This past quarter has been a landmark one for Entain and one in which we have made huge strides in delivering against the core pillars of our sustainability and growth strategy.
Following the acquisitions of Bet.pt, one of the leading sports betting and gaming operators in the Portuguese market, and Enlabs, a leading operator across the Baltic states – both completed in the past few weeks – we have now increased the number of regulated markets we operate in by almost 30% in the space of 12 months. This time last year we had operations in 21 fully regulated markets; having also added Germany and Colombia in the interim, we now operate in 27.
It is a testament to our ambition, our industry-leading proprietary technology, and the energy of our colleagues around the globe that we are able to scale at such pace. And it also means that more customers are enjoying the Entain experience – greater choice, better tech and thrilling entertainment; all provided in a safe environment via our award-winning approach to responsible betting and gaming.
Our unique technology capabilities enable us to deploy and adapt our scale, but it’s our commitment to operate wholly within regulated markets by 2023 that provides commercial certainty as we continue our exciting growth journey.
It’s important to note that while regulation reinforces operational standards for each jurisdiction, the past quarter has also highlighted the risk of over-regulation in some countries. As I wrote for a British publication earlier in the year, regulation needs to be smart, recognising that no two customers are the same. At Entain, we’ve implemented intelligent and innovative technology-led safety measures to ensure that individuals are treated with care. I really believe that this level of technology is the key to achieving the harmonization of regulation, player protection and an exciting experience for all.
Our unique technology capabilities enable us to deploy and adapt our scale, but it’s our commitment to operate wholly within regulated markets by 2023 that provides commercial certainty as we continue our exciting growth journey.
Looking to the US, we recently hosted a virtual investor day alongside MGM Resorts International, which detailed the incredible progress our joint venture, BetMGM, has made since we launched there in 2018. We provided updates from the people driving the business forward on the strategy for unlocking the many opportunities in front of us. Our journey in the US has moved at pace and is delivering tangible results; we’re excited by the prospects that lie ahead and are certain that the best is yet to come.
Finally, on sustainability, the second pillar of our strategy, I was especially proud that we were able to launch a ShareSave scheme for our 22,500+ international colleagues, giving them the chance to benefit from our continued success and own a stake in the fantastic company they’ve worked so hard on building. We also committed to becoming carbon net zero throughout our business by 2035 and have been awarded an AA ESG rating by the MSCI agency.
I hope you enjoy reading our second quarterly newsletter and seeing, in a little more detail, the different aspects which combine to create a real sense of momentum in the business. With our clear strategy, our pace of growth, and our ambitions underpinned by proprietary, cutting-edge, market-leading technology, we are very excited about what lies ahead for Entain.