Sky sells majority stake in Sky Bet

[baldidiot]

Satellite broadcaster Sky has sold a majority stake in Sky Bet, valuing the gambling operation at £800m.

The Leeds-based operation, which includes sites such as Sky Vegas and Sky Bingo, is being bought by private equity group CVC Capital Partners.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30324770

[golfbettingsystem]

Interesting move, I've always thought Sky could have been far more aggressive with Sky Bet given the captive audience they have, although I guess there's a massive amount of internal politics involved in that. Perhaps this will change when Sky Bet effectively becomes a customer rather than another internal department, albeit still hung off the same brand name.

[Gamer]

I'm just curious whether they are going to change any affilaite t&c after this deal.
I considered being affiliate of them.
Now have to wait?? What do you think?

[superme]

I wonder if Sky sells its gambling business for so much, how much would 888 cost for example?

[universal4]

The problem with equity groups picking up groups such as this, (or retail groups in some cases) is that they are normally run and controlled by ean counters that know very little about the industries they buy into. This often leads to destroying retail sales due to mismanagement (think Sears) or possibly cutting their own foot off by reducing commissions to affiliates instead of coming up with programs to increase sales and profits.

Rick
Universal4

[TheGooner]

Sky sold 80% of the business for £600m. The business generated net revenues of £182m in the year to June 30 and pre-tax profits of £50m. (full-year)

This 14-1 ratio for sales prices to annual earnings (P/E) is the ONLY reason that I'd consider going through the hassle of taking a company bigger and getting back into all the corporate hassle of employing permanent staff. Running things privately and being your "own boss" is great - but staying small usually means that sales prices end up being just 2-1 or less ( 24 x monthly profits).

It would be a heads-down, nose-to-the-grindstone effort for 3-4 years to do it - but the exit plan would be clear. Dreams are free eh?

[universal4]

Was that a fiscal year or 6 months profits?

Even if is 6 months that relates to 7.5 times annual profit at 80%.

Rick
Universal4

[pinkytoe]

Newscorp have been trying to fully integrate bSkyb into the group. I guess they might be trying to trim the fat. No idea really tbh.

[Casinorep]

I also find that they never market their casino sites (skycasino & skyvegas) as aggressively as they should, when they had lots of growth potential.

[golfbettingsystem]

I'm just curious whether they are going to change any affilaite t&c after this deal.
I considered being affiliate of them.
Now have to wait?? What do you think?

Just had this email, suggests business as usual:

Important Update

As you may already be aware, yesterday we announced the sale of Sky Betting & Gaming to private equity firm CVC Partners, ending our 13 years of being wholly owned by bskyb (Sky). Sky still hold a minority stake in Sky Betting & Gaming and we will continue to trade under the Sky brand names.
Please rest assured that it is very much business as usual for us as we continue to grow our UK presence whilst looking to expand into Europe in the not too distant future. This sale gives us the best of both worlds, with us keeping the Sky branding whilst having the benefits of being independent, such as the aforementioned plans to expand our business beyond the UK.
For you as a much valued partner, there will be no change whatsoever. Everything will remain the same in every way and our relationships both commercially and personally will be as strong as ever, if not stronger as a result of this news.

[MattPrice]

I'm just curious whether they are going to change any affilaite t&c after this deal.
I considered being affiliate of them.
Now have to wait?? What do you think?

It's business as usual for us and all our affiliates and there's no changes being made to the affiliate programme as a result of the sale. The only real change is that it gives us the best of both worlds: we're keeping the Sky brand name, while getting the benefits of being more independent.

[MattPrice]

Ha well now I've just repeated the email and look a little silly...

[Gamer]

"while getting the benefits of being more independent" - what do you mean saying this??

I'm sure t&c stay the same in the short-term range.
I'm afraid that in the future, t&c could be forced worst for affiliates, if business do not going right way, for new owners of SKY Bet.

[xecutable]

Judging on another book CVC owns, WH, this moves literally scares me, but oh well time will tell.

[MattPrice]

One of the main benefits, is the opportunity to expand internationally without the restrictions that come with being part of a massive company such as bskyb. However, there will likely be other benefits too. I would have thought that there will be more freedom in the way we market ourselves and conduct our business. But, that's really for my employers to decide and not me.

You say

"I'm afraid that in the future, t&c could be forced worst for affiliates, if business do not going right way, for new owners of SKY Bet."

I understand your point and your reservations, but it's really just speculation. And, it could unfortunately be applied to any affiliate programme, business or just life itself.... Things could get worse, but that doesn't mean they will, hey they could even get better! All I can say is that the affiliate programme isn't changing as a result of the sale.

[baldidiot]

One of the main benefits, is the opportunity to expand internationally

This would be awesome!

[MattPrice]

Judging on another book CVC owns, WH, this moves literally scares me, but oh well time will tell.

Don't think they're invested in Will Hill these days.

[Sherlock]

One of the main benefits, is the opportunity to expand internationally without the restrictions that come with being part of a massive company such as bskyb. However, there will likely be other benefits too. I would have thought that there will be more freedom in the way we market ourselves and conduct our business. But, that's really for my employers to decide and not me.

You say

"I'm afraid that in the future, t&c could be forced worst for affiliates, if business do not going right way, for new owners of SKY Bet."

I understand your point and your reservations, but it's really just speculation. And, it could unfortunately be applied to any affiliate programme, business or just life itself.... Things could get worse, but that doesn't mean they will, hey they could even get better! All I can say is that the affiliate programme isn't changing as a result of the sale.

What xecutable says makes perfect sense. If owner fucks upone brand, he will do the same with another with higher probability. I think there is no need to mix it with the PR bullshit that things might go well or not etc. The reminder here is valid point.

As for international focus: so another UK bookie, completely unknown elsewhere, wants to burn some money at already divided markets? I remember Betfred like 4 yrs ago, how they were conquering world without smallest success, that they fired the desperate East European AM in some really nasty way. She went there crying to my gambling forum to tell gamblers, how useless was this attempt of international expansion.

But even if the expansion is possible.. does not it make more sense to do it under Sky umbrella, because the only known brand in Europe is SKy tv? How can more independent bookie have advantage in such situation?

Sorry, but for me it looks like that something was said, because something had to be said. Is it the so called "reputation management over social networks"? Where is the hilarious Ladbrokes thread...

[MattPrice]

What xecutable says makes perfect sense. If owner fucks upone brand, he will do the same with another with higher probability. I think there is no need to mix it with the PR bullshit that things might go well or not etc. The reminder here is valid point.

As for international focus: so another UK bookie, completely unknown elsewhere, wants to burn some money at already divided markets? I remember Betfred like 4 yrs ago, how they were conquering world without smallest success, that they fired the desperate East European AM in some really nasty way. She went there crying to my gambling forum to tell gamblers, how useless was this attempt of international expansion.

But even if the expansion is possible.. does not it make more sense to do it under Sky umbrella, because the only known brand in Europe is SKy tv? How can more independent bookie have advantage in such situation?

Sorry, but for me it looks like that something was said, because something had to be said. Is it the so called "reputation management over social networks"? Where is the hilarious Ladbrokes thread...

Fair enough. I'm not here to do PR. I just thought I'd log and answer a few questions based on my own opinion. Look back on any of my previous contributions and in general all I've ever come on here to do was try and help people who use the programme. We're not even a GPWA sponsor so I can't exactly push our products anyway.

[BetterNick]

golfbettingsystem, Venture Capital might decide to trim the number of golf events they cover