Entain, the owner of major sportsbook brands like bwin, Ladbrokes and Coral on Thursday announced the acquisition of esports betting and entertainment media company Unikrn. In an effort to further secure its presence in new interactive entertainment markets, the completion of the deal is expected to happen later this year. Details on the takeover have not yet been disclosed. According to Entain, esports wagering and social casino-related markets are estimated to add over $20billion by 2025.
Unikrn is a esport company, founded in 2014, with a focus on wagering and gaming. In addition to the more traditional options such as sportsbook, the company has developed technologies in the fields of virtual esports, streamer betting and bet on yourself products.
Today, we set out a blueprint that outlines our future as a world leader in sports betting, #gaming and interactive #entertainment.
We’re investing c.£100m in innovation and welcoming @UnikrnCo to the Entain team!
Take a sneak peek into our future
https://t.co/Vfq0iQeoXM pic.twitter.com/tINj4Jc6bF
— Entain (@EntainGroup) August 12, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
In a press release, Entain said:
“The worlds of media, entertainment and gaming are converging. Customers want a richer experience, including more content, interactive experiences, new and free to play games, as well as social content.”
Commenting on the rapidly growing esports market, that holds over 450 million views worldwide, specifically in the 18-35 demographic, Entain said:
“Skill-based wagering for casual esports gamers is emerging, but existing operators lack scale providing Entain with a clear opportunity in a new area related to our core expertise.”
Considering the opportunities in the casual mobile gaming market that has boomed in recent years, Entain’s press release stated:
“High growth categories that can drive high levels of acquisition and engagement will further increase our flywheel effects enabling us to grow our customer base, increase retention and drive revenues,”
The global gaming consortium also announced the appointment of Justin Dellario, VP, Global Esports at Twitch, as the company’s new Head of esports:
“Justin joins from Twitch, the world’s leading live streaming platform for gamers, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in both esports content and operational delivery.”
H1 Earnings
The announcement come in a week where the gaming group announced its H1 earnings which saw a 11% increase in net gaming revenue. Online operations saw a staggering 28% gain.
Meanwhile, Entain’s US expansion in partnership with BetMGM continues. The company confirmed it is expected that BetMGM will be operational in around 20 states, representing 33% of the US adult population, “over the next 12 months.”
The post Entain acquire esports company Unikrn as it takes on new markets appeared first on iGaming.
Source: Igaming
