Bet365 Appoints Carat UK to Run £50m Media Account, Ending Republic of Media Tie

Bet365 has appointed Carat UK, the Dentsu-owned media agency, to plan and buy its UK media, ending a 14-year relationship with independent agency Republic of Media, SBC News reported on 12 November 2026.

The account carries estimated annual UK media spend of £50m, according to SBC News. It is a rare change of lead media agency at one of the largest operators in the British market.

What changed at Bet365

Carat UK replaces Republic of Media, which had worked with Bet365 since 2012. According to SBC News, a competitive review launched in June was managed by ID Comms, a pitch consultancy that runs agency selection processes for advertisers. Carat's win follows that process.

According to CDC Gaming, which carries SBC News UK's report, Republic of Media's remit included buying airtime around live sport and negotiating broadcast sponsorships. Sky confirmed the agency's involvement in Bet365's sponsorship of its pre- and post-match Premier League coverage for the 2025/26 season. Reports have not set out which of those responsibilities Carat inherits, or when the handover takes effect.

SBC News lists Diageo, Mondelez, Mastercard, Vodafone and Santander among Carat UK's other clients.

Creative reset behind the pitch

The media change follows a wider revision of Bet365's advertising positioning with its Newcastle-based creative partner, Drummond Central. The first campaign under that approach, titled "Reasons", centered on the operator's heritage as the UK's most trusted online betting platform. Republic of Media handled media for that launch, per SBC News.

For the operator, the appointment gives the new creative direction a different media partner for its next advertising cycle.

Cost pressure in the UK market

SBC News links the appointment to the approach of higher betting duties for UK bookmakers. Duty is the tax charged on betting activity, and increases squeeze the margin available for marketing and other spending. Detailed rates and dates were not part of the reporting reviewed here, so none are cited.

The operator's own results show the pressure on earnings. In coverage of its 2024/25 accounts published on 23 December 2025, SBC News reported that Bet365 declared revenue of around £4bn while operating profit fell from £365.7m to £217.4m. The outlet attributed the drop mainly to US expansion.

That expansion is visible in Gamingo's earlier coverage, including Bet365's Illinois sportsbook licence and its US sports betting trends review for 2024. The group has also trimmed its footprint elsewhere, as when it confirmed its exit from the Chinese market.

Why the account matters

Bet365 is also one of Britain's heaviest corporate taxpayers, as Gamingo noted when Betfred and Bet365 owners ranked among top UK taxpayers. Moving a £50m-a-year media account signals how the operator intends to spend its UK marketing budget as costs rise.

For agencies, the switch from an independent to a holding-company network shows that large gambling advertisers will put long-held accounts out to competitive review. For rival operators, it shows that a heritage-led message and a refreshed media partner are being used together in the UK.

Status reviewed on 13 November 2026. The appointment details and £50m spend estimate come from SBC News reporting of 12 November 2026, and the profit figures from its 23 December 2025 coverage. More business news and EMEA coverage.