Kindred Group
Swedish-founded online gambling group operating betting, casino, poker and bingo brands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Kindred Group is a Swedish-founded online gambling company that developed from the Unibet business into a multi-brand operator serving regulated markets. The group operated brands including Unibet, Maria Casino, Vlad Cazino and 32Red, with products spanning online sports betting, casino games, poker and bingo. Although associated with Sweden through its origins, corporate registration and operational infrastructure were distributed internationally: the group was registered in Malta and maintained offices in locations including Gibraltar, London and Stockholm. The company’s history reflects the consolidation and internationalization of European online gambling. It expanded through licensing, acquisitions and market partnerships, including its 2012 purchase of Danish bookmaker Bet24, its 2014 acquisition of Bingo.com’s domain and real-money gambling operation, its 2015 purchase of StanJames.com’s online business and its 2017 acquisition of Gibraltar-based 32Red. The StanJames.com brand was subsequently retired and customer accounts were transferred into Kindred’s platform. In 2014, the group also separated its business-to-business sports-betting technology activity, Kambi, through a spin-off in which Unibet initially retained a substantial stake. The corporate name changed from Unibet Group to Kindred Group in 2016. The rebranding was intended to support a multi-brand strategy rather than replace Unibet, which remained the group’s principal consumer-facing brand. Kindred also invested in market-specific compliance and identity tools, becoming the first gambling operator to integrate Sweden’s BankID electronic-identification service in 2016. In 2018 it introduced an advertising-blocking tool designed to reduce exposure of self-excluded customers to gambling marketing. Kindred pursued expansion beyond Europe through sports-betting partnerships in the United States. It entered New Jersey in 2018 through a relationship with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Pennsylvania in 2019 through Mohegan Sun Pocono. After a strategic review begun in 2023, the group announced that it would withdraw from North American markets by the second quarter of 2024, accompanied by a reduction of more than 300 corporate positions and targeted annual cost savings of about £40 million. The group faced repeated regulatory scrutiny concerning responsible gambling, customer due diligence, anti-money-laundering controls, bonus rules and access by self-excluded customers. Actions and penalties were reported in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. These matters formed part of the broader regulatory risk of operating across jurisdictions with different licensing and consumer-protection regimes. La Française des Jeux completed its acquisition of Kindred in October 2024 after receiving acceptances for more than 90 percent of the outstanding share capital. The transaction ended Kindred’s independent public-company status and brought its brands into FDJ’s enlarged international gambling group. Kindred therefore remains an operating brand group under new ownership, but no longer functions as an independently listed company.
History
Kindred Group originated as Unibet, a Swedish online gambling business founded in 1997. Its development followed the broader growth of internet betting and the progressive regulation of online gambling in European markets. In 2011, Unibet received one of Denmark’s first 48 licenses under the country’s newly regulated gambling framework. The following year it acquired Danish bookmaker Bet24, strengthening its sports-betting presence in Scandinavia. A major structural event occurred in 2014, when shareholders approved the separation of the group’s business-to-business subsidiary Kambi Group. Kambi began trading independently on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm First North in June 2014, while Unibet retained a large distributed stake at the time. Later that year, Unibet acquired Bingo.com’s domain and real-money gambling business for US$8 million, paid through a combination of cash and shares. In 2015, Unibet purchased the online business of StanJames.com for a reported £19 million, excluding the seller’s physical betting shops. The online StanJames brand was discontinued in 2018 and its customer accounts were moved to Kindred. In 2016, Unibet became the first gambling operator to integrate Sweden’s BankID electronic-identification service. Shareholders then approved the change of corporate name to Kindred Group, reflecting a strategy built around multiple consumer brands rather than a single Unibet identity. The group expanded further in 2017 by acquiring Gibraltar-based online operator 32Red for approximately £176 million. It continued developing tools intended to address responsible-gambling concerns, including an advertising-blocking product launched in 2018 with Betfilter to prevent self-excluded customers from receiving gambling advertisements. Kindred also experimented with market entry outside Europe. It entered New Jersey sports betting in 2018 through Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Pennsylvania in 2019 through Mohegan Sun Pocono. The company later reassessed the economics and regulatory complexity of the region. In 2023 it announced a plan to leave North America by the second quarter of 2024, reduce its corporate workforce by more than 300 positions and pursue approximately £40 million in annual cost savings. Regulatory disputes became a recurring feature of the group’s operating history. Authorities in the United Kingdom cited social-responsibility and anti-money-laundering shortcomings at 32Red and Platinum Gaming. Norway’s regulator challenged the provision of gambling services to residents by the Malta-licensed Trannel business and imposed daily coercive fines. In Sweden, Spooniker faced sanctions linked to bonus rules and later customer-due-diligence and anti-money-laundering controls. Danish and Dutch regulators also raised customer-identification, source-of-funds and self-exclusion issues involving Unibet-related businesses. In 2024, Kindred reported third-quarter revenue of £294.5 million, underlying EBITDA of £63.4 million and 1,701,100 active customers. Those figures were reported in the context of the company’s final period as an independent listed group. La Française des Jeux completed its acquisition of Kindred in October 2024 after obtaining more than 90 percent of the shares. Kindred’s brands consequently became part of FDJ’s international gambling portfolio, ending its independent listing while preserving its operating businesses.
- 2024
Acquired by La Française des Jeux
[1]FDJ completes its acquisition of Kindred after securing more than 90 percent of the outstanding share capital.
- 2018
United States market entry
[1]Kindred enters New Jersey sports betting through a partnership with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.
- 2017
32Red acquisition
[1]Kindred agrees to acquire Gibraltar-based operator 32Red for approximately £176 million; completion follows in June.
- 2016
Corporate rebrand to Kindred Group
[1]The company adopts the Kindred Group name to support its multi-brand operating model.
- 2015
StanJames.com online business acquired
[1]Unibet acquires StanJames.com’s online operations while leaving the seller’s high-street betting shops outside the transaction.
- 2014
Kambi separation
[1]Shareholders approve the spin-off of the business-to-business subsidiary Kambi, which begins independent trading in June.
- 2012
Bet24 acquisition
[1]Unibet acquires Danish bookmaker Bet24.
- 2011
Danish market licensing
[1]Unibet receives one of the initial licenses issued under Denmark’s newly regulated online gambling market.
- 1997
Unibet is founded
[1]The business that became Kindred Group is established as Unibet, an online gambling operator founded in Sweden.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand, regulated online gambling group combining sports betting and digital gaming products with market-specific brands and technology. Its positioning emphasizes international reach, local-market licensing and responsible-gambling controls.
Sports betting and online gaming · 1997
Unibet
Kindred’s principal consumer-facing brand, offering online sports betting together with casino, poker and bingo products in regulated markets. Unibet has been used as the group’s international flagship while local licensing and product availability vary by jurisdiction.
Online casino and gaming
32Red
A Gibraltar-based online gambling brand acquired by Kindred in 2017. 32Red is primarily associated with online casino products and has also been used in sports sponsorship, including training-kit sponsorship of Rangers Football Club.
Online casino
Maria Casino
A Kindred group casino brand serving selected regulated markets. Its offering is centered on online casino games and market-specific digital gambling services.
Online casino
Vlad Cazino
A market-specific Kindred gambling brand included in the group’s multi-brand portfolio, focused on online casino services.
Business-to-business sports-betting technology
Kambi
Kindred’s former business-to-business sports-betting technology subsidiary. Kambi was spun off in 2014 and began trading independently, separating its technology operations from Kindred’s consumer gambling brands.
Controversies
2024
Dutch Cruks self-exclusion breach
The Dutch regulator fined Optdeck Service Limited €400,000 after finding that players in the national Cruks self-exclusion register had been able to register and gamble through the Unibet operation.
2023
UK social-responsibility and anti-money-laundering failures
The UK Gambling Commission fined 32Red Limited and Platinum Gaming Limited a combined £7.1 million and issued official warnings concerning social-responsibility and anti-money-laundering shortcomings.
2022
Norwegian enforcement against Trannel
Norway’s gambling authority imposed a daily coercive fine against Trannel International over alleged unlawful provision of online gambling to Norwegian residents. The regulatory dispute continued through 2022 and 2023, after which Kindred stated that it would withdraw from Norway.
2021
Danish customer-due-diligence orders
Denmark’s gambling authority issued orders and warnings to Unibet Denmark concerning customer due diligence, source-of-funds information and investigations of high-risk activity.
2020
Swedish bonus-rule sanction against Spooniker
Spooniker, Kindred’s Swedish subsidiary, received a sanction for violations of Swedish bonus rules. Subsequent administrative-court proceedings reduced the penalty from its original level.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Unibet and Rangers front-of-shirt partnership
United Kingdom · Scotland
Kindred’s Unibet brand became the front-of-shirt sponsor of Scottish football club Rangers, while 32Red sponsored the club’s training kit.
Outcome. The partnership was extended in September 2024 through the 2028–29 season.
- 2018Self-exclusion advertising blocker
International
Kindred launched an advertising-blocking tool developed with Betfilter to reduce the likelihood that self-excluded customers would receive gambling advertisements.
Outcome. The initiative was presented as a responsible-gambling and customer-protection measure.
Brand decisions
2024
Acquisition by La Française des JeuxM&ABackground
Kindred was the subject of a takeover offer from La Française des Jeux as the gambling sector continued to consolidate.
Action taken
FDJ completed the acquisition after securing more than 90 percent of Kindred’s outstanding share capital.
Aftermath
Kindred ceased to operate as an independent listed group and became part of FDJ’s enlarged international gambling business.
2023
Withdrawal from North AmericaStrategyBackground
A strategic review examined Kindred’s North American activities and their cost, scale and regulatory complexity.
Action taken
Kindred announced an exit from all North American markets by the second quarter of 2024 and a reduction of more than 300 corporate positions.
Aftermath
The company projected annual cost savings of approximately £40 million and concentrated resources on other regulated markets.
Projected annual cost savings. Approximately £40 million (Announced November 2023)
2017
Acquisition of 32RedM&ABackground
Kindred sought to expand its online casino portfolio and strengthen its position in regulated European markets.
Action taken
Kindred acquired Gibraltar-based operator 32Red for approximately £176 million.
Aftermath
32Red became one of the group’s principal casino brands.
Acquisition value. Approximately £176 million (2017)
2016
Adoption of the Kindred Group nameStrategyBackground
The company was moving from a predominantly Unibet identity toward a portfolio of consumer brands.
Action taken
Shareholders approved changing the corporate name from Unibet Group Plc to Kindred Group Plc.
Aftermath
Unibet remained the best-known consumer brand while Kindred became the group-level identity.
2014
Spin-off of KambiM&ABackground
Kindred separated its business-to-business sports-betting technology activity from its consumer gambling operations.
Action taken
Shareholders approved the spin-off, and Kambi began independent trading in June 2014.
Aftermath
The transaction created a separately traded technology company while Kindred continued operating consumer gambling brands.
Recent events
Reported
Kindred Group completes acquisition of Relax Gaming[2]
Kindred Group completed its acquisition of the remaining outstanding shares in Relax Gaming. Kindred's ownership after the transaction was 93% of the company's total fully diluted shares.
Reported
Kindred agrees to acquire remaining Relax Gaming shares[3]
Kindred Group signed an agreement to acquire the remaining 66.6% of Relax Gaming's outstanding shares, valuing the company at up to EUR 320 million.
Reported
Kindred and Relax Gaming create exclusive LGBTQ+ avatars[4]
Kindred Group and Relax Gaming collaborated to create LGBTQ+ avatars available exclusively to Kindred customers. The idea originated in Kindred's LGBTQ+ Network and was developed to celebrate Pride Month.
Reported
Unibet launches Watch&Bet live streaming player[5]
Kindred announced the launch of its Watch&Bet live streaming player for Unibet customers, allowing them to watch live sports streams with a live-odds overlay and place bets without leaving the stream. The feature initially launched on the iOS sports app and was described as available in most of Unibet's European markets.
Reported
Kindred Group and MuchBetter form global payments partnership[6]
MuchBetter formed a global payments partnership with Kindred Group, making the MuchBetter payment app available across Kindred brands, starting with Unibet, Bingo.com and Maria Casino.
Reported
Kindred Group completes acquisition of Blancas NV[7]
Kindred Group completed its acquisition of all shares in Blancas NV, which operates Casino Blankenberge in Belgium, from Rank Group Plc.
Kindred Group completes acquisition of Casino Blankenberge operator[8]
Kindred Group completed its acquisition of all shares in Blancas NV, which operates Casino Blankenberge, from The Rank Group Plc.
Reported
Kindred agrees to acquire Blancas NV[9]
Kindred signed an agreement to acquire all shares in Blancas NV, operator of Casino Blankenberge in Belgium, from The Rank Group Plc for GBP 25 million. Completion is subject to customary regulatory approvals and was expected in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Sources9 sources
- 1Kindred Groupen.wikipedia.org
- 2Kindred Group完成对Relax Gaming的收购prnewswire.com
- 3Kindred 同意收购 Relax Gaming 剩余股份prnewswire.com
- 4Kindred与Relax Gaming推出专属LGBTQ+头像prnewswire.com
- 5Unibet推出Watch&Bet直播播放器prnewswire.com
- 6Kindred Group与MuchBetter建立全球支付合作关系igamingbusiness.com
- 7Kindred Group完成对Blancas NV的收购prnewswire.com
- 8Kindred Group完成对Casino Blankenberge运营商的收购yogonet.com
- 9Kindred同意收购Blancas NVprnewswire.co.uk
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