Entain the British sports betting giant have expressed interest in William Hill’s retail outlets after the company takeover by American giant Caesars entertainment. Caesars is set to sell off the retail outlets and concentrate on sports betting.A Bloomberg news report states the interest in William Hill’s retail outlet comes months after the company formerly known as GVC Holdings itself was taken over by MGM Resorts International.
Sell-Off UK Assets
Caesar’s takeover of William Hill is reported to have been finalised at $5.1 Billion and thrust William Hill’s sports betting into the United States sports betting market. Caesars did intend to sell off the non-American retail arm of William Hill which equates to 1,400 retail outlets across the UK.In January 2021, Entain expressed interest in the non-American arm of William Hill’s assets according to Bloomberg. At present, Entain holds a 40% share in the UK’s sports betting market thanks to its brand Ladbrokes and is in talks to take over Aussie bookmaker Tabcorp Holdings Limited purported to the sum of $2.7 million.Entain is responsible for many successful online brands and now manages PartyPoker, Coral, Eurobet, Gala, and Foxy Bingo, and is expected to disclose profits of up to $158 billion by 2028. This prediction has ruffled the feathers of many operators who are all vying for top positions.
33% Rise In mergers & Acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions have risen by 33% according to the Bloomberg report. Examples of deals include the takeover of Gamesys Group by Bally Corporation for a cool $2.2 billion. Apollo Global Management also acquired Las Vegas Sands Corporation for $6.2 billion.The UK Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) are watching the bidders for William Hill’s UK assets closely, the industry needs to be fair, competitive, and consider customer’s choice although the markets have changed throughout the last decade.Other bidding interests in William Hill’s land-based assets include 888 Holdings and Apollo Global, which could create a bidding war with Entain.