{"id":10916,"date":"2026-06-22T22:43:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T22:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/22\/entain-weighs-cee-sale-as-uk-gambling-tax-costs-rise\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T22:43:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T22:43:44","slug":"entain-weighs-cee-sale-as-uk-gambling-tax-costs-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/22\/entain-weighs-cee-sale-as-uk-gambling-tax-costs-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Entain Weighs CEE Sale As UK Gambling Tax Costs Rise"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Entain may sell part of a growing European business while UK tax costs climb. Reuters reported that the Ladbrokes and Coral owner is reviewing options for Entain CEE, including a possible sale to joint venture partner EMMA Capital.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><em><strong>Good to know<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Entain expects UK gambling tax changes to add around \u00a3200 million in annual costs.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>A sale of the CEE holding could help reduce adjusted net debt, which stood at \u00a33.64 billion at the end of 2025.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Entain CEE generated \u00a3183.7 million in EBITDA in 2025, up from \u00a3170 million a year earlier.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2>Tax Costs Put Entain Balance Sheet In Focus<\/h2>\n<p>The UK tax hit changed the math for Entain. Online casino games and slots will face a 40% tax rate, up from 21%, while sports betting will rise to 25% from 15%.<\/p>\n<p>Entain said the tax changes could cost about \u00a3200 million ($264.3 million) each year. The group wants to offset around 25% of that impact this year and more than 50% in 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Debt also sits high on the agenda. Entain reported \u00a33.64 billion ($4.81 billion) in adjusted net debt at the end of 2025. Reuters reported that any sale proceeds from the Central and Eastern Europe venture could go toward debt reduction.<\/p>\n<p>The company has a market value of around \u00a33.5 billion ($4.63 billion). Its shares have fallen about 30% since November, when the UK tax changes became public, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters. Shares rose 0.8% on Friday after the Reuters report late Thursday.<\/p>\n<h2>EMMA Capital Could Be Natural Buyer<\/h2>\n<p>Entain CEE began in 2022, when Entain and Czech investment firm EMMA Capital acquired Croatian sportsbook operator SuperSport. Entain owns the majority of the venture, while EMMA Capital remains the local partner.<\/p>\n<p>Reuters reported that one option under review would see Entain sell its CEE holding to EMMA Capital. Talks remain early, and no deal has been agreed.<\/p>\n<p>The structure already gives both sides a built in route to change ownership. The SuperSport transaction included a call and put option over the EMMA Capital holding, exercisable by either side from the third anniversary of completion. That had originally given Entain a route to full control.<\/p>\n<p>Entain CEE later added Polish betting operator STS in 2023 for about \u00a3750 million ($991.4 million). That gave the venture stronger scale across regulated Central and Eastern Europe betting markets.<\/p>\n<p>The unit has performed well. EBITDA rose to \u00a3183.7 million ($242.8 million) in 2025 from \u00a3170 million ($224.7 million) in 2024. Because of that growth, a sale would not look like an exit from a weak asset. It would look more like a choice between keeping regional earnings and freeing cash during a tougher UK tax cycle.<\/p>\n<p>Entain reported adjusted annual profit of \u00a31.16 billion ($1.53 billion), ahead of expectations. Even so, the UK tax announcement led to a \u00a3488 million ($645 million) non cash impairment against the UK business and helped drive a \u00a3680.5 million ($899.5 million) loss after tax for the year ended December.<\/p>\n<p>Reuters said Entain declined to comment. EMMA Capital said it would neither confirm nor deny talks.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/casino-news\/entain-weighs-cee-sale-as-uk-gambling-tax-costs-rise\/\">Entain Weighs CEE Sale As UK Gambling Tax Costs Rise<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/igaming.org\/\">iGaming.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Entain may sell part of a growing European business while UK tax costs climb. Reuters reported that the Ladbrokes and Coral owner is reviewing options for Entain CEE, including a possible sale to joint venture partner EMMA Capital. Good to know Entain expects UK gambling tax changes to add around \u00a3200 million in annual costs. 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