Entain PLC, the London-listed betting and gambling group announced in a that it has completed the acquisition of leading esports betting operator, Unikrn.

Entain previously it was in the process of purchasing the technology, products, and brand from Unikrn. The deal’s completion gives Entain a readymade platform and the expertise it needs to offer a high-quality esports betting product to customers. According to recent reports, Entain plans to launch Unikrn-powered sports betting sometime in 2022.

Entain took Unikrn’s 50-strong international team on board with the purchase.

Entain Plans to Enter New Markets

Justin Dellario, who formerly served as the Managing Director of Esports for Twitch, has joined Entain to “spearhead its launch on a global scale.”

“Entain is all about creating exciting and innovative products for our customers,” said Dellario. “With Unikrn, we’ll now be able to offer competitive gamers and esports fans alike rewarding experiences surrounding the games and events they love.”

What Unikrn Brings to the Entain Brand

Founded in 2014 by Rahul Sood (CEO of VoodooPC) and Karl Flores, Unikrn offers real-money and play-for-fun wagering on competitive video game tournaments, aka esports betting.

Unikrn operates in over 20 countries and makes no secret of its desire to expand its US operations.

The day after the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA, Sood that Unikrn was “working with casino partners across the US who want to build the best gamified esports wagering experience for their customers.”

The group is known for its excellent suite of products and services, some of the most noteworthy including:

• U-Mode: allows gamers to wager on their own ranked matches in some of the most competitive video game titles
• Streamer Bet: Artificial Intelligence-powered real-time updating odds for betting on Twitch streams.

Esports represents a massive market for Entain, with more than 450 million gamers 18-35 worldwide. Additionally, Entain believes it can branch out into the esports market to secure new customers for its sports betting and online gambling products.

Entain noted in its press release that gamers are more likely to participate in sports betting and online gambling than others in the same demographic.

The group estimates that the esports wagering and social casino-related markets could add an incremental $20 billion in addressable markets by 2025.

Pushing Up The Value Of Entain

Entain, previously known as GVC Holdings, invested a reported £50 million in acquiring Unikrn. This addition adds considerable value to Entain in the event the group eventually sells or merges with another operator.