Entain mulls potential sale of Central and Eastern Europe venture

• Entain is considering the sale of its Central and Eastern Europe venture
• The move is dictated by the need to address mounting tax pressure in the United Kingdom as the company scales globally
• Entain has refused to comment, with a potential sale to EMMA Capital, the co-owner of the venture

London-listed Entain is exploring options for its joint venture in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), multiple media outlets, including Reuters, reported over the last few days, citing at least three sources familiar with the matter.

Entain reportedly mulls sale of stake in CEE joint venture

According to reports, Entain is mulling a potential sale as part of a range of options, as the company seeks to navigate a tougher operational landscape in the United Kingdom, where the increase in the online gambling tax levy to 40% from 21% has posed challenges to its current operational model.

Entain's sports betting business has also been affected, with the sports betting tax also adjusted to 25% from previously 15% in April 2026, prompting the firm to seek alternatives.

Entain has already cautioned that as a result of these changes to the country’s tax structure, the company will be seeking to absorb £200m in additional annual costs, with the company seeking to offset 25% of these new costs in 2026, and an other 50% in 2027.

Ultimately, this is one of the options sources have told Reuters about, with Entain potentially willing to sell its stake to existing partner EMMA Capital and use the proceeds to pay down debt.

However, Entain is only exploring it tentatively, and a transaction is not guaranteed to happen at this point. Entain is within its contractual rights to pursue this potential course of action, as the original agreement between EMMA Capital and the gambling company allows for changes in the ownership structures on the third anniversary

Discussions are still in the early stages, as media reporting corroborated. Entain CEE was established in 2022 in the wake of the Croatian sportsbook operator SuperSport acqusition, and quickly gained momentum after it bought out Polish betting company STS in 2023 for £750m.

Entain’s share took a tumble, but remains steady as company outlook strong

Entain’s shares have been sliding since July 31, 2025 when the stock hit £1,022 to £556.20 today, indicative of the continued challenges the company continues to face. Regardless, Entain’s prospects are buoyed by its international scale and reach, including a joint venture in the United States - BetMGM.

The company also runs the Ladbrokes, Coral, bwin and Sportingbet brands, which have also sought to grow their international footprint and lessen their dependence on the domestic market in the United Kingdom.

While the sale of Entain CEE may seem like a withdrawal from yet another crucial jurisdiction, the longer-term result may allow the company to navigate the challenging gambling landscape at home and abroad, which is increasingly determined by tougher regulation on gambling firms.

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