Entain chief executive Stella David said darts had become one of the company’s fastest-growing betting verticals. The company reported 37% more darts bets than in 2018, while bets rose 92% in December and 59% in January during periods associated with the World Darts Championship.
Operators can use the reported growth figures to assess demand for darts betting markets.
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Entain said the UK Machine Games Duty rate on machines with a stake of at least £1 will rise from 20% to 25% on 1 April 2027. The group estimates an annual cost of about £25m for its UK&I Retail division before mitigation, while keeping its 2026 guidance unchanged and aiming to offset the impact by the end of 2028.
Entain has estimated an additional annual cost of about £25m from changes to UK gambling taxation, the company said in a notice published through the London Stock Exchange's RNS service. The estimate covers the group's UK&I Retail division, which includes its shop operations in the UK and Ireland, and was made before any mitigation measures. Entain said its guidance for 2026, issued on 15 October, is unchanged.
Entain maintained its full-year 2026 guidance after reporting a 2% rise in third-quarter group net gaming revenue, the company said. Online NGR increased 3% year on year in the three months to 30 September, while the company forecast full-year online growth of 4% to 6% on a constant-currency basis. It kept underlying EBITDA guidance, excluding parent fees, at £910m to £960m, with results expected at the lower end.
New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs confirmed on Tuesday that 11 operators received rights to apply for online casino licences after an auction. The process involved 32 bidders over 10 rounds and ended at NZ$15 million per licence; Baytree Interactive Limited (Betway) received three rights, while Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited (Entain) received two. Formal licences remain subject to applications and regulatory assessment, with awards expected in early 2027.
New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs confirmed on Tuesday that 11 operators have secured rights to apply for online casino licences following an expression of interest auction. The auction ended at a final price of NZ$15m per licence, with 32 bidders competing over 10 rounds for 15 available licences. The department granted 15 rights to apply to the 11 successful participants, and some companies secured more than one right, allowing them to submit separate applications.
Entain has introduced BlackRush Casino for New Zealand’s planned online casino market, reportedly ahead of the market’s expected May launch. The launch follows the country’s 29 September licence auction, but winning an auction place only gives operators the right to apply for a licence, the Department of Internal Affairs explained. Each brand needs separate approval.
The Betting and Gaming Council launched a campaign on 28 September opposing further betting shop tax rises in Britain. The BGC attributed to EY modelling an estimate that raising Machine Games Duty to 40% could jeopardise up to 16,000 jobs and leave the Treasury approximately £124m worse off.
A campaign called "Back Our Betting Shops" was started by the Betting and Gaming Council on Monday. It sets out to show how employees, communities and high streets across Britain could be affected by additional tax rises and shop closures. According to the BGC, the initiative features workers from several parts of the industry, among them apprentices, managers, customers, long-serving staff and community collaborators.