PPB Counterparty Services Ltd having its registered address at Triq il-Kappillan Mifsud, St. Venera, SVR 1851, MALTA, is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority under Licence Number MGA/CL2/294/2006 (issued on 12 March 2018). Paddy Power was founded in 1988 when three Irish bookmakersdecided to combine resources. Stewart Kenny, David Power, andJohn Corcoran joined forces and combined their 40 physicalbetting shops to create the Paddy Power brand. From the beginning, Paddy Power did things a littledifferently than other bookmakers. One thing they did well wastreat customers like gold. The founders didn’t want Paddy Po.

They are one of the most popular bookmakers around and one that draws us in through entertainment and a great sense of humour which is displayed in their TV advertising and on Social Media. Paddy Power are also making far bigger inroads on the UK High Streets now and they are set for a long period of growth.

Now merged with Betfair they retain their own brand in this powerful axis but how did things start for this Irish bookmaker?

In the beginning: 1988 – 1990

Paddy Power was formed when three independent Irish bookmakers came together in the late 1980’s. Between them, David Power, Stewart Kenny and John Corcoran owned 40 betting shops but at a time when the small independents were being swallowed up by the big brands, they decided that they would be stronger together.

Of the three, the Power name was considered to be the strongest and the most well known and with the choice of green colouring in the branding, the name ‘Paddy Power’ seems to have chosen itself.

The plans were to expand rapidly, although at that time, the new organisation was concentrating firmly on building its base in Ireland. Previously, the 40 shops had mostly been hidden away in side streets but the new growth focussed on setting up new premises in the heart of city shopping areas.

Power, Corcoran and Kenny also wanted to focus on giving a great customer service and as a relatively small organisation at the time, this was an area where they could certainly score points over the ‘big boys’. A strong and loyal following developed across the country but news was spreading much further beyond the Emerald Isle.

The entertainment brand: 1991 – 1999

Paddy Power began making the news beyond Ireland as they started to provide a series of novelty bets. This area of the market wasn’t exactly new – firms such as Ladbrokes had been opening markets on a White Christmas amongst others for many years – but the nature of the bets started to get them noticed.

That practise continues into the present day and along with the bizarre markets, there are odd entries appearing in amongst the more conventional ones. For example, Paddy will list TV presenters and others wholly unsuited for the job in a football club’s next manager market. A day after Jose Mourinho became the new boss of Manchester United, he was still quoted in the next Aston Villa Manager betting.

Not all of these offers have been entertaining ones and many have courted controversy over the years. In November 2008, Paddy Power offered odds of 16-1 that new American President Barack Obama would not finish his term. This could euphemistically have been interpreted that they would pay out if he was assassinated but as they say – ‘there is no such thing as bad publicity’.

Paddy Power also found themselves in trouble for a more minor offence in 2008 when they paid out bets on Stoke City to be relegated after just one game of the new Premier League campaign.

Digital Days: 2000 to Present

Paddy Power were among the first of the big bookmakers to recognise the importance of online gaming and in 2000, paddypower.com went live. In a short space of time, the income generated from their online business grew to eclipse the takings from their bricks and mortar shops and in the present day, it’s claimed that over £4 Billion is wagered at their website every single year.

The organisation continued to stay at the forefront of digital innovation, becoming the very first bookmaker to publish an app at the Apple store. Prior to that, Paddy Power had also become pioneers in other areas of the gaming market as they launched their casino and poker sites.

In the present day, Paddy Power’s sports portal retains its popularity by providing top value in all of the main markets including football and horse racing. Added to that is a generous welcome bonus while you can always expect to find some great deals for the life of your account.

Out of all the major bookies, Paddy are the ones to have really embraced the digital era as their entertaining TV ads are backed by comical social media accounts. You’ll always find a great experience as a follower of Paddy Power and it’s all linked to some serious value for the customer.

The Present day

Paddy Power’s operating income for 2014 is listed as 163.8 million Euros, making them one of the most successful bookmakers in the business. As a standalone organisation, they are hugely important to the industry but 2016’s merger with Betfair makes them even more powerful.

The deal, which was announced in September 2015, sees both brand identities retained with former Paddy Power executives holding the majority of shares – 52% to 48%.

Currently, the organisation holds 588 shops across the UK although as Betfair were absent from the High Street, these were all Paddy Power premises. Altogether, the merger has led to a huge company but it’s great to see that the separate brands have been maintained.

Paddy Power remain committed to sponsorship deals and we are used to seeing their name behind some of the most important Flat and National Hunt races. Previously, they have been involved in other sports, including some niche events such as athletics but their involvement in football has largely seen their ‘tongue in cheek’ approach being adopted.

At Euro 2012, Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner revealed a pair of Paddy Power underpants, much to the annoyance of the tournament organisers and the Danish sponsors – who just happened to be Ladbrokes.

That’s just another example of the alternative way that Paddy Power go about their business. A laugh and a smile is never far away but behind the entertainment this is a serious brand that gives great value for money and one that has achieved much since that modest merger back in 1988.

Two of the biggest gambling companies in the world have officially agreed to merge. Company officials have confirmed that Paddy Power and PokerStars have joined forces. This PaddyPower-PokerStars merger is the biggest of any online gambling companies in history.

Today, we’re going to look at how this merger came together. We’ll also talk about what these companies will now offer as a team. Let’s get into it!

Paddy Power Politics

History of Paddy Power and PokerStars

If you know anything about online gambling, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of both Paddy Power and PokerStars. Both of these companies are extremely popular, with millions of active users around the world. Interestingly, both are very different and offer their members unique forms of gambling.

History Of Paddy Power Ireland

Paddy Power was founded all the way back in 1988 in Dublin, Ireland. For a decade, the company focused on expanding land-based betting shops around Ireland and eventually, the United Kingdom. Before long, this company began offering online betting platforms. Today, it’s one of the most successful gambling companies in the world.

PokerStars is another extremely popular internet gambling company. This company wasn’t founded in 2001, initially by a Costa Rican company called Regional Enterprises. It immediately began offering services to players in the United States and grew to become the largest online poker company in the world.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 forced PokerStars to leave the US market. Despite this, it’s grown extremely popular in Europe and Asia.

Despite the rise in online gambling competition, both of these companies have continued to bring in massive revenue figures. This week, they’ve officially agreed to merge.

Details of the Paddy Power-PokerStars Merge Come to Fruition?

Paddy Power is no stranger to big merges. Back in 2015, this company famously merged with Betfair. Today, this company is technically called Paddy Power Betfair. This week, Paddy Power has confirmed that it’s joining forces with PokerStars.

Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of Paddy Power, will control 54.64% of this new company. Toronto Stars Group, which owns PokerStars, will own 45.36% of the company. Immediately after the news of this merger was announced, Flutter Entertainment’s stock prices rose by 15%.

The Paddy Power-PokerStars merger is the biggest ever in the history of gambling companies. Together, these companies will have a combined annual revenue of more than $4.6 billion. CEO of Flutter Entertainment Peter Jackson recently commented on the news of this deal to the media.

“We believe the combination of Flutter and TSG will deliver substantial value for shareholders,” he said. “We will have an exceptional portfolio of leading recreational brands and best-in-class products on industry-leading technology platforms.”

Jackson also told the media that this merge will “turbocharge” the company’s plans to expand into new markets. The US, in particular, is becoming a major point of interest for these companies.

Expansion Into the US is Coming Soon

In 2018, the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA. Now, every state in the country can set laws on sports gambling. 19 states have already legalized this form of gambling and many are set to within the next couple of years. As a result, many of the top gambling companies in the world are now interested in breaking into this market.

The Paddy Power-Poker Stars merger now has backing from FOX Sports. The powerful US company will acquire an 18.5% stake in Flutter Entertainment’s US business.

Paddy Power Betting

“We’re excited to be able to expand our partnership into FanDuel, which together with FOX Bet, will be a leader in sports wagering in the U.S.,” an official at FOX Corporation told the media.

Several states have also legalized internet casino gambling recently. It’s unclear whether or not the newly merged company will look to offer any online casino games in the US. As more states choose to legalize this industry, this scenario will become more likely.

The Paddy Power-PokerStars merger is the biggest ever made in the history of gambling companies. We’ll need to wait and see how effective this company is at breaking into the United States.

History Of Paddy Power Racing

Stay tuned for more updates over the next few weeks!