Webis Holdings Plc
Webis Holdings plc, through subsidiary WatchandWager.com LLC, operates a pari-mutuel Advanced Deposit Wagering platform and the Cal Expo harness racetrack in California, serving US bettors in licensed states with access to global racing pools.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersDouglas
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Webis Holdings Plc does
Webis Holdings plc is an Isle of Man-incorporated holding company that, through its wholly owned US subsidiary WatchandWager.com LLC, operates an Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform and the Cal Expo harness racetrack in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1998 (as betinternet.com plc, rebranded to Webis in 2007), the company was previously listed on AIM (LSE:WEB) before delisting on 1 January 2025 following shareholder approval. Headquartered in Douglas, Isle of Man, with operational offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Lexington, Kentucky, the company employs 11-50 staff.
The core technology is a totalisator wagering hub operated through WatchandWager's US tote supplier, which passes customer wagers directly into global racetrack betting pools in real time. WatchandWager holds simulcast agreements with racetracks in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Japan, providing the largest catalog of wagerable content globally. The platform holds a multi-jurisdictional ADW license from the North Dakota Racing Commission, plus state-specific licenses in California, New York, Kentucky, West Virginia, Washington, and others; ADW operations are conducted from licensed jurisdictions under the oversight of the relevant US state regulators and the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (license valid to August 2027). The Cal Expo operation is the only live harness racing track in California, with the lease extended through May 2030.
The business model is pari-mutuel wagering: WatchandWager earns a takeout commission on wagers placed into racing pools, with revenue driven by transaction volume rather than fixed pricing. The company also generates ancillary revenue from live racing operations, food and beverage, and simulcast/host fees at Cal Expo. The customer base is fragmented across individual US bettors in licensed states, with California and New York representing the highest-value geographies (estimated $1 billion+ per annum in combined ADW wagering). The capital structure is highly related-party dependent, with Burnbrae Group Limited (Jim Mellon) holding 63.1% indirectly and Galloway Limited (a Burnbrae subsidiary) repeatedly providing term loans and convertible notes, the most recent being a further loan advanced in November 2024.
Webis Holdings Plc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Webis Holdings Plc
- Legal name
- Webis Holdings plc
- Website
- https://webisholdingsplc.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Webis Holdings plc, through subsidiary WatchandWager.com LLC, operates a pari-mutuel Advanced Deposit Wagering platform and the Cal Expo harness racetrack in California, serving US bettors in licensed states with access to global racing pools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Webis Holdings Plc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Pari-Mutuel Wagering
- NAICS
- Gambling Industries (7132)
- SIC
- Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering Operators (Totalisators/Tote) (MPAEADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Online Horse Racing Betting (Advance Deposit Wagering/ADW) (MPAEADAD)
Keywords
Where Webis Holdings Plc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Douglas
Offices4 records
Markets served
Webis Holdings Plc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering Commission: WatchandWager earns revenue through pari-mutuel wagering, taking a commission on wagers placed into global racing pools. The company passes wagers directly into racetrack betting pools in real time through its ADW platform. Revenue is generated from the takeout/commission on betting pools.
- Racetrack Operations: WatchandWager operates Cal Expo harness racetrack in Sacramento, California, generating revenue from live racing operations, food and beverage, and associated wagering activities. The company has operated Cal Expo since 2012.
- International Content Licensing: Revenue from international racing content partnerships including Hong Kong Jockey Club, French PMU, and US racing associations. WatchandWager has facilitated wagers in excess of USD $100 million into HKJC pools since 2013.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels1 record
Webis Holdings Plc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Webis Holdings plc operates an online Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform via its WatchandWager.com subsidiary, accepting pari-mutuel wagers from US residents in licensed states and passing them in real time into global racetrack betting pools through a totalisator wagering hub. The company also operates the Cal Expo harness racetrack in Sacramento, California, the only such track in the state, running twice-weekly live race meetings from October to May.
Product overview
Webis Holdings plc operates as a holding company with two main operations: WatchandWager.com (an online Advanced Deposit Wagering platform) and Cal Expo Harness Racing (a physical racetrack in California). The WatchandWager.com platform allows customers to place wagers directly into global racetrack betting pools in real time through simulcast agreements with racetracks worldwide. The company holds licenses in multiple US states and operates the only harness racing track in California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WatchandWager.com Online ADW Platform Online Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform that enables customers to fund accounts and place pari-mutuel wagers on horse racing, which are passed in real time directly into global racetrack betting pools through a totalisator wagering hub. Serves individual bettors in US states where WatchandWager holds licenses (California, New York, Kentucky, North Dakota, and others).
- Cal Expo Harness Racing Standardbred harness race track operation in Sacramento, California. The only harness racing track in California, hosting twice-weekly meetings on Friday and Saturday evenings during the racing season (October to May). Generates revenue from live racing operations, food and beverage, and associated on-track pari-mutuel wagering activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40% of licensed US pool betting market represented by California and New York racing
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Webis Holdings Plc
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Webis Holdings Plc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Webis Holdings Plc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- NYRA (New York Racing Association)coreWatchandWager secured key agreement with NYRA providing access to New York racing content including Belmont Stakes and Saratoga Race Course.
- XST Capital GroupmajorWebis (WatchandWager) reached agreement with XST Capital Group on strategic initiatives. Details to be disclosed as agreement progresses.
- Churchill Downs IncorporatedcoreWatchandWager signed new contract with Churchill Downs for 2025 to provide wagering access to CDI-operated racetracks including Kentucky Derby host Churchill Downs.
- Monarch Content ManagementcoreWatchandWager signed renewed agreement with Monarch Content Management (subsidiary of Stronach Group) to accept wagers on all Monarch-operated racetracks. Monarch manages wagering and streaming for 15 racetracks including Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Del Mar, Laurel, and Pimlico.
- Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC)coreWatchandWager renewed its contract with HKJC for three years to the end of the 2021-22 racing season. HKJC is a world-class 134-year-old racing operation with turnover of nearly US$30 billion for 2017-2018 season. WatchandWager was the first international ADW allowed to offer wagering directly into HKJC pools since 2013.
- French PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain)majorWatchandWager extended its contract with French PMU to provide customers access to betting directly into French horseracing pools with video streaming. In 2014, total volume wagered into PMU pools was Euro 9.16 billion.
- North Dakota Racing CommissioncoreWatchandWager.com LLC holds a multi-jurisdictional license issued by the North Dakota Racing Commission (NDRC), enabling ADW operations in multiple US states.
- California Horse Racing BoardcoreWatchandWager holds its ADW license from the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), a two-year multi-jurisdictional license for the years 2023-2024.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Webis Holdings Plc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Xpressbet: Established US ADW operator historically associated with the Stronach Group; a direct competitor to WatchandWager for online pari-mutuel wagering across US and international pools.
- 1/ST Bet: ADW platform operated by 1/ST (Stronach Group), offering pari-mutuel wagering into Stronach/Monarch content. Directly competes with WatchandWager in US online horse racing wagering, including access to Santa Anita, Gulfstream and Pimlico.
- TwinSpires: Churchill Downs Incorporated's owned-and-operated ADW platform. Directly competes with WatchandWager in US online pari-mutuel horse racing wagering, including access to CDI's premier tracks such as Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.
- NYRA Bets: ADW platform operated by the New York Racing Association. Directly competes with WatchandWager for US ADW customers and offers pari-mutuel wagering into NYRA pools (Belmont, Saratoga) — overlapping content with WatchandWager's NYRA content agreement.
- TVG (Flutter Entertainment): Flutter Entertainment-owned US ADW and horse racing content platform. A direct competitor to WatchandWager in pari-mutuel wagering and one of the largest US horse racing wagering brands by handle.
Broad incumbents
- Churchill Downs Incorporated: Owner of TwinSpires ADW and a leading portfolio of US racetracks including Churchill Downs. Overlaps with WatchandWager both as a content licensor (CDI tracks) and as a vertically integrated competitor across US pari-mutuel wagering.
- New York Racing Association (NYRA): Operates premier NY racetracks (Belmont, Saratoga, Aqueduct) and the NYRA Bets ADW. Both a content partner of WatchandWager and a vertically integrated competitor in pari-mutuel horse racing.
Emerging players
- AmWager: Smaller US-based ADW operator offering pari-mutuel wagering into US and international pools. Comparable business model to WatchandWager but with smaller scale and narrower content footprint.
Others
- Hong Kong Jockey Club: Operates Hong Kong's monopoly pari-mutuel wagering pools (US$30B turnover) and is a content/strategic partner to WatchandWager via cross-border simulcast agreements since 2013; not a direct competitor but a key distribution counterparty.
Regional players
- Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU): French state-affiliated pari-mutuel wagering operator (€9.16B in 2014 pools). WatchandWager has a content agreement to offer French racing pools to US customers, making PMU both a content partner and a comparable totalisator-style operator outside the US.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Webis Holdings Plc social profiles
Digital presenceWebis Holdings Plc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Webis Holdings Plc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Webis Holdings Plc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Webis Holdings Plc subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Webis Holdings Plc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Webis Holdings Plc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Webis Holdings Plc
What does Webis Holdings Plc do?
Webis Holdings plc operates an online Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform via its WatchandWager.com subsidiary, accepting pari-mutuel wagers from US residents in licensed states and passing them in real time into global racetrack betting pools through a totalisator wagering hub. The company also operates the Cal Expo harness racetrack in Sacramento, California, the only such track in the state, running twice-weekly live race meetings from October to May.
Is Webis Holdings Plc a public or private company?
Webis Holdings Plc is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Webis Holdings Plc founded?
Webis Holdings Plc was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Webis Holdings Plc based?
Webis Holdings Plc is headquartered in Douglas.
How does Webis Holdings Plc make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Pari-Mutuel Wagering Commission is the primary driver. The others are racetrack Operations and international Content Licensing.
Who are Webis Holdings Plc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Xpressbet, 1/ST Bet, TwinSpires, NYRA Bets and TVG (Flutter Entertainment). Broad incumbents are Churchill Downs Incorporated and New York Racing Association (NYRA). AmWager is listed as an emerging player. Hong Kong Jockey Club is listed as an others. Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) is listed as a regional player.
Does Webis Holdings Plc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Webis Holdings Plc.
What industry is Webis Holdings Plc in?
Webis Holdings Plc's product category is Online Pari-Mutuel Wagering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEADAB, Pari-Mutuel Wagering Operators (Totalisators/Tote), with a secondary code of MPAEADAD, Online Horse Racing Betting (Advance Deposit Wagering/ADW). Its NAICS code is 7132 and its SIC code is 7948.