(AsiaGameHub) –   Entain has highlighted its strong interest in the UK gambling sector, as Chief Executive Officer Stella David noted that the operator is expanding its market presence as the 40% remote gaming duty (RGD) period commences.

Mike Snape, Chief Financial Officer, pointed out that the UK gambling industry has been compelled to evolve due to tax reforms, which David described as ‘draconian’, thereby creating openings for Entain to secure market share. 

During this accelerated market transformation, Snape revealed that the operator has refused to slow down, whereas many other market participants have seen their enthusiasm dampened by such harsh tax adjustments.

“We are capitalizing on the current market landscape, and this represents just the beginning of what we believe we can accomplish with our UK operations.”

David also offered a positive outlook on Entain’s performance in the UK. She informed investors that the company aims for further market share expansion, reporting a 6% year-over-year rise in UK & Ireland net gaming revenue (NGR), with online NGR climbing 13%.

When asked about the impact of the UK’s RGD rise, David remarked: “It’s really too early to say. I think the more important point is that we have definitely been increasing our share in the UK in advance of those tax increases and part of our strategy is to continue to increase our share. 

“Certainly in gaming, if you look at the market, there is a long tail of tier two and tier three operators all having very small percentage shares of the market, so within the regulated sector, we definitely see there’s an opportunity to continue to build on that share gain. We will see over time just how much of an impact that the black market has on the overall growth of the regulated sector.” 

Despite the changing market, David encouraged the industry to persist in lobbying the government. She stated it is vital to prevent further encroachment by the black market resulting from stricter regulations. 

The World Cup has been consistently identified as a major opportunity for Entain to gain market share. However, David revealed the operator is approaching the event with realistic expectations. 

David detailed that the tournament will be ‘a rollercoaster’, emphasizing that during its early stages, margins are tight with lopsided games. She added that the focus is more on recruitment.

NGR growth amidst retail battles 

Entain’s group NGR grew by 3% YoY in Q1, with gaming NGR up 7% YoY but sports NGR down 3% YoY. Online NGR improved by 5% YoY, while retail NGR decreased by 3% YoY.

International NGR increased by 1% YoY, with online NGR up 2% YoY, but retail NGR fell by 4% YoY. CEE NGR dropped by 6% YoY, with online and retail NGR declining by 1% and 30% YoY, respectively. 

BetMGM revenue reached $696m, up 6% YoY. Total group NGR, including BetMGM, rose by 5% YoY.

Entain also confirmed its 2026 guidance, projecting 5%-7% online NGR growth on a constant currency basis, remaining confident in market expectations for group underlying EBITDA, as well as achieving at least £500m of annual adjusted cashflow in 2028.