Online gambling’s powerhouse operators

The most recently published issue of EGR magazine includes their 12th annual Power 50 list, setting out from top to bottom who they believe online gambling’s biggest movers and shakers are.

You’ll know most of the names. Many of them are listed on this site as most of them have live dealers, as well as every other conceivable and legal method of placing a bet online.

Couple of points before getting to the list.

First it’s worth looking at the ranking criteria. There are four: financial strength; geographic reach; strategy and impact; and influence and leadership. The first is quite quantifiable, the other three start to get a little subjective. But anyway, each operator is assessed based on all four of these criteria to arrive at a final score (out of 100) and ranking.

Secondly, this is a list of operators – B2C companies serving customers like you and me. It doesn’t include the B2B guys like Playtech, Microgaming, NetEntertainmnet etc. I suspect if it did the aforementioned would all be right up there on the list (888 Holdings comes in at number 10 with EBITDA of £32m, Playtech made around €200 for the same year).

So without any further waffle, here’s the top 10:

1. bet365 Champs for the 6th year in a row. But the gab to 2nd is narrowing, and next year they could well be knocked of their perch (see note on this year’s M&A impacts below)
2. Amaya (Pokerstars, Fulltilt) The rising star of the list, having reinventing themselves in no time flat from a B2B company to a B2C business following some spectacular acquisitions during the year.
3. William Hill Always thereabouts, one position down this year.
4. Betfair Won’t be on the list as Betfair next year
5. Paddy Power Won’t be on the list as Paddy Power next year (and actually tied for 4th with Betfair. What a cute couple they will make)
6. Unibet A noted big mover from last year
7. Sky
8. GVC
9. Betsson More influential outside the UK
10. 888

Other names you will probably be familiar with that made the top 50 include: (11) Bwin.Party, (13) Gala Coral, (16) Betvictor, (21) Betway , (22) Ladbrokes, (23) Dafabet , (25) Rank Interactive (Grosvenor), (29) Mr Green, (30) Paf,  (32) 32 Red (coincidence?), (36) BetFred , (50) BGO

Very different at the top next year

On the back of a very active M&A 2015, next year’s list will see more movement at the top than we’ve been used to.

EGR’s crystal ball top 5  for 2016 looks like this…

1. Paddy Power Betfair
2. Bet365
3. Amaya
4. William Hill
5. GVC (with Bwin.Party on the books)