Entain reported third-quarter 2026 results, with group revenue up 2% year on year for 1 July to 30 September. The online segment added 3%. Alongside the figures, chief executive Stella David urged the UK government to weigh any further increase in gambling tax more carefully.
Online growth was held back in part by sports results that favoured customers and by continuing difficulty in Brazil. UK and Ireland revenue rose 14%, ahead of the company's expectations. New Zealand, Spain and Canada delivered double-digit growth. Australian online added 1%, in line with expectations. Italy fell 6%: volumes grew, but football results went against the operator. The other markets listed were up. Brazil lost 36% as the market tightened ahead of the immediate ban on online gambling announced on 25 September 2026.
David said online and retail both matter to the business, bring in tax receipts and support local communities. Further tax rises, she said, threaten the viability of many shops, jobs and livelihoods. The company confirmed its guidance for the 2026 financial year. Discipline in growth and optimisation, she said, will deliver strong cash generation going forward.
For UK retail, a higher rate hits the economics of individual shops directly, and that is Entain's main argument to the authorities. Brazil matters more for the group picture: a 36% fall and the 25 September ban change the terms for everyone operating there. The 2% overall gain rests on other markets, the UK and Ireland first among them. For anyone sending traffic to Brazil, it is a reason to rework the share of that geo in the mix.
