Ep 627: CEE Potential - Why Entain and Evoke Are Eyeing Markets Beyond the UK

iGaming Daily continues its conference tour, bringing you this episode live from SBC Summit Tblisi, Georgia. Host Charlie Horner, Ted Menmuir, and Martyn Elliott assess the potential of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) and Central Asian markets.

The team discusses the region’s innovative tech offer, the "upbeat mood" compared to Western Europe, and why major groups like Entain and Flutter are using M&A deals to acquire local "hero brands" to gain access to growing markets. They also dive into the regulatory evolution across CEE, including governance issues in Romania and new laws in Croatia and Serbia.

Later in the episode, the focus shifts to the United Kingdom, analysing the uncertainty surrounding impending tax hikes in the budget. The co-hosts discuss threats by Evoke (potentially closing up to 200 William Hill shops) and Entain (hinting at diverting investment) away from the UK and into other markets.

The team debates the government’s handling of the prolonged situation, the effectiveness of the industry’s "black market" lobbying argument, and the long-term impact on the UK sector.

Host: Charlie Horner
Guests: Martyn Elliott & Ted Menmuir
Producer: James Ross
Editor: James Ross

iGaming Daily is also now on TikTok. Make sure to follow us at iGaming Daily Podcast (@igaming_daily_podcast) | TikTok for bite-size clips from your favourite podcast.

Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service.