Bet365: Who Are the Owners of the Online Gambling Giant

^{Pictured: John, Denise and Peter Coates}

Bet365 is a global gambling powerhouse with more than $65 billion in bets a year.

But who are the brains and the bucks behind this online sports betting giant? Here is everything you need to know.

The Coates Family: The Billionaires Behind Bet365

The answer to the question of who owns Bet365 is simple: the Coates family.

Denise and John Coates

Together, the Coates family (Denise, John and Peter Coates) hold over 90% of the shares of Bet365 Group Ltd. The remaining is owned by a small group of other investors.

Here is a quick overview of the Coates family and their ownership in Bet365:

Denise Coates, the most prominent member of the family and the wealthiest bookie in the world, is the co-CEO and majority shareholder of Bet365, owning at least 50.2% of the shares. 

It’s worth noting that the Coates family’s involvement in the gambling industry dates back to 1974, when Peter Coates bought several betting shops in Stoke-on-Trent.

However, the real breakthrough came in 2000, when Denise, Peter’s daughter, decided to launch an online gambling platform. She borrowed £15 million ($18.9M) from the Royal Bank of Scotland, secured against the family’s betting shops, and set up Bet365 in a portable building in Stoke-on-Trent. In March 2001, she launched the website herself.

Coates Family in the early 2000s

Bet365’s Business Operations

Bet365 is a British company that operates under the trading name of Hillside (New Media) Ltd. and offers online sports betting, casino, poker, bingo, and live casino. It’s licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).

The Coates family’s leadership of Bet365 has resulted in a remarkable growth — it’s now one of the world’s biggest online gambling companies, with over 65 million customers in more than 200 countries. 

Despite this, the company continues to expand its presence in the global market (especially in the US and Canada). 

In recent years, the brand has entered several new countries, partnering with local operators. The table below shows you just the tip of the iceberg:

Bet365 is also a highly profitable company, with a revenue of £3.39 billion ($4.28B) in 2023.

The Billionaire Owners of Bet365 and Their Tax Contributions

Contrary to expectations, the owners of Bet365 don’t shy away from their financial responsibilities. After all, they’re one of the most influential families in the UK, with a combined net worth of over $10 billion. With £375.9 million ($4.75B) in taxes in 2023, the Coates family is 3rd on The Sunday Times list of the UK’s top taxpayers.

Ms. Coates proudly holding her Order of the British Empire (CBE)

And let’s talk about Denise. Not only is she hailed as Britain’s highest-paid woman with £220.7 million in salary ($279M), but the BBC also ranks her among the top-paid CEOs globally.

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