Bet365 was founded in a temporary office unit – a portable, cabin-like structure typically seen on construction sites or school grounds – placed on a parking lot in Stoke-on-Trent in the year 2000. Today, 25 years later, the British gambling giant is reportedly considering a sale worth up to £9 billion, or roughly €10.35 billion. If confirmed, it would mark one of the most significant transactions in the history of online gambling.
The company was the brainchild of Denise Coates, daughter of bookmaker and Stoke City FC owner Peter Coates. She took out a £15 million loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland, secured against the family’s chain of betting shops – and bet it all on the internet. The result was a proprietary online sportsbook platform, launched in 2001. Success followed swiftly. In 2005, the betting shops were sold to Coral for £40 million, and Bet365 became a pure digital operation.
Denise Coates is now known as the UK’s highest-paid executive, yet she remains a near-mythical figure in the business world. Avoiding publicity and rejecting outside investment, she has maintained over 50% ownership of the company, which is still privately held. With offices in Stoke, Manchester, Malta and Australia and a workforce of over 4,000 people, Bet365 has grown into a global operation under her uncompromising leadership.
While other firms were still relying heavily on their retail operations, Bet365 went all-in on digital and pioneered live, in-play betting. Its slick, responsive platform and deep focus on real-time odds allowed it to dominate global markets quickly.
Where competitors were names like William Hill and Ladbrokes, Bet365 represented something entirely different: a tech-led, globally scalable, product-focused company. Heavy reinvestment in tech, UX and marketing solidified its market position and revenue dominance.
Bet365’s rise hasn’t been without controversy. A significant portion of revenue historically came from “grey markets” like China, where gambling is restricted. Amid increasing scrutiny, the company began pivoting towards regulated jurisdictions, launching in the US, Ontario, and Australia.
In March 2025, Bet365 officially announced it would exit China and several other legally ambiguous markets, aligning operations with jurisdictions offering long-term regulatory stability.
Bet365’s position remains strong, but the market has evolved. What once made the brand untouchable – its live-betting experience – has become standard. Now, competition comes from global, tech-savvy operators like Flutter, DraftKings, and Kaizen Gaming.
Tighter regulations have also raised the stakes. In 2024, Bet365 came under investigation by Australia’s AUSTRAC for alleged anti-money laundering failures. The company has previously faced penalties in Australia and the EU for misleading promotions.
On May 1, 2025, The Guardian reported that the Coates family was exploring a potential sale of Bet365. The report suggested talks had been held with US-based banks and private equity firms, with options ranging from a partial stake sale to a full IPO in the United States.
Paul Leyland of Regulus Partners commented in NEXT.io: “This was always going to happen eventually. The real question is: do you want to run a global gambling group into your 60s and 70s while the world changes at breakneck speed?”
With a reported valuation of £9 billion and a private structure that allows for generous dividends, there’s no rush. As Leyland put it: “When you own the whole thing, you can always choose not to sell.”
Bet365 has never played by the industry’s traditional rules. It’s a family-run business that scaled globally on its own terms. But increasing complexity – both regulatory and technical – may make a sale or IPO the most logical next chapter.
If sold, Bet365 would enter a new era. The company’s famously tight control would give way to investor oversight and public scrutiny. For the Coates family, it may be a strategic pivot. For the industry, a watershed moment. And for competitors? The game might just have changed.
Lead streamer and expert on online casinos.
Natvig has been in the industry since 2019. He started streaming on Twitch and has later expanded Kingbonus into Instagram, Youtube and Kick.
