Flutter Entertainment successfully acquires Sisal Group, marking a significant move in the gambling industry.
Flutter Entertainment Strengthens Presence in Italian Gambling Market with Sisal Group Acquisition
In a significant move, Flutter Entertainment, an Irish company, has completed the takeover of Sisal Group, a major player in the Italian market. The deal, worth approximately US$1.9 billion, positions Flutter Entertainment as a leading contender in the Italian gambling market.
Sisal Group, one of the leaders in the Italian market, is a key player in national lottery programs across Europe and North Africa. They hold operating licenses for the national lottery in Italy, Turkey, and Morocco. With this acquisition, Flutter Entertainment aims to attain a gold medal position in the Italian market.
The acquisition has already shown positive results. Sisal Group has posted 58% year-on-year increases in revenue projections and a 51% increase in before-tax earnings following the announcement of the acquisition. These figures suggest a promising future for the combined entity.
The Italian market, the second largest for online gambling in Europe, generates a gross revenue of around US$18.9 billion each year. However, the online sports gambling and casino gambling markets in Italy are already saturated with products. To stand out, Flutter Entertainment plans to pursue an omni-channel strategy, leveraging Sisal Group's strong branding and customer base.
Peter Jackson, Flutter's chief executive, is optimistic about the acquisition, particularly due to Sisal's large existing customer base and strong leadership personnel. Sisal's Chief Executive, Francesco Durante, shares Jackson's optimism, stating that the acquisition will further strengthen their leadership in the markets they operate in.
The latest acquisition supports Flutter Entertainment's growth strategy as they exert more dominance on the broader market across the continent. After acquiring Sisal Group, Flutter Entertainment holds a strong market position in Italy, boasting a 21.7% overall market share and an even more dominant 30.2% share of the online market as of Q2 2025. This acquisition, along with the earlier Snai acquisition, has helped Flutter establish a leadership position in the country.
Flutter is actively integrating Sisal (and Snai) into its Sports Entertainment and Asia (SEA) region. They plan to migrate Sisal customers onto Flutter’s market-leading online platform by the first half of 2026. The company expresses growing confidence in achieving synergy targets from these integrations and views Italy as a key part of its international growth strategy.
Overall, Flutter is strengthening its footprint in Italy with a significant online presence and ambitious plans to unify operations under its advanced platform to capture more of the regulated Italian betting market. The acquisition of Sisal Group marks a significant step in Flutter Entertainment's growth strategy, as they continue to expand their presence in the European gambling market.
Eddy Cheung, a notable figure in the industry, shared his personal anecdote about his first experience at Kai Tak, Hong Kong's gambling city, expressing nostalgia and fondness for the place. However, it seems the future of gambling is not in the brick-and-mortar establishments but in the digital realm, as evidenced by Flutter Entertainment's recent acquisitions.
Sports betting is a key focus of Flutter Entertainment's expansion plans, as evidenced by their acquisition of Sisal Group, a leading player in the Italian market. With the combined entity, Flutter Entertainment aims to increase its market share in the highly competitive online sports gambling market in Italy.
