Entain’s U.S. online sportsbook venture BetMGM was one of the reasons why DraftKings’ $22 billion offer to buy the British sports betting and gambling firm fell through last month, Entain’s boss told Reuters on Wednesday.
BetMGM, a U.S. rival to DraftKings, is jointly owned by Entain and NYSE-listed casino group MGM.
MGM’s chief had said he would have sought to take control of BetMGM if DraftKings had agreed to buy Entain, a deal which would have made the combined group a competitor to MGM in the United States.
The complication was long viewed as a barrier to DraftKings’ pursuit of Entain, but Entain Chief Executive Officer Jette Nygaard-Andersen’s remarks are the first public admission from either party that the venture played a role in deal talks ending.
