Entain has upped its profit guidance for the current year and unveiled plans to acquire Enlabs, which operates online sports betting and gaming brands across the Baltic region.

Entain believes that a combination with Enlabs would allow Enlabs to accelerate delivery of its ambitions both in terms of growth within its existing markets and successful expansion into adjacent markets, including Belarus and Ukraine.

Leveraging the combined expertise across the enlarged group would deliver an enhanced proposition to Enlabs’ customers. In a highly competitive and regulated industry, Entain believes scale and diversification is essential to continue to create shareholder value. Entain places great value on Enlabs’ organization and, by leveraging Entain’s scale, proprietary technology, marketing skills and products, will drive further growth in order to create long-term positive effects for Enlabs employees and other stakeholders.

Entain’s plans for the future business and general strategy do not currently include any material changes to Enlabs’ organization, management and employees, including their terms of employment, or to the locations of Enlabs’ operations. 

Shay Segev, CEO of Entain plc comments: “The acquisition of Enlabs is perfectly aligned with our strategy of expanding across new regulated international markets. We are hugely excited by the growth opportunities it presents both in its existing markets and through new market opportunities. Enlabs is already a strong and rapidly growing business in its own right, but we now have a fantastic opportunity to turbocharge its growth by leveraging the power of our unparalleled proprietary technology, scale, product and marketing expertise.”

Niklas Braathen comments: “When Entain’s interest to acquire Enlabs emerged, we instantly saw the strategic logic. Our interaction with them so far has confirmed they will provide an excellent home for the company, its customers and employees. Entain’s experience and track record in many different geographic markets, together with its market-leading proprietary technology and world-class marketing skills are key attractions for Enlabs as we look to grow in the Baltics and beyond. Finally, Enlabs has achieved an enormous amount as an independent business, but we recognise the established trend of industry consolidation and the growing importance of scale.”