Canada — With the acquisition of Avid Gaming, Entain expands its foothold in Canada.

Middlebrook Investments Limited has sold Avid Gaming, the owner of Sports Interaction, Canada’s top online sports betting brand, to Entain for CA$300 million.

Avid Gaming is based in Jersey (Channel Islands), with offices in Kahnawà:ke, Mohawk Territory, and Ireland. Avid Gaming is the exclusive licensee of the Sports Interaction trademark and supplies the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) and the Mohawk Online socioeconomic program with exclusive online betting and gaming products and services. Sports Interaction is operated in Canada by Mohawk Online, which is completely owned by the MCK.

Canada is a popular and rapidly expanding sports betting and gambling market. This acquisition, together with Entain’s application for an Ontario license, presents an outstanding potential for the Group to drive additional growth in accordance with its growth and sustainability plan.

Entain’s existing Canadian company, which includes the Party and bwin brands, would benefit greatly from Sports Interaction’s sports-focused offering. Entain’s worldwide scale, knowledge, and market-leading platform will be combined with Sports Interaction’s local expertise, skills, and partnerships in this merger. As a result of the merger, customers will have access to a wider range of engaging products and services tailored to the Canadian market. Will Golby, the CEO of Avid Gaming, and other members of the executive team will join Entain.

Through Sports Interaction’s unique exclusive connection with Mohawk Online, the Group is thrilled to continue helping the Mohawks of Kahnawà:socioeconomic ke’s initiatives. Mohawk Online revenues are invested back into the community of Kahnawà:ke to provide essential funding for cultural and language programs, schools, healthcare, and other public services, in accordance with economic principles adopted by Canada under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Mohawk Online earnings played a critical role in Kahnawà:Covid ke’s 19 relief efforts in 2020, with 50 percent of Avid Gaming employees in Kahnawà:ke being Mohawk.

Sports Interaction has had fast growth in recent years, with total revenues expected to increase by 40% year on year to CA$76 million in 2021.

Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO of Entain, added: “Sports Interaction is the leading Canadian sports betting and gaming brand and is aligned perfectly with our own ambitions of great customer service and ambitious growth, coupled with an unwavering commitment to sustainability. It is highly complementary to our existing operations in Canada, and the combination of its local expertise and Entain’s powerful platform will provide customers with an unrivalled range of exciting and engaging products in this fast-growing market. We look forward to welcoming Will Golby and his team to Entain. Investing in the communities where we operate is a key pillar of Entain’s sustainability strategy. We are therefore delighted to be supporting the Mohawk Online socio-economic initiative.”

Will Golby, CEO of Avid Gaming, comments: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Entain, which is an exceptional company combining world-class brands, strong leadership and a winning strategy. It has a unique approach to local markets, and no other company of its scale consistently delivers so many well-executed, localised approaches to the same level of customisation and detail. Entain’s commitment to sustainability, responsible gaming and community investment aligns exactly with our own business philosophy, and we look forward to a bright future together.”

“Entain is a world-class operator with a real desire to positively contribute to the communities in which it operates,” said Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke. The Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission is well-known in the gaming business, not only for its internationally recognized jurisdiction, but also for our socio-economic venture, Mohawk Online. This new cooperation between Entain and the Mohawks of Kahnawà:ke is mutually beneficial, and it provides a great opportunity to strengthen our self-sufficiency by ensuring the success of Sports Interaction.”