Chief executive of Ladbrokes owner exits after less than a year

• Gavin Isaacs joined from Games Global in July last year  

By MIKE SHEEN

Updated: 08:56 GMT, 11 February 2025

The chief executive of Ladbrokes owner Entain has stepped down with immediate effect after less than a year with the gambling giant.

Gavin Isaacs joined Entain from online gaming content developer Games Global in July last year, seven months after his predecessor Jette Nygaard-Andersen quit following just two years with the group.

Entain told shareholders on Tuesday that non-executive chair Stella David would return as interim chief executive while a replacement is found, having held the role in the months prior to Isaacs’ appointment.

Issacs’ departure, which was decided by ‘mutual agreement’, will also see independent board member Pierre Bouchut become non-executive chair on an interim basis.

It follows a tumultuous few years for Entain, which also owns the Coral and PartyPoker brands.   

Departure: Gavin Isaacs leaves Entain after less than a year 

The group has been weighed down by investment in US growth, with Entain suffering consecutive years of losses in its BetMGM joint venture as it combats strong competition.

Entain has also faced regulatory headwinds after receiving multi-million pound fines in territories all over the world, including Australia, Turkey and Britain, amid scrutiny of its anti-money laundering controls and accusations of bribery.

The group has seen its share price plummet by more than 65 per cent since a Covid-era peak of 2,210p in September 2021.

But Entain shares have added almost 7 per cent since the beginning of the year as investors have welcomed expectations that BetMGM will finally turn a profit this year.

Entain has also cashed in on beating UK sports punters, while the group last week predicted a record numbers of Britons would have a flutter on last week’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Interim boss David said Entain is making ‘strong progress in delivering our strategic priorities’, and reconfirmed expectations that full-year earnings before nasties would come in at the top-end of a £1.04billion to £1.09billion guidance range.

She added: ‘The board and management remain aligned on the group’s focus on operational excellence and maximising shareholder value.

‘I look forward to leading the business as we continue to accelerate our performance.’

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Chief executive of Ladbrokes owner exits after less than a year

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