International law firm Addleshaw Goddard, together with McDermott Will & Emery, jointly advised Entain plc on its negotiation of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the subsequent approval by the Court of the DPA. It is the first time the UK prosecutor has resolved an investigation with a DPA. 

The £585m financial penalty, approved today by Dame Victoria Sharp DBE, President of the King's Bench Division, follows an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) into Entain plc's legacy Turkish facing business, which it sold in 2017. The company subsequently announced in May 2023 that it had entered into DPA negotiations with the CPS to resolve the ongoing HMRC investigation in relation to alleged offences under Section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010.

Simon Zinger, Global General Counsel of Entain said:

"Entain's exemplary co-operation, regulatory focus, and transformed compliance programme have been central to this outcome.  We are committed to ensuring that Entain continues to implement the highest ethical, compliance and governance standards."

Nichola Peters, Partner and co-lead of the Addleshaw Goddard legal team, said:

"This settlement reflects our client's exemplary cooperation and a significant factor in reaching this conclusion was Entain's remediation efforts and enhanced compliance."

Michelle de Kluyver, Partner and co-lead of the Addleshaw Goddard legal team, said:

"Our client is pleased to draw a line under these legacy issues."

Acknowledging the exemplary cooperation of Entain plc in the investigation, the Judge ruled on 5th December 2023 in a public hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice that the DPA’s terms were fair, reasonable and proportionate and that the DPA was in the interests of justice.

The Addleshaw Goddard team was led by partners Nichola Peters and Michelle de Kluyver, and included Neeta Chityal, Jenny Burton, Noel Power, Lily Dou, Natalie Sellar, Sarah Morrisey and India Barlow, working alongside Entain’s Group General Counsel, Simon Zinger, who led the company’s efforts.

Read Entain’s market disclosure here.