Global gaming group Entain has completed a massive technology upgrade across its entire retail estate in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The company has now fully rolled out its new, in-house developed Group BetStation (GBS) platform to all Ladbrokes and Coral betting shops.
This project, which Entain called a “major milestone” in its retail strategy, took nearly five years to complete. It began with a single terminal in Feltham and has now expanded to over 12,000 self-service betting terminals across more than 2,400 shops.
The company said the new platform was the result of “thousands of hours of development and testing.”
The GBS platform is a self-service betting solution that allows customers to place bets quickly and easily, offering a modern, digital experience inside the retail shops.
Fiona Wallace, Entain Head of Self-Service Betting Terminals, commented:
Five years ago, Entain set out to deliver a best-in-class betting experience for our UK and Ireland retail customers through our BetStation terminals. Our software, which tech teams have worked tirelessly on over that period, is market-leading, offering customers far more than we did in the past. This hard work has meant that all BetStation terminals across our retail estate have now been converted to Group BetStation, which is a transformational achievement. It has redefined the in-shop experience, driven engagement and accelerated our journey toward retail digitalization.
The goal of the new technology is to give customers more betting options and a better overall experience.
The upgrade has already shown strong results. Entain reported that activity on football bet builders placed through the new terminals has doubled in the last six months.
Additionally, the number of bets placed on the Grand National through the GBS platform increased by more than 50% compared to the previous year.
Entain has stated that this is not the end of the development for the GBS platform. The company plans to continue improving the technology to further enhance the customer experience and support its growth in the retail market.
