Flutter Entertainment

Flutter Entertainment plc (formerly Paddy Power Betfair plc) is a bookmaking holding company created by the merger of Paddy Power and Betfair, and the later acquisition of The Stars Group. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Flutter Entertainment plc
FormerlyPaddy Power Betfair plc
TypePublic limited company
LSE: FLTR
ISEQ: FLTR
FTSE 100 Component
ISINIE00BWT6H894
IndustryBookmaking
PredecessorsPaddy Power and Betfair
Founded2 February 2016
HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
Key people
BrandsAdjarabet
BetEasy[1][2][3]
Betfair
FanDuel
Fox Bet
Full Tilt Poker
Paddy Power
Pokerstars
Sky Bet
Sportsbet.com.au
Timeform
TVG Network
Revenue£2,140.0 million (2019)[4]
£280.6 million (2019)[4]
£111.9 million (2019)[4]
Websitewww.flutter.com

It operates under various brands including Adjarabet, BetEasy,[1][2][3] Betfair, FanDuel, Fox Bet, Full Tilt Poker, Paddy Power, PokerStars, Sky Bet, Sportsbet.com.au, Timeform and TVG Network.[5]

History

Paddy Power and British rival Betfair agreed terms for a merger on 8 September 2015. The business is owned 52% by the former Paddy Power shareholders and 48% by the former Betfair shareholders.[6] The merger was completed on 2 February 2016.[7] On 5 April 2016, it was announced that 650 jobs in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland would be lost at the company.[8]

On 18 October 2016, the company paid out $1.1M to those who bet on Hillary Clinton in the presidential election in the United States, citing a certainty of Clinton's victory. Trump won.[9] In May 2017, it acquired daily fantasy sports operator Draft.[10] In August 2017, it was announced that Peter Jackson, CEO of Worldpay UK, would succeed Breon Corcoran as CEO of Paddy Power Betfair.[11]

In March 2018, the company announced that it would be implementing an electronic self exclusion process through its in-shop app. The new system will replace the current paper based process, and will be implemented across the United Kingdom.[12]

In May 2018, Paddy Power Betfair announced its intent to acquire FanDuel, one of the two leading daily fantasy sports operators in the United States. The deal was part of an effort to bolster the company's assets in the United States, following the overturning of a federal prohibition on sports betting.[13] As part of the acquisition, the company paid $158 million and merged its existing operations in the United States into FanDuel to form FanDuel Group.[14] It holds a 61% controlling stake, with the option to increase its stake to 80% after three years and 100% after five.[15][16]

In October 2018, Paddy Power Betfair was fined £2.2 million by the Gambling Commission for failing to protect customers showing signs of problem gambling, and for failing to carry out adequate anti money-laundering checks.[17]

In February 2019, the company announced the acquisition of a 51% controlling stake in adjarabet, a business operating in the Georgian gambling industry with an option to acquire the remaining 49% after three years.[18]

On 6 March 2019, Paddy Power Betfair announced that it would rebrand as Flutter Entertainment, pending shareholder approval at the company’s annual general meeting in May. Flutter was originally the name of a betting exchange acquired by Betfair in December 2001. The company argued that the changing in name was meant to reflect the growing number of consumer brands in its portfolio.[19]

On 2 October 2019, Flutter Entertainment announced its acquisition of Canadian gaming operator The Stars Group for US$6.95 billion, creating the world's largest online gambling company based on revenues. As part of the purchase, media company Fox Corporation (who held a minority stake in The Stars Group) took a 2.6% minority stake in Flutter Entertainment, and will have the option to acquire an 18.5% stake in FanDuel Group in July 2021.[20][21][22] On 3 December 2020, Flutter announced that it would purchase an additional stake in FanDuel Group for $4.1 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, increasing its stake to 95%.[23][22]

In January 2021, the company announced that it was intending to make its online sports betting available to at least a third of the US population by the end of the year.[24]

Operations

The new business maintains separate brands in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Italy.[6] It operates across four divisions; Online, Retail, Australia and the United States.[25] The online division comprises Paddy Power and Betfair in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Betfair also operates an online betting exchange.[5]

The retail division operates over six hundred betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[26] In Australia, they own Sportsbet.[27] The division in the United States includes FanDuel, Fox Bet (a partnership with Fox Corporation and its Fox Sports Media Group)[28] and the TVG Network, which is a horse racing television channel and pari mutuel online betting network, which is active in thirty five states. In New Jersey, the company has an online casino and a horse racing betting exchange.[29]

Sky Betting and Gaming, Paddy Power and Betfair are regulated in the United Kingdom by the Gambling Commission.[30]

References
  1. Allen, Brad. "Matt Tripp to stand down as BetEasy CEO as Stars Group completes takeover". EGR North America. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  2. Stensholt, John (26 February 2018). "Crown's $150m stake in CrownBet sold to Canada's The Stars Group". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  3. "Crown Resorts agrees to $150m sale of CrownBet". Gaming Intelligence. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  4. "Preliminary Results 2019" (PDF). Flutter Entertainment. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  5. Kate Palmer (4 May 2016). "Paddy Power's Betfair merger pays off with £11m profit boost". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  6. "Paddy Power and Betfair merger agreed". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  7. Michael Cogley (2 February 2016). "Paddy Power Betfair begins trading after €8bn merger is completed". Irish Independent. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  8. Bill Wilson (5 April 2016). "Paddy Power Betfair to cut 650 jobs in UK and Ireland". BBC News Online. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  9. "Betting website pays out $1 million because it's certain Clinton beats Trump". CNN. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  10. Bradley Gerrard (10 May 2017). "Paddy Power Betfair enters fantasy land on back of US sports acquisition". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  11. Jon Yeomans; Bradley Gerrard (7 August 2017). "Paddy Power Betfair takes a punt on Worldpay boss as new CEO". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  12. Caroline Watson (26 March 2018). "Paddy Power launches electronic self-exclusion process for all UK shops". Gambling Insider. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  13. "Paddy Power Betfair buys fantasy sports site Fan Duel". BBC. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  14. "FanDuel Acquired by Paddy Power Betfair". Variety. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  15. Janko Roettgers (23 May 2018). "FanDuel Acquired by Paddy Power Betfair". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  16. Evan Grossman. "How FanDuel and DraftKings are taking aim at the world of sports gambling: 'The whole marketplace is going to evolve'". New York Daily News. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  17. A. Monaghan (16 October 2018). "Paddy Power Betfair fined £2.2m for failing to stop bets with stolen money". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  18. "Paddy Power Betfair buys €116m stake in Georgian company". The Irish Times. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  19. Barber, Bill. "Paddy Power Betfair group to change name to Flutter Entertainment | Horse Racing News | Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  20. Ziady, Hanna. "Online betting merger brings Paddy Power and PokerStars together". CNN. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  21. Walker, Katherine Sayre and Ian. "FanDuel Owner Buys PokerStars in $6 Billion Deal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  22. Duprey, Rich (3 December 2020). "Flutter Entertainment Ups Stake in FanDuel to 95%". The Motley Fool. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  23. Goldstein, Steve. "Flutter Entertainment strikes $4.2 billion deal to control most of FanDuel". MarketWatch. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  24. Winkler, Todd (30 December 2020). "Flutter Signs $ 4.18 Billion Contracts to Own 95% Stake in Fanduel". Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  25. "Divisions". Paddy Power Betfair. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  26. "Paddy Power opens its 600th outlet". RTÉ News. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  27. Shane Anderson. "Huge Sportsbet result for Paddy Power". RACING.COM. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  28. "Fox Sports, Stars Group to offer sports betting in deal". Las Vegas Sun. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  29. Barry O'Halloran (8 March 2016). "Paddy Power Betfair to launch in US with betting exchange". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  30. "Find licensees". Gambling Commission. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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