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Stella David, Entain’s CEO, called for the government to move ahead with the ban immediately, arguing clubs were already aware of the planned changes.
“Premier League clubs that have struck new deals with unlicensed gambling operators knew the risks,” she said. “The government made clear in February that it would bring in a ban and it should do so immediately: even if that means clubs ordering new kit mid-season.
“Inconvenience is not an excuse for inaction.”
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“On the numbers GiG has disclosed it looks cheap,” he says. “€16.4 million for 80% implies an EV of €20.5 million against roughly $50 million of run-rate NGR, 30% year-on-year growth and positive cash generation. €6m of cash on day one for a business generating $50 million of NGR tells you who needed the deal.”
Although Bally’s takeover of Evoke may have prompted a slightly discounted price and a quick decision for GiG to buy 888Africa, the continent has been part of GiG’s plans for a while Richards insists. “We received the information memorandum in Q2 2026,” Richards adds. “Africa has long been a market that our CEO Richard Carter has admired and his insight enabled us to move quickly to be able to announce the principal commercial terms at our results at the end of August.”
Both Richards and Ahlberg state this acquisition doesn’t reflect a turnaround story for 888Africa, with a management team led by industry veteran Christopher Coyne and a footprint in some of the continent’s fastest-growing markets.
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“In my opinion it’s a mature market,” Rossi states. “Because historically, I believe Peru was one of the first betting markets in all of Latin America. Although the regulation was not there, betting was quite tolerated in the past.
“Of course, the room to grow is going along with the increasing penetration of mobile. And of course, demographically wise, a quite important area, a generation that is looking into online entertainment always wants more and more.”
The next stage for Peru may therefore depend not only on how operators compete for existing bettors, but on how they engage a new generation of digital consumers. “It’s our responsibility, of course, to educate those newcomers into the online gaming world to always play responsibly, with their head on their neck,” Rossi concludes.
