London-listed betting and gaming operator Entain has secured licence approval to expand its offering in Germany.
The licences from the State Administrative Office of Saxony-Anhalt allow Entain to provide online gaming and poker services to players throughout Germany, with Entain becoming the first licenced online poker operator in the market.
The company has been awarded five new licences in total, enabling the launch of gaming under its bwin, Ladbrokes and Sportingbet brands, and poker under bwin and Ladbrokes.
Entain is already licenced in Germany for online sports betting under the above brands.
“We’re delighted to now have our licences for gaming and poker services in the regulated German market, enabling us to offer and market them to our customers,” said Robert Hoskin, Entain’s chief governance officer.
“It is an important and welcome step towards achieving the goal of a fully regulated online betting and gaming market in Germany. Only through such regulation and its enforcement will we avoid the reality of customers going to the black market where there are none of the safeguards that reputable operators such as Entain guarantee.”
Shares in Entain Plc. (LSE:ENT) were trading 1.68 per cent lower at 1,317.50 pence per share in London Monday morning.