## Entain Takes Over BetCity: A Look Inside the Agreement – Mergers and Acquisitions – iGB
Paul Richardson, a corporate advisory specialist at Partis, joined the company in early June. Just a few weeks later, he finalized his first significant transaction, when Entain purchased BetCity to speed up its return to the Netherlands market.
**Entain Takes Over BetCity: A Look Inside the Agreement**
The significance of the Netherlands betting market is clear in the operators who were denied licenses. The financial impact outlined by some well-known names, who cut off access to Dutch customers, demonstrates how much business they were already conducting, even without actively marketing to local consumers or providing local language services.
For instance, Kindred stated its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) would be diminished by £12 million per month while it exited the market. When it finally received a license in June 2022, its stock price increased by about 10%.
Betsson faced losses of approximately SEK 25 million (about £2 million) per month, while Entain said its monthly EBITDA would be reduced by around £5 million.
This has created an opportunity for local brands to flourish. The Netherlands National Lottery and its Toto brand were early winners, as was the casino monopoly operator Holland Casino. Joining these businesses on the podium is BetCity, a brand that only went live last October, but appears to have become a leading name.
Entain has purchased BetCity for a sum of €300 million, a transaction facilitated by Partis, the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory division of Conexus Group. This acquisition comes shortly after Paul Richardson joined the company as a partner.
Richardson brings a vast amount of experience to the table, having previously held the position of Head of Corporate Strategy and Development at Rank Group. Before that, he worked in investment banking across European, Asian, and American markets. He has been involved in significant deals such as the merger of Gala and Coral, William Hill’s entry into the United States, and Galaxy Entertainment’s expansion in Macau and beyond.
The BetCity deal is particularly noteworthy, with a total consideration of €850 million, subject to performance-based incentives. However, Entain anticipates the final price to be around €450 million. Paul Leyland of Regulus Partners observed that this price “represents one of the quickest returns in the industry,” achieved just 9 months after BetCity’s launch.
For Richardson, the price reflects “the potential of the Dutch market and the quality of the business.”
“The quality of the BetEnt business is exceptional,” he explained. “The family behind it has been operating amusement arcades in Amsterdam for 30 years; they understand the market, they understand the regulatory landscape.”
He mentioned that they have hired Melvin Boestraal (CEO) and Robert Koijman (Marketing Director), both of whom possess strong digital backgrounds.
They established themselves on the Kambi sports wagering platform and the Oryx platform, and forged an agreement with Evolution, so they introduced a very good product and gained market share by outperforming others who are still struggling to find a solution.
In the final quarter of 2021, they projected a 20% market share, which translates to roughly €30 million in income. Including Holland Casino and Toto’s market share means that just three licensed organizations account for about three-quarters of income.
Richardson believes this also influenced the acquisition price, particularly since the upcoming marketing control measures will make it more challenging for new entrants to catch up with early leaders.
“Clearly, there’s space for large European experts to enter the market, but Bet365 is already present, and it’s a far cry from BetCity,” he indicated. “Tombola has been granted a license, so Flutter can take action, but I believe marketing restrictions will make it more difficult for them to close the gap.
“They can’t revert to the old database and acquire customers the way BetCity did when it opened,” he added. “The cost of acquisition (CPA) will be higher, and the tools to acquire customers will be more difficult, [as the influencer ban takes effect on July 1].”
The individual indicated that a fellow operator proposed that the marketing limitations promised by the Minister of Justice, Franc Weverwind, would effectively prohibit online marketing, implying that new entrants’ acquisition avenues would be considerably diminished.
He further stated that this doesn’t signify that a novel, distinct product can’t establish a presence in the Netherlands – though this holds true in every competitive, regulated marketplace. “Competitors are constantly seeking something fresh,” he remarked. “I believe this underscores why Entain entered into this agreement,” he added. “This position will be challenging to displace, as the new product is scheduled for release in nine months.”
However, Richardson added that an increasing number of operators are adopting a strategy in mergers and acquisitions of obtaining local market expertise through entities like BetCity. Companies with substantial financial resources can purchase market share instead of investing the capital required to cultivate market share.
“That’s the rationale behind mergers and acquisitions,” he stated. “You can’t simultaneously launch in multiple markets, but you can acquire a business with a capable management team that has demonstrated its ability to launch successfully.”
This also facilitates synergies, when there’s a central technological framework to transfer new acquisitions onto, as Entain intends to do with BetCity, mirroring its approach with Bet.pt in Portugal and Enlabs in the Baltic nations.
Harnessing combined efforts, Richardson stated that the numerous can be minimized to a handful, noting that publicly listed companies “execute this routinely.”
“The governing body will only permit continued expenditures if they are convinced of your fiscal responsibility and the realization of promised returns from the agreement. Entain’s strategic and merger and acquisition team boasts a strong history of acquisitions and integrations.”
The agreement arrived shortly after Richardson officially joined Partis, showcasing his determination. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to finalize one of the most advantageous transactions I’ve ever participated in just a fortnight after announcing my affiliation with the company,” he remarked.
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