This page is a review of Entain, Entain is a multinational sports betting and gambling company formerly known as GVC Holdings. In this review, I endeavour to determine Entain’s stance concerning ESG, CSR and sustainability and how that reflects on their casino brands.
This review was last updated on September 29 and is based on the latest ESG report 2022-23
BWC Sustainability score: At this point, I am not assigning a sustainability score yet as I am working on analysing more companies. I first want to have a better understanding of the performance of more stakeholders to be able to make a fair comparison in terms of who complies, who competes and who leads when it comes to social, environmental and governance performance.
I’m applying for an affiliate partnership with several Entain brands. I hope that will be sorted soon and that I will be given the opportunity to talk to them regarding their ESG performance and ambitions in order to determine how much of a sustainable gambling company they are and how they contribute to society.
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| Name |
Entain plc (formerly GVC Holdings) |
| Company Type |
Public (LSE: ENT, FTSE 100 component) |
| Location(s) |
United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom |
| Products |
sports betting, gaming, and interactive entertainment |
| Brands |
- Ladbrokes
- Coral
- BetMGM
- Eurobet
- Sportingbet
- 365Scores
- PartyPoker
- Gala Bingo
- Gala Casino
- Gioco Digitale
- Foxy Bingo
- Foxy Game
|
| Licences |
Alderney, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, New Jersey, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Virginia |
| Keymarkets |
Europe, United States, Australia |
| ESG/Sustainability Report |
Yes |
| Reporting standard |
|
The Company
Entain, formerly known as GVC Holdings, is a multinational sports betting and gambling company. It changed its name to Entain in December 2020. The company owns several brands, such as Coral, Ladbrokes, PartyPoker and Sportingbet. Entain offers both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) services.
Entain, a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, has diverse shareholders, including institutional and retail investors. Some of the major shareholders of Entain include:
- Abrdn Investment Management Ltd.
- Janus Henderson Investors US LLC
- Janus Henderson Investors UK Ltd.
- The Vanguard Group, Inc.
- Marathon Asset Management Ltd.
- Ignis Investment Services Ltd.
- Norges Bank Investment Management
- Entain’s joint venture partner in BetMGM, MGM Resorts International, is also a significant shareholder in the company.
Entain is a member of various organisations that promote integrity in sports betting, such as the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and the Sports Wagering Integrity Monitoring Association (SWIMA).
Entain casino brands
One day
there will be 5 star rated casino here
- Company type: Steward Ownership
- Launch year: 2000
- License: all regulated markets
- 24/7 support: live chat, telephone call back & email
- Only from software providers that have also earned a 5 star rating
- Type of games: Slots, table games, live casino, pokerrooms, bingo halls
- Providers: only the ones that have also adopted ESG leadership strategy
- All payment providers that show they work actively towards SDG & ESG
- NO withdrawal limits
up to £400 + £40 free play
18+ Gamble Responsibly begambleaware.org | New members only, must opt-in. Min €10 deposit & 40x wager, 14-day expiry from registration | Get a £50 Casino Bonus!.
Bonus T&C apply
- Operator: Entain
- Launch year: 1902
- License: UK Gambling Commission, Government of Gibraltar
- Live Chat is 24/7 available, email response makes take up to two (2) working days.
- Type of games: roulette, slots, bingo, live casino, poker.
- Over 1800+ online slot machines
- Minimum deposit: €5
- Deposit via Debit Card Deposits | Paypal | POLi Deposit | Ladbrokes Card Deposits
- Max withdrawals have a daily limit of £5000.
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | T&Cs apply.
Bonus T&C apply
- Operator: Entain
- Launch year: 1997
- License: UK Gambling Commission, Government of Gibraltar, Malta Gaming Authority
- Live Chat is 24/7 available.
- Over 1000+ games, with more than 300 Jackpots
- Type of games: Sports Betting, Poker, Casino, Live Casino
- Minimum deposit: €10
- Deposit via Google Pay, Apple Pay, Skrill, Mastercard, Neteller
- Max withdrawals have a daily limit of £8500.
Environmental
Entain claims it has committed to reducing its scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions as part of its sustainability strategy. Entain has said it wants to reduce its scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 29.4% by 2027. The company aims to achieve a 90% reduction in scope 2 emissions by 2035 compared to its 2020 baseline.
The company has not yet reported systematically on its scope 3 emissions. However, Entain says it has committed to improving the data quality and coverage of primary information obtained on its scope 3 emissions. It will start to report systematically in the coming years.
Entain claims it is focused on reducing its environmental impact through waste reduction and pollution prevention. The company holds an ISO 14001:2015 certification for environmental management.
Entain’s reports provide limited information on the company’s water management practices. While the company sources all its water from municipal supplies, there is no information on its water consumption or conservation efforts.
Entain has not disclosed any information on carbon offsetting. However, the company claims it has committed to achieving its net-zero goal by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources. The company’s net-zero goal is based on scientific targets and will be verified by the Science-Based Targets initiative.
Entain has partnerships with various organisations to support its sustainability and environmental goals. Entain has partnered with Brynk to support carbon removal and biodiversity.
Social
Internal
Entain’s annual reports provide limited information on its internal stakeholders and employees. Based on the search results, Entain has over 25,000 employees. The company’s ESG reports highlight its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being.
Entain’s employee review ratings are mixed, with some employees praising the company’s culture and others criticising its management and work conditions. Entain has an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5 on Glassdoor, based on over 1,363 reviews left anonymously by employees. Some employee reviews on Indeed.com and JobStreet.com criticise Entain for low pay, poor security, no training, no career progression, no work-life balance, daily abuse, and poor management.
External
The company says responsible gambling is embedded in Entain’s corporate growth strategy as much as its organic growth, acquisitions and operating platform.
The company has been recognised for its commitment to player protection and safer gambling, receiving the Advanced Safer Gambling Standard. Entain has been involved in studies into the growth of women’s sports and the betting market for women’s sports.
The company is also funding treatment and support for people who suffer from gambling harm and is making sure its products are safe through responsible design principles. Entain received global recognition as the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year in 2022.
Entain has two foundations, the Entain Foundation and the Entain US Foundation, which support various social causes and projects with a link to the communities where the company operates.
Governance
Entain says it prioritises governance, values, and ethics. It has a Code of Conduct that outlines the standards of fair play, honesty, and integrity that are fundamental to the company.’
The company has established a Sustainability Charter based on four core principles: a focus on regulated markets, responsible betting and gaming leadership, strong corporate governance and investment in people and local communities.
Based on the search results, there is no proof of tax evasion or tax avoidance by Entain. Entain has a Group Anti-Facilitation of Tax Evasion Policy, which sets out the principles governing how the company conducts its business from an anti-facilitation of tax evasion perspective.
Entain claims it has short- and long-term orientation and goals related to ESG issues. In 2022, Entain improved the accuracy of its predictive tools by launching a new hybrid model that identifies short- and long-term excessive plans.
Based on the source, Entain aims to achieve long-term, sustainable growth for all its stakeholders by delivering on its ESG objectives. The company also has a long-term objective of 20% to 25% growth in its core markets, focusing on growing rapidly in the 31 territories it already operates.
Sanctions, Controversies and Concerns
Entain has faced some controversies and scrutinies related to regulatory and compliance issues. As a result, the company has suffered several sanctions due to various failures and misconduct.
In August 2022, Entain was fined £17 million by the UK Gambling Commission for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures at its online and land-based operations.
In September 2022, the Australian financial crimes regulator opened an investigation into Entain to assess whether it complies with the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. The enforcement investigation into Entain Group Pty follows an extensive supervisory campaign that examined entities within the corporate bookmakers’ sector.
In 2023, Entain announced that it was likely to incur a “substantial financial penalty” as part of an investigation by the UK tax authority into issues including possible misconduct involving former third-party suppliers.
The company set aside £585 million ($745 million) for a possible settlement with UK authorities following an investigation into potential bribery in Turkey. In the same month, Entain announced that it was under investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) related to its legacy Turkish-facing business, which it sold in 2017.
In May 2023, Entain was accused of being embroiled in a lobbying scandal. Casino.org reported that BetMGM’s strength could stoke a new MGM bid for Entain on July 26, 2023. On August 10, 2023, Entain announced the result of a tender offer to shareholders of STS Holdings.
Overview of awards
Entain has been recognised with several prestigious awards. Here are some key awards won by the company:
- Best Major Employer at the National Online Recruitment Awards.
- Operator of the Year at EGR’s Operator Awards.
- Advanced Safer Gambling Standard by GamCare.
- Safer Gambling Operator of the Year at EGR’s Operator Awards.
- LatAm Socially Responsible Operator of the Year at SBC Awards.
- SportsAid awards for supporting young athletes.
Conclusion
I’ve learned that Entain’s governance highlights a commitment to fairness, honesty, and integrity, as underlined in its Sustainability Charter. However, they’ve faced regulatory scrutiny recently, including a hefty fine from the UK Gambling Commission. It raises concerns about its governance practices.
On the environmental front, Entain is proactive. It aims to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2027 and 2035 significantly. It also holds an ISO 14001:2015 certification, indicating a commitment to environmental management.
As for social responsibility, Entain employs over 25,000 people and emphasises diversity, inclusion and well-being. The company has established two foundations, the Entain Foundation and the Entain US Foundation, which support various social causes and projects in its operational communities. However, these foundations’ specific initiatives and impacts have not been detailed.
Rating
It is important to note that these figures may differ due to factors such as the period considered, the methodology used, or the sources from which the data is obtained. Therefore, the exact total numbers related to Entain remain unclear based on the readily available data.
KPIs
- Total revenue: £4.3bn in 2022, representing a 10% increase from the previous year.
- Total operation costs: £2.29bn in 2020 and £2.38bn in 2021
- Total taxes: The company’s profit before tax is reported to be £232.3m, with a provision for income taxes of £70m.
- Total profit: The profit after tax from continuing operations amounted to £32.90m in 2022.
- Total players: In the 2023 Interim Results, Entain reported a record number of online active customers in H1 2023, but the exact number is not disclosed.
- Total emissions (equivalent): N/A
- Breakdown of players spend:
- Of 100€$£ player loss (total rev/total players): N/A
- % goes to operations: N/A
- % goes to taxes: N/A
- % shareholders: N/A
Source materials, references, and related pages.
