When it releases its quarterly results on April 7th, the Ladbrokes and Coral owner is expected to report a slowdown in online growth as it feels the impact of the ending of pandemic lockdown measures.
Entain reported double-digit growth in 2021 for its online business, but the end of UK lockdown measures will see people spending more time out of home, and with more discretionary spending options. But the return of a busy sporting calendar will offer opportunities, and US expansion has strengthened the company’s position.
The UK government’s proposed gambling reforms cast something of a shadow with the UK market representing over one-third of the group’s total business, with investors and analysts voicing concerns over possible tightening of the checks surrounding affordability, losses and maximum stakes. One major positive here is that Entain introduced its own range of checks last year and are expected to be better protected against regulatory risks than most other UK betting and gaming companies.
