Established in 1997, Stanleybet International is licensed in the UK and all its key managers  hold Personal Management Licences issued by the UK Gambling Commission.

Stanleybet International grew its business initially via a ground-breaking European cross-border business model whose compatibility with EU law has been endorsed in both the Gambelli and Placanica rulings from the European Court of Justice. 

Stanleybet International is the leading cross-border retail sports betting group in Europe with the majority of its intermediaries being in Cyprus, Germany and Italy, as well as locally-licensed outlets in Belgium, Croatia, Romania and now Poland making a total of over 1,400 outlets.

In February 2008, Stanleybet International entered a joint venture with Lord Steinberg of Belfast, the former Chairman and Founder of Stanley Lesiure plc, to acquire two thirds of the share capital of the leading sports betting operator in Poland, Star Typ Sport z.o.o. which operates over 400 betting shops.

This brings the total number of betting outlets under Stanleybet International management to over 1,400.

Stanleybet International is regarded as one of the companies best placed to take advantage of changes to the regulations governing much of the European betting industry, which open many new markets to competition.

The Gambelli and Placanica rulings confirm that Stanleybet International has a legitimate right to trade in any EU country under its UK license and Stanleybet International has proved that it is resolute in its intention to use this legitimate right.

However, Stanleybet will gladly work with Governments as it has in Belgium, Romania and Croatia under equitable licensed structures.

Based in Liverpool, Stanleybet International is managed by the executive team who developed and ran Stanley Leisure’s successful Stanleybet UK betting operation, which was sold in 2005 for over £500 million in what was then a record breaking deal for a betting business in the UK.

Stanleybet UK was a founder-member of the Independent Betting Arbitration Service which operates in the UK to ensure fair and open treatment of customers.

Stanleybet was also one of the first bookmakers in the UK to gain accreditation under the industry's new Code of Social Responsibility and Good Practice for Licensed Betting Offices working with Gamcare, a registered charity that is the leading authority on the provision of information, advice and practical help in addressing the social impact of gambling.