Australia Drives Entain Growth as Group Advances CEE Exit
Australia.- 14 August 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Entain has highlighted Australia as one of its strongest growth drivers during the first half of 2026 while continuing to reshape its international portfolio through a phased exit from Central and Eastern Europe.
Australian online Net Gaming Revenue increased 13% year-on-year on a constant-currency basis, supported by product improvements, native apps and a broader sports strategy.
Growth in Australia
The company attributed its Australian performance to changes in how the business is operated, including improvements to its Bet Builder offering, native applications and a reduced reliance on racing.
Entain said these measures helped generate market-share gains and healthy double-digit growth.
The Australian operation has also benefited from a more streamlined organisational structure and a sharper focus on products capable of having the greatest commercial impact.
New Zealand and Spain Also Grow
New Zealand delivered 21% online NGR growth during the first half.
Entain sees further potential in the market ahead of the expected liberalisation of iGaming in 2027.
The group has previously said it intends to target three online licences in New Zealand.
Spain was another standout market, with NGR increasing 28%, driven largely by the turnaround of Bwin.
Entain said it has increased the brand’s market presence fourfold and doubled player acquisition.
Group Performance
Group NGR increased 5% on a constant-currency basis during H1.
Online NGR rose 7%, while retail increased 1%.
Underlying EBITDA reached £479 million, down 2% year-on-year but ahead of expectations.
The company said the decline mainly reflected the impact of higher UK online gambling taxes.
Exit from Central and Eastern Europe
Entain reaffirmed its plan to fully exit its Central and Eastern European operations.
The first stage involves the sale of a 20% stake for €425 million, implying a total enterprise value of approximately €2.1 billion.
Completion of the initial transaction is expected in early Q4 2026.
Future proceeds from the full disposal of Entain CEE will be used to reduce group leverage below 3x, with excess capital returned to shareholders.
Statements
Entain CEO Stella David said the CEE process should not be viewed as a forced sale.
She stressed that the group continues to invest in and grow high-quality businesses but believes the CEE transaction provides an opportunity to unlock value from the portfolio.
CFO Michael Snape said Entain is “very firmly focused on shareholder value and unlocking value from the portfolio”.
On Australia, David said the double-digit growth reflects sustainable operational improvements, including a broader sports focus and less dependence on racing.
CEE Performance
Before being classified as a discontinued operation, CEE NGR increased 2% during H1.
Online NGR grew 7%, while retail declined 22%.
Entain said the online business returned to double-digit growth during Q2, helped by the men’s World Cup and STS migrating to the SuperSport sportsbook.
Next Steps or Impact
Entain continues to forecast 5%-7% online NGR growth for FY2026 on a constant-currency basis.
The group also maintains its full-year underlying EBITDA guidance of £910 million to £960 million.
Its strategy for the remainder of the year will combine growth in markets including Australia, Spain and New Zealand with portfolio simplification through the CEE exit and progressive deleveraging.
Editó: @fonta
