A £50m annual media account has changed hands in the UK gambling sector, with Dentsu-owned Carat UK handed responsibility for Bet365’s entire domestic media planning and buying operation.
The win represents a significant shift for Bet365, which had entrusted its UK media strategy to independent agency Republic of Media for 14 consecutive years since 2012.
That long-standing arrangement has now been formally concluded following a competitive pitch process that began in June and was overseen by specialist consultancy ID Comms.
The full scope of Carat UK’s remit and the precise date of the account handover have not yet been made public by either party.
The agency appointment lands at a particularly testing moment for UK-facing bookmakers, with the government set to sharply increase the cost of doing business online.
From 1 April 2027, the remote betting duty rate will climb from 15% to 25% on online wagers, a substantial rise that excludes UK horse racing bets from its scope.
Against that fiscal backdrop, how Bet365 deploys its considerable media budget will carry added strategic weight for the business going forward.
Carat UK brings a roster of high-profile clients to the relationship, having previously led media accounts for Diageo, Mondelez, Mastercard, Vodafone, and Santander Bank.
Bet365’s profile in European football also gives the account an elevated dimension, after the operator secured a landmark deal with UEFA as the Champions League’s first official sports betting partner in 2024.
That sponsorship arrangement is contracted through to the end of the 2026/27 season, meaning Carat UK will be steering media activity around one of sport’s most valuable broadcasting properties.
The operator’s decision to run a structured competitive review, rather than simply renew with Republic of Media, signals an appetite for fresh thinking at a time when market conditions are tightening across the UK gambling industry.
Republic of Media, the Edinburgh-based independent that built its Bet365 relationship over more than a decade, loses its most prominent account as a result of the outcome.
