UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Bet365 boss Denise Coates earned at least £280m in 2025 despite pre-tax profits dropping to £349m amid global expansion and business restructuring.
As reported by Rob Davies of The Guardian, Bet365’s billionaire CEO and Britain’s highest-paid woman, Denise Coates, earned at least £280m in pay and dividends in 2025 amid a profit slump.
How did Denise Coates earn £280m despite Bet365’s profit slump?
Bet365, a gambling company led by Denise Coates, recorded £4bn in revenue for the year ending March 2025, up from £3.7bn, while pre-tax profits fell to £349m from £627m.
The gaming company faced a £325m increase in expenses as it restructured globally, expanding into the US and South America while withdrawing from China’s restricted betting market.
Ms Coates has taken over £2.5bn in salary and dividends from the company she launched from a car park in her hometown.
Financial statements published Tuesday showed Ms Coates received an additional £104m in salary, and with her majority stake, at least half of a £353.6m dividend, bringing her total income to £280m. The payout marks an increase from the £150m Ms. Coates received last year, but still falls short of her record £469m in 2021.
Ms Coates’s earnings have sometimes raised worries, yet she avoids tax avoidance schemes, placing her among Britain’s top contributors to public revenue.
The firm added £130m to the Denise Coates Foundation, with tax relief from Bet365’s donations possibly exceeding the charity’s actual payouts.
Over the years, Bet365 cancelled loans to Stoke City FC, which had split from the group and is currently run by John Coates, Denise’s brother.
The company’s filings excluded details of preliminary negotiations for a £9bn sale, which The Guardian reported earlier this year.
Bet365 hinted at its choice to withdraw from the Chinese market, where its activities have faced scrutiny, though it maintains full compliance with local regulations. The firm reported £59m in one-off restructuring and reorganisation costs following its exit from “certain markets.”
The gambling firm continued taking bets in China until the end of March, suggesting part of the exit costs could be recorded in the current fiscal year.
Some experts suggest the withdrawal helps Bet365 stay compliant with US regulations amid its fast-growing presence in the country.
During the year, Bet365 launched in five additional US states, now offering legal betting in 16 after the Supreme Court’s 2018 overturn of the nationwide sports gambling ban.
Which license is required to operate legal gambling apps in the UK?
An operating licence from the UK Gambling Commission is mandatory to operate a legal gambling app in the United Kingdom. This licence is non-transferable, and it is illegal for any entity to provide gambling services to consumers in Great Britain without one.
The following apps are operating legally in the UK and offer features like live streaming, in-play markets, and bet builders:
- Bet365
- William Hill
- BetVictor
- Betfred
- Ladbrokes
- Sky Bet
- Betfair
- Paddy Power
- Coral
- Unibet
- BoyleSports
- Virgin Bet
- Parimatch