History of Bet365 in Timeline

Bet365 is a British gambling company established in 2000 by Denise Coates, who, along with her brother John Coates, runs the company. Headquartered in Stoke-on-Trent, with satellite offices in Manchester and Malta, Bet365 provides a range of online gambling services. These include sports betting, online casino games, online poker, and online bingo. Denise Coates remains the majority shareholder and joint-chief executive of the company.

1974: Family Betting Shop Estate Started

In 1974, Peter Coates started the family's betting shop estate, which later played a role in funding Bet365.

1995: Denise Coates Becomes Managing Director

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

2000: Bet365 Founded

In 2000, Bet365 was founded in Stoke-On-Trent by Denise Coates, who developed a sports betting platform.

March 2001: Bet365 Launches Online

In March 2001, Bet365 launched its business online after developing a sports betting platform.

2005: Bet365 Sells Betting Shop Chain

In 2005, Bet365 sold its betting shop chain to Coral for £40 million and used the funds to pay off its loan to RBS.

2010: Bet365 Wins "Operator of the Year" Award

In 2010, Bet365 won the "Operator of the Year" award at the eGaming Review Operator Awards. It also ranked third in The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 league table.

2010: eGaming Review Ranks Bet365 Number One

In 2010, eGaming Review magazine ranked Bet365 as the number one Internet gaming company.

2010: Ray Winstone Becomes the 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.

2011: eGaming Review Ranks Bet365 Number One

In 2011, eGaming Review magazine ranked Bet365 as the number one Internet gaming company for the second consecutive year.

May 2012: Bet365 Becomes Shirt Sponsor for Stoke City

In May 2012, Bet365 signed a three-year contract with Stoke City to become their shirt sponsors, reflecting chairman Peter Coates' connection to the club.

2012: eGaming Review Ranks Bet365 Number One

In 2012, eGaming Review magazine ranked Bet365 as the number one Internet gaming company for the third consecutive year. Also, Denise Coates received a CBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list.

February 2013: Denise Coates Named One of the UK's 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: Report of Bet365 Taking Bets from Chinese Citizens

In October 2014, The Guardian reported that Bet365 was taking bets from Chinese citizens using obscure domain names to circumvent government web censorship.

April 2016: Bet365 Becomes Stadium Title Sponsor

In April 2016, Bet365 became the new title sponsors for Stoke City's stadium for the next six seasons.

2016: Bet365 Freezes Account of Winning Punter

In 2016, Bet365 froze the account of a punter in Australia who had won around A$200,000, refusing to pay out.

2016: Bet365 Fined 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: Bet365 Taken to Court for Refusing to Pay Winnings

In 2017, Bet365 was taken to court for refusing to pay over £1 million in winnings to a horse bettor in Northern Ireland. Additionally, a 2016 case involving a refused £54,000 payout was still ongoing.

2017: Denise Coates Becomes Highest Paid Executive in the UK

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

2018: Denise Coates' Pay Packet Rises

In 2018, Denise Coates' pay packet rose to £265 million as Bet365 reported profits up 31% to £660 million, prompting criticism from problem gambling charity groups.

2018: Bet365 Announces Launch in the United States

In 2018, following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sports betting, Bet365 announced plans to launch in the United States, starting with New Jersey, in partnership with Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

January 2019: Bet365 Ranks Second on The Sunday Times List of Top Taxpayers

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: UK Bookmakers Agree to Increase Funds for Gambling Addiction

In 2019, Bet365, along with other major UK bookmakers, agreed to increase contributions to combat gambling addiction from 0.1% to 1% of gross income over five years.

March 2020: Bet365 Reports Revenues and Profit

Bet365's reported figures for March 2020 to 2021 showed revenues of £2.8 billion and a profit of £470 million before tax.

2020: Bet365 Employee Count

As of 2020, the Bet365 group employed over 4,000 people, with offices in multiple countries.

September 2021: Bet365 Announces Colorado Launch

In September 2021, Bet365 announced its launch in Colorado with a licensing and revenue share deal with Century Casinos.

April 2022: Bet365 Launches in Ontario

In April 2022, Bet365 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: Bet365 Begins Operations in Colorado

On September 6, 2022, Bet365 commenced operations in Colorado, expanding its presence in the United States.

2022: Ordered External Audit

In 2022, an external audit was ordered on Bet365 which led to Austrac initiating an investigation into Bet365 for potential non-compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws in March 2024.

March 2024: Austrac Investigates Bet365 for Potential Non-Compliance

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: Bet365 Ordered to Pay Customers Shorted on 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: Bet365 Wins SBC Bookmaker of the Year

In December 2024, Bet365 won the SBC Bookmaker of the Year award for the fifth consecutive year.

2024: Criticism of Denise Coates' Payouts Despite Company Loss

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