Poll results: Readers not sold on Stan James takeover
Respondents to this week's poll have questioned whether the £19m paid by Unibet reflects value for money
The impact Unibet’s £19m acquisition of Stan James’ online business will have on the operator’s UK aspirations remains unclear after respondents to this week’s eGaming Review poll questioned whether the operator had paid over the odds for the long-established bookie.
Readers failed to reach a consensus on whether the acquisition would help Unibet reach its target of breaking into the UK top five, however 44% did say the firm had overpaid for a brand now on the margins of the British online market.
Yet a further 37% argued the deal would put Unibet in a strong position to achieve its goal of becoming a major player in Britain, with 19% saying it would all depend on the long-term business plan of the company.
The acquisition will undoubtedly help to scale Unibet’s UK-facing operation, but the firm has yet to make any long-term decision about whether to continue with the Stan James brand, which it has recognised as being stronger than its own in the market, or whether to integrate the operator onto its Kambi-powered sportsbook platform.
The firm has also decided to keep the Stan James management team in place, for the time being at least, as it considers how it can best leverage the sportsbook and realise the greatest synergies.
Unibet acquired Stan James’ online business last week with CEO Henrik Tjärnström describing Stan James as “one of the most well-respected in the UK market”.