financial position and cash flows, as well as the impact on our employees. Due to the rapid development and fluidity of this situation, the magnitude and duration of the pandemic and its impact on our future operations and liquidity is uncertain as of the date of this report. While there could ultimately be a material impact on our operations and liquidity, at the time of issuance, the extent of the impact cannot be determined.

The aforementioned factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the issuance date of our consolidated financial statements.

Our continuation is dependent upon attaining and maintaining profitable operations and the ability to generate positive cash flow from the various revenue sources we are pursuing. Until that time, we will likely need to raise additional capital to fund operations at adequate levels to achieve our objectives. There can be no assurance that we will be able to close on sufficient financing to meet our needs. To date, in addition to our revenues, we have funded our operations using cash acquired in the Merger, through investments from Ourgame, our former parent, by means of operation support, and through the issuance of debt.

We continue to pursue sources of additional capital through various financing transactions or arrangements, including joint venturing of projects, debt financing or other means, including equity financing in the capital markets now available to us. We may also seek to leverage our strategic partnerships to alter capital requirements or expand our available financing network. Further, we expect to receive cash in connection with the sale of the WPT business, which is expected to close during the second quarter of 2021. However, we may not be successful in identifying suitable or reasonably priced funding and/or alternative funding options in a sufficient time period (or at all) and there can be no assurance that the sale of the WPT business will close as planned. If we are unable to obtain the requisite amount of financing needed to fund our planned operations, it would have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to continue as a going concern, and we may have to curtail, divest, or even cease, certain operations.

Cash Flows from Operating, Investing and Financing Activities

The tables below summarize cash flows from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities primarily represents the results of operations exclusive of non-cash expenses, including depreciation, amortization, losses on disposal of assets, deferred rent and stock-based compensation, plus the impact of changes in operating assets and liabilities.

Net cash used in operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was approximately $5.2 million and $7.6 million, representing a decrease of $2.4 million. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the net cash used in operating activities was primarily attributable to the net loss of approximately $45.1 million and $16.7 million, respectively, adjusted for approximately $0.7 and $(1.3) million respectively, of income (loss) from discontinued operations, $33.9 million and $4.8 million, respectively, of net non-cash expenses, and approximately $6.7 million and $3.1 million, respectively, of cash provided by changes in the levels of operating assets and liabilities.

Net Cash (Used in) Provided By Investing Activities

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities primarily relates to cash used for the purchase of property and equipment and other investment activity.

Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was approximately $5.5 million, resulting primarily from approximately $3.7 million of cash used for the return of the Simon Investment, $1.5 million of cash used for our investment with TV Azteca as part of a Strategic Investment Agreement, and $0.4 million used for the purchases of property and equipment.

Net cash provided by investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2019 was approximately $9.0 million, which consisted primarily of approximately $14.9 million of cash acquired in the Merger, partially offset by approximately $1.3 million of cash used for the purchases of property and equipment, $1.1 million cash used to fund our investment in ESA, and $3.5 million of cash used for our investment with TV Azteca as part of a Strategic Investment Agreement.

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities primarily relates to the cash proceeds received from the issuance of convertible debt and loans payable, in addition to the sale of common stock in 2020.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was approximately $9.2 million as compared to $0 for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of approximately $9.2 million. The primary drivers for the increase was $9.0 million in proceeds from the issuance of convertible debt and $7.0 million of proceeds from the issuance of common stock, offset by $0.8 million of issuance costs, $0.9 million proceeds from loans payable, and $7.0 million in repayments of convertible debt.

Cash Flows from Discontinued Operations

Cash held by our WPT business is classified as held for sale and is included in current assets of discontinued operations. No cash was provided to, or used by, discontinued operations from the WPT business.

Capital Expenditures

We will require continual investment to facilitate our growth plans. As a result, we plan to pivot our business goals to focus on expanding and strengthening our strategic partnerships and developing other potential avenues of business, which we are in the process of finalizing.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The Company does not engage in any off-balance sheet financing activities, nor does the Company have any interest in entities referred to as variable interest entities.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company regularly evaluates estimates and judgments based on historical experience and other relevant facts and circumstances.

The Company discusses its significant estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements in the notes accompanying the financial statements. Listed below are the accounting policies the Company believes are critical to its financial statements due to the degree of uncertainty regarding the estimates or assumptions involved.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews for the impairment of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company measures the carrying amount of the asset against the estimated undiscounted future cash flows associated with it. Should the sum of the expected future net cash flows be less than the carrying value of the asset being evaluated, an impairment loss would be recognized for the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value. The evaluation of asset impairment requires the Company to make assumptions about future cash flows over the life of the asset being evaluated. These assumptions require significant judgment and actual results may differ from assumed and estimated amounts.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue from the following sources:

We evaluate each of our contractual arrangements to identify the performance obligations existing in the contract and allocate the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. Revenue is recognized as each performance obligation is fulfilled. Cash received in advance of the sale or rendering of services is recorded as deferred revenue and is recognized when the related performance obligation has been satisfied.

Discontinued Operations

The assets and liabilities of WPT are classified as “held for sale” as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and are reflected as “Current assets of discontinued operations,” “Assets of discontinued operations – non-current,” “Current liabilities of discontinued operations” and “Liabilities of discontinued operations – non-current” on the balance sheets that are included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Results of operations of WPT are included in “Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax provision on the statements of operations included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. For comparative purposes, all prior periods presented have been reclassified to reflect the classifications on a consistent basis.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” ASU 2016-02 requires that a lessee recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from operating leases. A lessee should recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. This amendment will be effective for private companies and emerging growth companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The FASB issued ASU No. 2018-10 “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases” and ASU No. 2018-11 “Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements” in July 2018, and ASU No. 2018-20 “Leases (Topic 842) - Narrow Scope Improvements for Lessors” in December 2018. ASU 2018-10 and ASU 2018-20 provide certain amendments that affect narrow aspects of the guidance issued in ASU 2016-02. ASU 2018-11 allows all entities adopting ASU 2016-02 to choose an additional (and optional) transition method of adoption, under which an entity initially applies the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact that this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326)” and also issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance under ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04 and ASU 2019-05 (collectively Topic 326). Topic 326 requires the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. This replaces the existing incurred loss model with an expected loss model and requires the use of forward-looking information to calculate credit loss estimates. We will be required to adopt the provisions of this ASU on January 1, 2023, with early adoption permitted for certain amendments. Topic 326 must be adopted by applying a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. The adoption of Topic 326 is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-02, which aligns the accounting for production costs of episodic television series with the accounting for production costs of films. In addition, ASU 2019-02 modifies certain aspects of the capitalization, impairment, presentation and disclosure requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 926-20 and the impairment, presentation and disclosure requirements in ASC 920-350. This ASU must be adopted on a prospective basis and is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact that this pronouncement will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The new guidance simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing several exceptions in the current standard and adding guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas, such as requiring that an entity reflect the effect of an enacted change in tax laws or rates in the annual effective tax rate computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The new standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We adopted this standard early, on October 1, 2020, and it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

In February 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-02, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842) – Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date (“ASU 2020-02”) which provides clarifying guidance and minor updates to ASU No. 2016-13 – Financial Instruments – Credit Loss (Topic 326) (“ASU 2016-13”) and related to ASU No. 2016-02 - Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2020-02 amends the effective date of ASU 2016-13, such that ASU 2016-13 and its amendments will be effective for interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging— Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity, to clarify the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. The amendments in this update reduce the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock by removing the cash conversion model and the beneficial conversion feature model. Limiting the accounting models will result in fewer embedded conversion features being separately recognized from the host contract. Convertible instruments that continue to be subject to separation models are (1) those with embedded conversion features that are not clearly and closely related to the host contract, that meet the definition of a derivative, and that do not qualify for a scope exception from derivative accounting and (2) convertible debt instruments issued with substantial premiums for which the premiums are recorded as paid-in-capital. In addition, this ASU improves disclosure requirements for convertible instruments and earnings-per-share guidance. The ASU also revises the derivative scope exception guidance to reduce form-over-substance-based accounting conclusions driven by remote contingent events. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption will be permitted, but no earlier than for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. We are currently evaluating the impact that this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The new guidance simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. Under current guidance, Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test requires entities to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination by assigning the fair value of a reporting unit to all of the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit. The carrying value in excess of the implied fair value is recognized as goodwill impairment. Under the new standard, goodwill impairment is recognized based on Step 1 of the current guidance, which calculates the carrying value in excess of the reporting unit’s fair value. This standard was adopted on January 1, 2020 and did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-09, “Codification Improvements” (“ASU 2018-09”). These amendments provide clarifications and corrections to certain ASC subtopics including the following: Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income – Overall (Topic 220-10), Debt - Modifications and Extinguishments (Topic 470-50), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity – Overall (Topic 480-10), Compensation - Stock Compensation - Income Taxes (Topic 718-740), Business Combinations – Income Taxes (Topic 805-740), Derivatives and Hedging – Overall (Topic 815-10), and Fair Value Measurement – Overall (Topic 820-10). The majority of the amendments in ASU 2018-09 will be effective in annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. This standard was adopted on January 1, 2020 and it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement” (“ASU 2018-13”). The amendments in ASU 2018-13 modify the disclosure requirements associated with fair value measurements based on the concepts in the Concepts Statement, including the consideration of costs and benefits. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. The amendments are effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. This standard was adopted on January 1, 2020 and it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Not applicable.

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements on Page F-1.

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

There have been no changes in or disagreements with accountants on accounting and financial disclosure.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) (the “Exchange Act”). Based on the foregoing evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that, as of December 31, 2020, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at the reasonable assurance level because of the material weaknesses discussed below.

A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

Management identified the following material weaknesses as of December 31, 2019, which persist as of December 31, 2020:

Management has taken significant steps to enhance our internal control over financial reporting, including: 

Our management is committed to taking further action and implementing necessary enhancements or improvements. Notwithstanding the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting described above, our management has concluded that our consolidated financial statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K are fairly stated in all material respects in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on the Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) (2013 Framework). Based on this evaluation under the 2013 Framework, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2020 as a result of the material weaknesses described above.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting through the date of this Report or during the quarter ended December 31, 2020, that materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. 

Inherent Limitations of the Effectiveness of Controls

Management does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all error and fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, is based upon certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that its objectives will be met. Further, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected.

Attestation Report of Registered Public Accounting Firm

This Annual Report does not contain an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm related to internal control over financial reporting because the rules for smaller reporting companies provide an exemption from the attestation requirement.

Item 9B. Other Information

On March 10, 2021, WPT entered into an amendment of its lease with Onni Wilshire Courtyard, LLC for its production offices in Los Angeles, which extended the term of the lease until November 31, 2031, with one five-year option to extend the term.

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

Our Board of Directors

Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides for a classified Board of Directors in which directors are divided into three classes, designated as Class A, Class B and Class C. Each class serves staggered, three year terms. The terms of office of our Class A directors will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2023. The terms of office of our Class B directors will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2021. The terms of office of our Class C directors will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2022.

Set forth below are the names and certain information about each of our directors as of the date of this Report. The information presented includes each director’s age, principal occupation and business experience for the past five years and the names of other public companies of which he or she has served as a director during the past five years.

On  March 29, 2021, our Board of Directors approved the appointment of each of Libing (Claire) Wu and Jingsheng Lu to the Board, to be effective upon the consummation of a sale of the Company’s poker-related business and assets, at which time the Board intends to (i) increase the size of the Board as necessary to seat such directors, and (ii) determine into which class such directors will be included.

Libing (Claire) Wu is the Vice President and General Counsel of Asia Pacific Capital, Inc, as well as Senior Counsel at the New York law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP. Ms. Wu is a graduate of New York University School of Law, New York, USA (Master of Laws in Corporate Law) and a graduate of China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, China (Master of Laws in Corporate Law). Ms. Wu received a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Economics from Nankai University, Tianjin, China, and an Advanced Professional Certificate in Law and Business from New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Ms. Wu has over 15 years’ experience as a corporate and securities attorney practicing in New York, with extensive legal and business experience in cross-border transactions, U.S. securities regulation, mergers and acquisitions, capital market transactions, as well as corporate structuring and governance.

Jingsheng Lu has served as an independent director of Ourgame since 2020. Prior to that, he served as a director of Zhejiang Xiangyuan Culture Co., Ltd.,(“Xiangyuan Culture”), which is a main board listed company in China (Code in Shanghai Stock Exchange: 600576), from 2015 to 2017, where he served as co-CEO of Xiamen Xtone Animation Co., Ltd., (“Xtone”), and led the merger of Xtone by Xiangyuan Culture in 2014. He also served as CFO of Beijing International Advertising & Communication Group from 2018 to 2019. He previously served as a senior audit manager at Deloitte China for six years, and at Deloitte US for two years from 2001 to 2010. He is currently a non-practicing certified public accountant in China since 2007, as well as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China.

Our Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information concerning our executive officers as of the date of this Report.

Family Relationships

Mr. Bradley Berman, one of our directors, is the son of Mr. Lyle Berman, one of our directors. There are no other family relationships between any of the other directors or executive officers.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

Lyle Berman serves as Chairman of our Board of Directors and Frank Ng serves as our Chief Executive Officer. We believe that separating the positions of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer separate will permit our Chief Executive Officer to concentrate his efforts primarily on managing business operations and development. This will also allow us to maintain an independent Chairman of the Board who oversees, among other things, communications and relations between our Board of Directors and senior management, consideration by our Board of Directors of the company’s strategies and policies, and the evaluation of our principal executive officers by our Board of Directors.

Committees of the Board of Directors

We have a separately standing audit committee, compensation committee and nominating committee, each of which is comprised of three independent directors. Each of the Company’s committees have a separately adopted charter which is available on the Company’s website at www.alliedesportsent.com.

Audit Committee Information

Our audit committee consists of Benjamin Oehler (chairman), Joseph Lahti, and Yinghua Chen.

The audit committee will, at all times, be composed exclusively of “independent directors,” as defined for audit committee members under the Nasdaq listing standards and the rules and regulations of the SEC, who are “financially literate,” as defined under Nasdaq’s listing standards. Nasdaq’s listing standards define “financially literate” as being able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. In addition, we must certify to Nasdaq that the committee has, and will continue to have, at least one member who has past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or other comparable experience or background that results in the individual’s financial sophistication. The Board of Directors has determined that each member of the audit committee satisfies Nasdaq’s definition of financial sophistication and that Benjamin Oehler qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under rules and regulations of the SEC.

Pursuant to our audit committee charter, responsibilities of the audit committee include: