Entain awards £90 million media buying deal to PHD, edging out Mindshare

When Entain PLC revealed the final shortlist for its UK and Ireland media account, the betting world took notice. The operator, best known for Ladbrokes and Coral, narrowed the field to two global powerhouses: PHD, part of Omnicom, and Mindshare of WPP. The stakes? Roughly £90 million in media buying and planning spend across five of the UK’s most recognisable gambling brands.

Background on Entain and its media strategy

Entain, which also runs FoxyBingo, Gala and Party Poker, has long been a heavyweight in the UK and Irish gambling sectors. In 2022, the group reported £4.3 billion in net revenue, with betting contributing more than half of that figure. Yet despite its size, Entain’s media buying had been split between several specialist agencies, a set‑up that often left brands competing for limited creative bandwidth.

The decision to launch a unified review in early 2024 was therefore a strategic move to bring all five brands under one media roof, streamline planning, and extract greater value from a market that’s increasingly data‑driven. Analysts noted that consolidating a £90 million spend could give the winning agency leverage over premium inventory, especially in live‑sports, digital display, and emerging connected‑TV spaces.

Shortlist process narrows to two global agencies

The review began with a broad RFP circulated to a dozen agencies in March 2024. By late April, Entain’s internal media steering committee – based in United Kingdom and Ireland – trimmed the list to a manageable six, then to the two heavyweights that made the final pitch.

Both contenders brought a deep bench of sport‑focused planners, advanced programmatic capabilities, and a track record of handling high‑stakes gambling accounts. PHD pointed to its work on the 2023 Premier League rights rollout, while Mindshare highlighted a recent success with a multi‑brand rollout for a European online casino group.

“We wanted partners who could think beyond traditional slot‑based buying and actually harness the power of real‑time odds data,” said a senior Entain marketing director, who asked to remain anonymous. “Both agencies impressed us, but ultimately the decision came down to who could deliver the most integrated, data‑first approach across all five brands.”

PHD clinches the £90 million deal

In a press release dated 12 May 2024, Entain announced that media buying would now be handled exclusively by PHD. The agency will manage everything from TV spot allocation for Ladbrokes’ Saturday football coverage to programmatic display for Party Poker’s tournament streams.

“Winning Entain’s UK and Ireland portfolio is a milestone for PHD,” said James Marshall, global head of media at PHD. “The breadth of brands gives us a rare playground to test cross‑channel synergies, especially as the market shifts toward hybrid betting experiences that blend sportsbook, bingo and poker in a single digital journey.”

Mindshare, while disappointed, praised the competitive process. “We respect Entain’s choice and remain ready to support them in any future project,” a spokesperson for the agency said.

What the win means for Entain’s brands

For Ladbrokes and Coral, the two brick‑and‑mortar betting giants, PHD’s expertise in sport‑centric media will likely translate into more aggressive TV and sponsorship deals. FoxyBingo and Gala, traditionally reliant on OOH and radio, can now tap into PHD’s programmatic stack to target younger players on mobile devices.

Party Poker, which has been expanding its live‑streamed tournament offering, stands to benefit from PHD’s experience in live‑event amplification. Early indications suggest the agency will consolidate the group’s media calendar, reducing overlapping campaigns and freeing up roughly £5 million in annual media waste, according to an internal Entain analysis shared with the press.

Industry observers note that a single agency overseeing such a diverse portfolio is rare. “It’s a bold move that could set a new standard for betting groups looking to harness economies of scale,” said Sophie Patel, senior analyst at eMarketer. “If PHD delivers on its promise, we could see a ripple of similar consolidations across the sector.”

Industry ripple effects

The £90 million contract is one of the largest agency wins in the UK gambling industry this decade. It not only reinforces PHD’s standing in the sports‑betting arena but also signals to other advertisers that betting brands are willing to allocate substantial budgets to integrated, data‑driven media strategies.

For Omnicom, the victory adds a marquee client to its European roster, bolstering its negotiations with broadcasters for premium ad slots. Conversely, WPP faces a strategic question: will it double‑down on other gambling accounts, or diversify into emerging markets like esports betting to offset the loss?

Regulators are also watching. The UK Gambling Commission has recently emphasized responsible advertising, and a unified agency approach could make compliance monitoring more straightforward for Entain. PHD has pledged to embed the Commission’s brand‑trust guidelines into every media plan, a commitment likely to appease both regulators and consumer groups.

Looking ahead

With the contract set to run for an initial three‑year term, the next steps involve a deep‑dive audit of current media performance, followed by a rollout of a new cross‑brand calendar in Q4 2024. Expect to see fresh creative assets for Ladbrokes’ “Bet on the Moment” campaign and a digital‑first push for Party Poker’s “All‑In Live” series.

Entain has hinted that the partnership could evolve beyond media buying. “We’re already discussing joint data‑science initiatives to feed real‑time odds into our media buying algorithms,” the unnamed marketing director added. If those talks bear fruit, the collaboration could become a case study in how gambling firms turn media spend into a competitive intelligence engine.