What Betfred does

Betfred is a privately held betting and gaming company founded in 1967 by brothers Fred and Peter Done in Salford, Manchester, and headquartered in Warrington, UK. It operates as one of the largest independent bookmakers in the United Kingdom through approximately 1,350 retail betting shops offering horse racing, greyhound racing, sports betting, and gaming machines, complemented by its online platform Betfred.com launched in 2004. The company has expanded internationally with Betfred Sportsbook live in 10 US states since 2019 (via a wholly-owned Las Vegas subsidiary), and in South Africa with 50+ betting halls and a majority stake in Lottostar, the country's largest online betting company, following the 2021 acquisition of Betting World (PTY) Ltd. The group is structured around the UK parent Done Brothers (Cash Betting) Limited, with Petfre (Gibraltar) Ltd housing the online gaming operation and Betfred Technology Limited supporting technology needs.

The business is powered by Sharp Gaming, Betfred's in-house technology division providing software and IT solutions across both retail and online channels. Revenue is generated through transaction-fee-based betting operations across multiple channels and geographies, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Betfred also owns The Tote (acquired 2011) and operates Betfred TV from a MediaCity studio in Salford, producing content seven days a week. Customer-facing operations span UK retail, UK online, US sports betting, and South African betting. The company employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide and is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, holds a Gibraltar gaming license, participates in GamStop, and is a member of the International Betting Integrity Association.

In March 2026, Betfred partnered with BR-DGE for payment orchestration infrastructure across the UK and Ireland, processing over one million transactions at the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup in its first major live test. The company's distribution is anchored in its 1,350-shop UK retail footprint, with digital, US, and South African channels providing geographic diversification. Ownership remains with founder Fred Done, and leadership is held by CEO Joanne Whittaker.

Name

Betfred

Legal name

Done Brothers (Cash Betting) Limited

Website

https://betfredcareers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Betfred is a privately held UK-based betting and gaming company founded in 1967, operating 1,350 retail shops, the Betfred.com online platform, a US sportsbook in 10 states, and South African betting operations including Lottostar, serving consumer bettors across multiple geographies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Betting and Gaming

NAICS

Gambling Industries (7132), Other Gambling Industries (713290)

akta.pro primary industry

Betting Exchanges & Peer-to-Peer Sports Betting (MPAEACAL)

Keywords

• Sports betting
• Retail bookmaking
• Online gambling
• Casino gaming
• Horse racing betting

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Betting Operations: Traditional in-person betting in 1,350 UK betting shops offering odds on horse racing, greyhound racing, and other sports, plus gaming machines
2. Online Sports Betting and Casino: Online sports betting, casino games, and other forms of gambling through Betfred.com platform
3. US Sportsbook Operations: Betfred Sportsbook operations across 10 US states
4. South Africa Betting Operations: Over 50 betting halls in South Africa plus majority stake in Lottostar, South Africa's largest online betting company

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Betfred operates a multi-channel sports betting and gaming business, taking wagers on sporting events, horse racing, casino games, and other gambling products through approximately 1,350 UK retail betting shops, the Betfred.com online platform, the Betfred Sportsbook in the United States, and South African betting halls and Lottostar. The group monetizes primarily by holding a margin (overround) on odds and through casino/net gaming revenue, with the technology stack delivered by its in-house Sharp Gaming division.

Product overview

Betfred operates a multi-channel betting and gaming portfolio consisting of its core retail betting operation (1,350 UK shops), the Betfred.com online platform, the US-facing Betfred Sportsbook (live in 10 states), and South African operations including Lottostar. The company's technology is powered by Sharp Gaming, its in-house technology division. Betfred also owns The Tote (acquired 2011) and operates Betfred TV from its Media City studio. The company was founded in 1967 and has grown into one of the largest independent bookmakers in the UK, with additional operations in Gibraltar and the US market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UK Retail Betting Shops A network of approximately 1,350 UK betting shops where adult consumers can place wagers on sports, horse racing, and other events, and play gaming machines. Target users are UK-resident adult bettors who value in-person service and immediate cash transactions.
• Betfred.com Online Sportsbook and Casino The Betfred.com online platform offering sports betting, in-play wagering, casino games, and related gambling products to adult consumers via web and mobile. Target users are digitally engaged adult bettors in permitted jurisdictions.
• Betfred Sportsbook (United States) A U.S.-licensed mobile and online sportsbook offering wagering on professional and college sports in the states where Betfred holds a license. Target users are adult sports bettors located in those licensed U.S. states.
• South African Betting Operations (Lottostar and Retail Halls) Combined retail (50+ betting halls) and online (Lottostar) sports and lottery betting offering for adult consumers in South Africa.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• BR-DGEcoreTechnology or Integration · 31 March 2026BR-DGE, a Scotland-based independent payment orchestration provider, partnered with Betfred to provide payment processing infrastructure for the betting operator's pay-in and pay-out operations across the UK and Ireland. The partnership went live with its first major test at the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup, where BR-DGE processed over one million transactions. The solution simplifies Betfred's connectivity to multiple payment providers, reduces PCI-DSS compliance scope through BR-DGE Vault, and enables scalable transaction processing during peak sporting events with improved cost management and approval rates.
• LottostarmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetfred owns a majority stake in Lottostar, South Africa's largest online betting company, establishing their presence in the South African market alongside over 50 physical betting halls.
• Sharp GamingcoreTechnology or IntegrationSharp Gaming is Betfred's dedicated in-house technology division providing cutting-edge software and IT solutions that power Betfred's world-class betting and gaming experiences across both retail and online channels.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Flutter Entertainment: Global online betting and gaming group (Paddy Power, Betfair, Sky Bet, FanDuel, PokerStars). Comparable as a larger, listed incumbent operating across the same UK online sportsbook and US markets where Betfred competes.
• Entain plc: UK-listed betting and gaming group (Ladbrokes, Coral, bwin, BetMGM). Comparable as a larger, listed incumbent with overlapping UK retail/online and US sportsbook operations vs. Betfred.

Direct peers

• DraftKings: US-headquartered online sportsbook and iGaming operator. Directly comparable as a competitor in Betfred's US sportsbook markets and a benchmark for digital-first US sports betting scale.
• FanDuel (Flutter Entertainment): Leading US online sportsbook owned by Flutter. Directly comparable as a primary competitor in the US states where Betfred Sportsbook operates and a benchmark for mobile-led US growth.
• Bet365: Privately held global online sportsbook and gaming operator headquartered in the UK. Directly comparable as a UK-rooted, founder-led bookmaker competing across sports betting, casino, and international markets with similar product breadth.
• Sky Betting & Gaming (Flutter Entertainment): UK online sportsbook and gaming operator owned by Flutter. Comparable as a UK-focused digital sportsbook competing for the same online betting customer base as Betfred.com.
• William Hill (Evoke plc): One of the largest UK bookmakers with a long heritage in retail betting shops and a growing online sportsbook. Directly comparable on UK retail footprint, brand history, and sports betting product, though now owned by 888/Evoke.
• Ladbrokes Coral (Entain plc): UK-listed betting and gaming group operating Ladbrokes and Coral retail and online brands. Closely comparable to Betfred on UK retail betting shop scale, online sportsbook, and multi-jurisdiction footprint.
• Paddy Power (Flutter Entertainment): Major UK and Irish sportsbook owned by Flutter Entertainment. Directly comparable on UK/Ireland sports betting product, brand-led marketing, and international expansion (including US via FanDuel).

Emerging players

• Betway (Super Group): Global online sportsbook and casino operator listed via Super Group. Comparable as an international-focused sportsbook competing for the same multi-jurisdiction online betting customers, particularly in emerging markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Betfred
• Facebookfacebook.com/betfred
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/betfred

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Betfred