BoyleSports has revealed it is interested in acquiring some or all of the betting shops owned by William Hill in the UK.
Such a move on the Irish gaming group would mark a massive expansion into the country’s gambling market by the operator that currently has only 21 betting outlets in the country.
The sale of the brick-and-mortar betting shops has been announced as a result of William Hill’s acquisition by the US gambling giant Caesars Entertainment for £2.9 billion earlier in 2021. At the time when the deal was officially announced, the new owner of the British gambling operator revealed its intentions to focus on the company’s US operations and said that it would probably seek to get rid of its business in the UK, which includes the sale of around 1,400 betting shops.
A spokesperson for the Irish gambling operator confirmed that BoyleSports would be interested in taking over some or all of the betting outlets that William Hill owns in the UK, or any other opportunity that makes sense for its business. The company is willing to become one of the major operators on the UK high street and believes that the combination of its retail and digital offerings represents an enjoyable proposition for the local customers.
Caesars Entertainment Willing to Dispose of Non-US Assets of William Hill
BoyleSports has shared that it currently runs 21 betting shops across the UK, as well as 45 brick-and-mortar betting outlets in Northern Ireland. The gambling operator has also recently upgraded its online betting platform, which further provides it with a considerable foothold on the territory of the UK and the company’s online markets. This is exactly why the sale of the William Hill UK retail business presents the Irish gambling company with a great opportunity to finally achieve the land-based presence it had been looking for.
This has not been the first time when BoyleSports has tried to expand its presence in the retail gambling sector in the UK. In 2008, the company made an attempt to acquire the Tote but, unfortunately, lost out to Betfred.
According to analysts, the sale of William Hill’s business in the UK could bring Caesars Entertainment up to £1.5 billion.
If BoyleSports decides to make a takeover offer for the UK retail assets of William Hill, it will not be the only competitor in the process. Apollo Global Management has been the major rival of Caesars Entertainment for William Hill. Now, it has been reported as one of the front-runners to acquire the British bookmaker’s operations outside the US.
As mentioned above, Caesars Entertainment is seeking to focus on William Hill’s operations in the US and dispose of its non-US assets, including the 1,400 betting shops of the company in the UK. In May, the US casino giant revealed that it aims to start the process of selling the non-US assets of William Hill by the end of June. The transaction is expected to be finalised by the end of 2021.
- Author
Olivia Cole
