History of Bet365 in Timeline

Bet365 is a British online gambling company established in 2000 by Denise Coates, who co-runs the business with her brother John Coates. It provides a wide array of gambling products including sports betting, online casino games, poker, and bingo. Denise Coates remains the majority shareholder and joint-chief executive of the company.

1974: Betting Shop Estate Started

In 1974, Peter Coates started the family's betting shop estate, which would later be run by his daughter Denise.

1995: Denise Coates Becomes Managing Director

In 1995, Denise Coates became the managing director of the family's betting shop estate.

2000: Company Founded

In 2000, Denise Coates founded bet365 in a portable building in Stoke-On-Trent.

March 2001: Online Launch

In March 2001, Denise Coates developed a sports betting platform and trading team to launch bet365's business online.

2005: Betting Shop Chain Sold

In 2005, bet365 sold its betting shop chain to Coral for £40 million and paid off its loan to RBS.

2010: "Operator of the Year" Award

In 2010, bet365 won the "Operator of the Year" award at the eGaming Review Operator Awards organised by eGaming Review magazine. bet365 also ranked third in The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 league table.

2010: Ray Winstone as Face of bet365

Since 2010, actor Ray Winstone has been the face of bet365 in the UK. The company also sponsors the shirt and stadium of Stoke City F.C.

2010: Internet Gaming Company Ranking

eGaming Review magazine ranked bet365 the number one Internet gaming company in 2010 as part of its annual Power 50 list.

2011: Internet Gaming Company Ranking

eGaming Review magazine ranked bet365 the number one Internet gaming company in 2011 as part of its annual Power 50 list.

May 2012: Shirt Sponsorship Deal

In May 2012, bet365 signed a three-year contract with Stoke City to become their shirt sponsors.

2012: Denise Coates Receives CBE & Internet Gaming Company Ranking

In 2012, Denise Coates, founder and joint CEO of bet365, received a CBE in the Queen's new year honours list for services to the community and business. Also in 2012, eGaming Review magazine ranked bet365 the number one Internet gaming company as part of its annual Power 50 list.

February 2013: Denise Coates Named One of the Most Powerful Women

In February 2013, Denise Coates was named as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour at BBC Radio 4.

October 2014: Bets from Chinese Citizens

In October 2014, The Guardian reported that bet365 had been taking bets from Chinese citizens by using obscure domain names to avoid government web censorship.

April 2016: Stadium Title Sponsorship

In April 2016, bet365 became the new title sponsors for Stoke City's stadium for the next six seasons, replacing Britannia Building Society.

2016: Refusal to Pay Winnings

In 2016, bet365 refused a payout of £54,000 to a customer in England, a case which was still ongoing in 2017. Also in 2016, in Australia, bet365 froze the account of a punter who had won around A$200,000, refusing to pay out.

2016: Fine for Misleading Advertisements

In 2016, bet365 was fined A$2.75 million by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission for misleading advertisements which falsely promised "free bets" to customers.

2017: Denise Coates Highest Paid Executive

In 2017, Denise Coates became the highest paid executive in the UK, awarding herself a salary of £217 million.

2017: Court Case for Refusing Payout

In 2017, bet365 was taken to court for refusing to pay over £1 million in winnings to a horse bettor in Northern Ireland.

2018: Pay Rise and Profit Report

In 2018, Denise Coates' pay packet rose to £265m as the company reported profits up 31% to £660 million, prompting criticism.

2018: US Expansion Plans

In 2018, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sports betting, bet365 announced plans to launch in the United States, starting with New Jersey through a partnership with Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

January 2019: Taxpayer Ranking

In January 2019, bet365 ranked second on The Sunday Times list of the UK's top taxpayers, with the Coates family paying an estimated total tax of £156 million.

2019: Agreement to Combat Gambling Addiction

In 2019, bet365 and other major UK bookmakers agreed to increase funds to combat gambling addiction from 0.1% to 1% of gross income over the next five years.

2020: Financial Results

Bet365's reported figures for the 2020 financial year showed revenues of £2.8 billion and a profit of £470 million before tax.

2020: Employee Count

In 2020, the bet365 group employed over 4,000 people across its headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent and other offices globally.

September 2021: Colorado Launch Announcement

In September 2021, bet365 announced that it will launch in Colorado with a licensing and revenue share deal with Century Casinos.

April 2022: Ontario Launch

In April 2022, bet365 was launched in Ontario after being approved by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, following the legalization of single-game betting in Canada.

September 2022: Colorado Operations Launch

On 6 September 2022, bet365 opened up operations in Colorado.

2022: External Audit Ordered

In 2022, prior to the Austrac investigation, an external audit was ordered into bet365.

2023: Sports Betting Regulation in Brazil

In 2023, the context of sports betting regulation in Brazil (Law 14.790/2023), led to Bet365 applying for formal authorisation to operate in the country.

March 2024: Austrac Investigation

In March 2024, Australia's financial crime agency, Austrac, initiated an investigation into bet365 for potential non-compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.

August 2024: Order to Pay Shorted Payments

In August 2024, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement ordered bet365 to pay more than $519,000 to customers it had shorted on payments.

December 2024: SBC Bookmaker of the Year Award

In December 2024, bet365 won the SBC Bookmaker of the Year for the fifth consecutive year.

2024: Criticism Over Payouts

In 2024, Denise Coates was criticised after receiving payouts of more than £270 million the year before, despite the company posting a £60 million loss.

2024: Application for formal authorization to operate in Brazil

In 2024, in the context of sports betting regulation in Brazil (Law 14.790/2023), bet365 has applied for formal authorisation to operate in the country's regulated market

2024: Fiscal Year Report

In the 2024 fiscal year, Coates' betting corporation recorded revenues of £4 billion, with pre-tax profits of £349 million.

February 2025: Authorization to Operate in Brazil

In February 2025, bet365 was included in the official list of operators authorized by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance in Brazil, under authorization order no. 250.

March 2025: Services Ceased in China

In March 2025, bet365 announced it was ceasing its services in China and other jurisdictions.

March 2025: Coates Family Fortune

In March 2025, the Coates family's fortune was estimated at £9.44 billion, making them the 16th richest in the UK. Denise Coates had received at least £280 million in salaries and dividends in 2025, making her the highest-paid woman in Britain. Denise continues to run Bet365 and is the majority shareholder with 50.1% of the shares.