Entain cashes in on online betting surge as Club World Cup reels in players
The sports betting giant reported total net gaming revenues – the amount of money the company pockets after paying out winnings to customers – of £2.6 billion for the first six months of the year, excluding its operations in the US.
This was 6% higher than the same period a year ago, at constant currency rates.
The increase jumped to 8% in the UK and Ireland, the company's biggest market, while online sales in the region surged by a fifth year-on-year.
Both the volume of players and the value of sales increased, which Entain said reflected an improved experience for customers as well as previous changes to gambling rules starting to level out.
The company had previously warned about the impact from regulatory changes in the UK which were designed to make betting safer for consumers.
The FIFA Club World Cup final, which saw Chelsea beat PSG, was the most bet-on football match of 2025 for Entain's brands, with strong engagement coming from Brazil, Spain and the US.
Interest in horse racing surged with the Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby Festival both among the most bet-on competitions, while Wimbledon Tennis and the Women's Euro football tournament were also drawing in bets.
Entain nonetheless reported a pre-tax loss of £96 million for the first half, swinging from a £13.7 million profit the prior year which the firm said was driven by one-off costs.
On an underlying basis, earnings before tax, interest and other costs came in at £583.4 million for the period – 11% higher than last year.
The company said it was now expecting higher sales growth for the year than its previous outlook, with online net gaming revenues forecast to rise by 7%.
Annual underlying earnings are estimated to be between £1.1 billion and £1.15 billion.
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