bet365 confirms exit from China as focus shifts to regulated markets
bet365 is officially pulling out of the Chinese market, marking a major strategic pivot for the online gambling powerhouse.
The company notified its Chinese customer base this week, confirming that it will cease operations in the region on Thursday, 27 March.
The move comes as Chinese authorities intensify their crackdown on overseas gambling platforms, ramping up enforcement and diplomatic efforts to shut down access to offshore betting services.
A bet365 spokesperson commented: “The group has decided to align its focus to its core competencies in its core markets by consolidating its resources to center on gaining market share in regions that provide long-term sustainable revenue.”
This shift means bet365 will not only exit China but also wind down operations in several other “various jurisdictions” that were not named.
For years, China has been viewed as one of bet365’s key “grey markets” — jurisdictions where gambling is technically illegal or unregulated, but enforcement is inconsistent.
Analysts at Regulus Partners believe the company’s exit from China marks the end of its last major dark grey market exposure, estimating bet365 is now operating with more than 90% of its business in fully regulated environments.
China’s betting market is massive — valued at around $20 billion annually by Regulus — but the risks of operating there have grown.
Regulatory heat has increased, and international coordination between law enforcement agencies has made it increasingly difficult for offshore operators to fly under the radar.
The departure also comes as bet365 ramps up its US presence, including a recent partnership with Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals.
This pivot toward heavily regulated jurisdictions is seen as a strategy to stay ahead of global compliance pressures, particularly in markets like the US, where state regulators are closely scrutinising operators’ past activities in grey zones.
While China was once a significant part of bet365’s global footprint, its importance has steadily declined over the last decade.
In 2014, it may have accounted for nearly 20% of revenue — second only to the UK. Today, it likely represents less than 5% of the group’s income.
With Brazil’s regulated market now live and the US continuing to expand state-by-state, bet365 appears to be betting its future on jurisdictions with long-term stability, even if it means walking away from lucrative but risky regions.
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