Entain will begin converting its retail business to digital throughout Europe. The initial focus will be on the Ladbrokes and Coral brands in the U.K. and Eurobet in Italy.
The company had completed trials of revamped store designs, emphasizing a digitized approach, according to iGaming Business.
“Entain is a global online operator, but we are focused on delivering a great local experience for our customers,” said Rob Wood, the company CFO, and deputy chief executive. “This digital makeover of shops, together with ongoing investments into our industry leading tech platform and £100 million of innovation investment over the next three years, are important drivers of our future growth.”
After re-opening the retail shops following a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Entain has opened 18 new digital hubs in the U.K. and plans to launch 30 digitized Ladbrokes and Coral stores across Leeds, Birmingham, London, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Dumfries and Leicester by the end of the year. In total, the company hopes for 200 U.K. digital stores by the end of 2024.
In Italy, Entain expects to initiate 30 digital stores by the end of the year, including Eurobet Cafés.
“This is all about offering a different and more distinctive experience to new and existing customers,“ said Andrea Faelli, managing director of Entain in Italy. “We want to move from simply offering betting shops to hosting spaces in town centers where people can come to have a good time, which may or may not include having a bet.”
These changes come amid a takeover proposal from DraftKings, which could exceed $22 billion.
