Bet365 Biggest UK-Based Gambling Operator

It's official. Online casino and sportsbook operator bet365 is now the largest company of its type in th UK, after a massive year in 2011 which saw the firm increase its year-on-year revenues by 22 percent to £501 million.

Bet365, which launched from humble beginnings in Stoke-on-Trent way back in 2000, revealed in its annual financial report that its live in-play sports betting option increased its bets by a massive 58% in 2011 - leading the impressive growth rate for the company.

Despite absorbing some losses from its majority stake in English Premier League team Stoke City, bet365 still managed to emerge from the year with a pre-tax profit of £91 million. This would have been higher if not for the costs associated with launching the new in-play betting innovation, and the marketing campaign around it.

Bet365 is left with less competition than previously, as its main UK rivals Ladbrokes and William Hill both shifted their online operations offshore last year to Gibraltar because of the incredibly high taxes they would have to pay if they remained in their old British headquarters. Although bet365 maintains its operations base in Stoke, it does also have operations in Gibraltar to support its online casino, bingo and poker websites.

CEO Denise Coates said recently after accepting the Queen's New Years Honour that the company is looking to expand into emerging markets. It is preparing for licenses in Australia, Spain and Denmark, and who knows - maybe the US could be on the horizon too.