Entain to Leave FTSE 100 for FTSE 250 in Index Review

FTSE Russell has confirmed that sports betting and gaming group Entain will leave the FTSE 100 Index and enter the FTSE 250 Index following the September 2026 quarterly review of the FTSE UK Index Series, announced on September 2, 2026.

Airline Easyjet and oil and gas producer Ithaca Energy will join the FTSE 100, the index provider confirmed. Entain and housebuilder Persimmon will leave the blue-chip index in the rebalance and take places in the FTSE 250.

All changes from the review will be implemented at the close of business on Friday, September 18, 2026, and take effect from the start of trading on Monday, September 21, 2026.

Five Changes to the FTSE 250

The reshuffle produces five changes to the FTSE 250 Index. Alongside Entain and Persimmon, Pinewood Technologies Group, Seraphim Space Investment Trust, and Volex join the mid-cap index. Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings, GB Group, Easyjet, and Ithaca Energy leave it. The index provider noted that the Seraphim Space Investment Trust line is a newly listed multiple line of an existing FTSE 250 constituent.

FTSE Russell described the reviews as rules-driven and impartial, saying they ensure the indexes continue to portray an accurate reflection of the market they represent. The provider calculates thousands of indexes measuring markets and asset classes in more than 70 countries, and approximately $20 trillion is benchmarked to its indexes, according to LSEG.

Confirmed After Indicative Screening

The confirmation followed FTSE Russell’s indicative review published on August 25, 2026, which was based on market data as of August 21, 2026, and had already listed Entain and Persimmon as prospective FTSE 100 deletions. The formal review was conducted using data as at the market close on September 1, 2026, with the confirmed changes announced after the close the following day.

Third Stint on the Blue-Chip Index

The demotion ends the group’s third spell in the FTSE 100. FTSE Russell’s official constituent history records the company, then named GVC Holdings, being added to the index on June 18, 2018, and deleted on March 18, 2019, before being added again with effect from June 22, 2020.

According to Entain’s corporate history, the group acquired bwin.party Digital Entertainment in February 2016, was admitted to the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange that year, transferred to the exchange’s Premium Listing, and entered the FTSE 250. It announced the acquisition of Ladbrokes Coral Group in December 2017, completed the deal the following year, and created BetMGM, its 50/50 joint venture with MGM Resorts, in July 2018. In November 2020 the group announced a new corporate strategy and its renaming from GVC Holdings to Entain plc.

H1 Trading Ahead of the Rebalance

Entain reported net gaming revenue of £2,545.3 million for the six months to June 30, 2026, up from £2,373.1 million a year earlier, in its interim results published on August 13, 2026. The group, which operates the Ladbrokes and Coral brands, said first-half revenue came in ahead of expectations, with underlying EBITDA of £479.3 million, down 2% year on year, and a loss after tax of £11.4 million, an improvement of £74 million on the prior-year period. It declared an interim dividend of 10.3 pence per share, up 5%, and reported net debt of £3,599 million with reported leverage of 3.1 times.

The Ladbrokes and Coral owner also reiterated full-year guidance for online net gaming revenue growth of 5–7% on a constant-currency basis and group underlying EBITDA, excluding parent fees, of £910 million to £960 million. Entain said its performance reflected strong player engagement throughout the 2026 men’s World Cup, with first-time depositors double those seen during the 2022 tournament, and it flagged the impact of the increased UK online gambling tax on earnings.

In June 2026, Entain launched a phased exit of Entain CEE, its Central and Eastern European joint venture holding the STS and SuperSport brands, agreeing to sell an initial 20% interest to partner EMMA Capital for €425 million, implying a total enterprise value of €2.1 billion. Completion of the initial divestment is expected in early Q4 2026, with proceeds from a full exit earmarked to reduce reported leverage below 3 times.

The operator describes itself as one of the world’s largest sports betting and gaming groups, operating exclusively in regulated and regulating markets, with 35 brands across more than 30 markets, 28,000 colleagues, and 2025 revenue of £5.3 billion. Its history page records Stella David’s appointment as permanent chief executive in April 2026 and Michael Snape’s appointment as chief financial officer on March 20, 2026.

The FTSE 100 changes take effect from the start of trading on September 21, 2026.