Family of Coates considers potential billion-dollar deal for sports wagering corporation Bet365.
Coates Family Ponders Full or Partial Sale of Bet365, Valuation of Around 9 Billion GBP Discussed
According to multiple reports, the British Coates family is considering the sale of sports betting operator Bet365. Owners of the online gambling giant, the Coates family is in discussions with US investment banks and advisors about strategic options, including a potential initial public offering (IPO) on a US exchange or a partial sale to private equity investors. A valuation of approximately 9 billion GBP (around 10.6 billion EUR) is under consideration.
Talks regarding the future of Bet365 have already taken place, with the British daily newspaper The Guardian reporting on the matter. Although a final decision has yet to be made, the process is in an advanced stage. In addition to a traditional IPO or partial sale, a spin-off of individual business units is also being contemplated, with certain business areas being carved out for independent continuation.
Strategic and personal reasons may be behind the potential sale, according to market observers. CEO Denise Coates, who owns 58% of the shares and could receive around 5 billion GBP (around 5.9 billion EUR) in the event of a sale, has recently made several strategic maneuvers. In March 2025, she withdrew Bet365 from the legally sensitive Chinese market and handed control of the family-owned football club Stoke City FC to her brother John.
Bet365's roots trace back to an office container in Stoke-on-Trent, where, over the past two decades, it has grown to become one of the largest online betting providers globally. Denise Coates, who today ranks among the UK's wealthiest entrepreneurs, has led the company. With a potential sale or IPO on the horizon, the company could be poised for its next significant step.
Financially, the company is in a strong position. For the fiscal year ending March 2024, Bet365 reported a 9% increase in revenue to 3.72 billion GBP (around 4.36 billion EUR) and a pre-tax profit of 626.6 million GBP (around 735 million EUR)—a rebound from a loss in the previous year. A US IPO could make Bet365 the largest listing of a gambling company worldwide and signal that online gambling has finally entered the mainstream.
Selling or going public could unlock significant capital, enabling Bet365 to expand in the US and other global markets and improve its product offerings. Moreover, a sale or IPO of this scale would have significant implications for the gambling industry, potentially reshaping investor confidence in the sector.
The Coates family, as the sole owner, is not compelled to act and can take its time to find the optimal moment. However, the increasing industry maturity and the growing competitive pressure, particularly from US giants like DraftKings, suggest that Bet365 could be on the brink of entering a new phase of development under new management. Industry analysts have noted Bet365's strong performance and strategic moves, and speculated that personal considerations within the Coates family may also play a role in a potential sale.
The Enrichment Data suggests that a sale or IPO could significantly impact competitors and reshape investor confidence in the sector, potentially making Bet365's online betting rivals like Flutter or Entain more attractive to investors. In addition, a successful Bet365 IPO could serve as a new benchmark for valuing competitors and influence the market value of similar companies.
What could the future hold for sports betting giant Bet365? Considering the potential sale of the company, talks about a traditional IPO, a partial sale to private equity investors, or even a spin-off of individual business units have been reported.
