Year in review Q4: Awards season gets underway and MGM issues ultimatum to Entain

Awards season dominated the landscape of Q4 with the annual EGR Operator Awards and the reveal of the Power 50 rankings taking spots one and two among the most-read stories between the start of October and today. Entain secured the coveted operator of the year accolade at the awards ceremony held at Grosvenor House in London’s Mayfair on 25 November, however the FTSE 100 giant was beaten to the top spot in the Power 50 rankings by Flutter which bagged first place for the second year running. EGR said at the time: “It’s probably no surprise to find Flutter sitting pretty at the top of the Power 50 ranking for the second year running. After all, this FTSE 100 juggernaut remains the world’s largest public gambling operator with a market cap in excess of £19bn, supported by a bulging portfolio of market-leading betting and gaming brands.”

Gambling Commission launches review into BGO and suspends operating licence

On 15 October, it was announced that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) had suspended the operating licence of BGO Entertainment as it carried out a review of the Gibraltar-based operator’s online and casino business. The suspension was implemented with immediate effect, with UKGC citing “failure to protect customers” being a key consideration in the decision. The UKGC continued: “We have made it clear to the operator that during the course of the suspension, we expect it to focus on treating customers fairly and keeping them fully informed of any developments which impact them.” A landing page on BGO’s website confirms that the company is still not operational in the UK after having surrendered its licence on 22 October.

MGM CEO issues Entain ultimatum should DraftKings bid proceed

On 7 October, MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle cast doubts over the company’s long-term relationship with joint venture partner Entain. Referring to the since-shelved DraftKings bid for Entain, Hornbuckle, speaking at G2E in Las Vegas, said: “Ultimately if DraftKings is able to acquire Entain, then they’ll need to come to us if they want to operate in the US, as they can’t do both.” The BetMGM JV began in July 2018, with MGM and Entain agreeing 50/50 ownership and initially investing more than $200m in the brand. Today, it is the number two operator nationally in the US behind Flutter-owned FanDuel.