There are several interesting mergers and acquisitions taking place in the UK online sports betting industry that are bound to make things interesting for all of the rest of us eager beaver online punters. These are set to change the shape of the online betting industry and certainly make it more competitive, and that can only mean better offers and chance to win for players like us!
Ladbrokes and Gala Coral
For instance, earlier this year in July, there was a huge merger between two giants of the online sports betting industry. Now standing as the largest bookmaker in the UK, the deal saw the two companies come together to form a company that is worth £2.3billion. As a result of the new deal, the company called Ladbrokes Coral now has almost 4000 betting shops and 30,000 employees around the world.
Bwin and GVC Holdings
Another huge merger and acquisition that took place earlier this year was that of Bwin and GVC Holdings, both major online gambling sites. GVC Holdings beat 888 to buy up Bwin at an estimated value of £1.116billion. Bwin is well known for its online poker sites and games, which are looked forward to by players all over the globe. This is another merger that has heated things up in the online sports betting industry and which is sure to get tongues wagging and players playing.
Increase in betting stats
Sports betting in the UK has increased from an initial figure of £5.6bn in 2010 to £7.1bn in 2014. That’s a huge increase to say the least! The reason there has been such a phenomenal increase in the industry is mainly due to the increase in online betting, which now allows users to bet from the convenience of their smartphones. As a result, players can better keep up with land based betting stores and place their wagers at their convenience. It also makes it a lot easier for them to spend money, which is why they are keen on continuing to stay online.
There are companies that are smaller which have survived mergers and acquisitions, but this is mainly because they cater to a niche audience, like say fantasy sports, and also offer very special advantages to its players. Land based gambling certainly will continue to exist, but the online and mobile gambling industry is going to see some huge strides ahead, to be sure!
With all of this action taking place on the business side of things it’s pretty obvious to see that online sports betting is here to stay. All you need to do is to get your gambling mitts on and choose the online bookmaker that will give you the best odds for your wager, and you’re on your way!
