Entain has reported a 2% uptick in NGR for Q3 2026 as CEO Stella David warned the UK government to “carefully consider” any further tax rises that would “threaten the viability” of shops and jobs.
Management said the 2% gain reflected the “the resilience and quality of Entain’s diverse global portfolio”, with gaming NGR up 6%, though this was offset by a 3% decline in sports betting NGR.
Online NGR increased 3%, driven by an 8% jump in gaming. Bosses attributed the 3% dip in online sports betting to “friendly sports results and ongoing challenges in Brazil”.
The Brazilian online sports betting and igaming market was officially closed on 6 October after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a provisional measure to outlaw the sector.
Entain, which had operated the Sportingbet brand in the market, said Brazilian NGR in Q3 slumped 36% due to “disciplined marketing and player engagement in an increasingly challenging market”.
There was growth across the UK and Ireland in the first full quarter despite the Ladbrokes and Coral parent having to contend with the 40% rate of remote gaming duty.
Overall NGR was up 8%, while online NGR leapt 14% and Entain said the performance on its home turf was “ahead of expectations”.
Online NGR increased 14%, fuelled by a 17% leap in igaming and a 3% increase in sports betting.
Management said its UK and Ireland brands made market share gains off the back of “strategic execution and investment”.
Entain is facing a potential double tax blow should Chancellor John Healey elect to up Machine Games Duty (MGD) from 20% in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Entain has been among a group of leading operators to air concerns around an increase in the tax paid on Category B machines in betting shops, citing potential job losses and shop closures. David was one of the senior signatories on a letter sent to Healey by the Betting and Gaming Council this week, urging him to rule out a rise in MGD, and to pause the planned increase in general betting duty due in April 2027.
Meanwhile, Entain’s international arm reported a 4% dip in NGR, namely due to the downturn in Brazil. Italy also reported an NGR slip of 6% versus Q3 2025.
However, New Zealand, Spain and Canada all delivered double-digit growth during the quarter. Australia, where Entain runs Ladbrokes and Neds, noted a 1% increase in online NGR
Guidance for the full year has been retained and replicates that issued by the business in the wake of the Brazilian gambling ban announced on 25 September.
Online NGR is expected to grow between 4% and 6%, while underlying EBITDA is projected to be at the lower end of the £910 to £960m range.
Entain also noted the group expects its divestment of a 20% stake in Entain CEE to EMMA Capital as part of a phased exit from the business containing STS and SuperSport should complete in Q4.
Stella David, Entain CEO, said: “I am pleased with our Q3 performance which reflects the strength of our execution and reinforces the resilience of our globally scaled business as well as its ability to consistently deliver high-quality growth.”
On the tax issue, she added: “Both online and retail are important parts of our business and valued contributors to tax revenues and local communities.
“We strongly urge the UK government to carefully consider any further gambling tax increases which would threaten the viability of many shops, jobs and livelihoods.”
Shares in Entain, which fell out of the FTSE 100 in September, are down around 2% to 433p in early trading in London.
The post Entain CEO warns UK Treasury over tax hikes as Q3 NGR rises 2% first appeared on EGR Intel.
Ladbrokes parent reports strong UK and Ireland revenue, with online NGR up 14% despite in first full quarter with 40% remote gaming duty
The post Entain CEO warns UK Treasury over tax hikes as Q3 NGR rises 2% first appeared on EGR Intel.