Denise Coates and iGaming founders lead online betting wealth

The wealth of major iGaming entrepreneurs often stems from private ownership and operational success rather than public stock gains. Denise Coates, co-founder and joint CEO of bet365, is noted as the wealthiest self-made woman in Britain. Having transitioned her family’s betting shop business to an online model in 2000, Coates reportedly received approximately £287 million in 2025 through a combination of £183 million in dividends and £104 million in salary.

Unlike many tech founders, Coates’s fortune is tied to cash profits because bet365 remains a privately held company. Similarly, Swedish entrepreneurs Jens von Bahr and Fredrik Osterberg have built significant wealth through Evolution AB. Their company has become a dominant global supplier of live dealer casino games, including blackjack and roulette, operating from its origins in Riga.