Entain opens new collaborative “workplace of the future” in East London with esports player zone

Sports betting and gaming gian Entain has opened a new workplace in Stratford, East London, the business announced on Friday. The UK company describes the new facility, which opened this week, as a “workplace of the future.”

The building provides a 500-capacity collaborative workplace for the group’s content creators, traders, retail and brand teams, a press release explains, “who are spearheading the development of innovative products and experiences for its customers.”

The property features a range of attractive amenities, including an esports players zone, a state-of-the-art media studio, a sports café, a grandstand that brings people together -“and drives excitement around internal events”- and well-being and accessibility facilities.

“We set out to develop a workplace that embodies the spirit of who we are as a global business, with innovation and collaboration at our core,” said Andy Hicks, Retail Managing Director, UK & Ireland at Entain. The new workplace will also operate on 100% renewable energy, bringing the group one step closer to its commitment of becoming carbon net-zero by 2035.

“Including features such as wellbeing spaces, collaborative hubs and the latest technology, we were able to create an environment that not only enables all of our colleagues to thrive, but also create and deliver fantastic experiences for our customers,” he added.

The reopening comes as Entain “continues to redefine the sports betting and gaming industry and lead in interactive entertainment,” the company claims. The newly designed office space is set to play a central part in driving this growth, by providing its people based in Stratford with “a collaborative, productive and innovative” place to work.

The new workspace sits alongside Entain’s £100 million ($129.9 million) commitment to innovation, and comes after the group revealed that the new global innovation hub Ennovate will launch this spring, set to lead the way “in delivering new, immersive experiences by leveraging cutting-edge technologies.”

Ennovate will invest in innovation projects, start-up investments, and collaborations with UK, European and global partners, with £40 million ($51.9 million) specifically earmarked for innovation investment in the UK.

We’re turning turquoise for the day to celebrate the launch of our brand-new £100m global #innovation hub, Ennovate.🌐

We’re partnering with @Verizon, @bt_uk, @Theta_Network, @ChanceChildhood and Climate Hack to develop cutting-edge technologies.🧠

Read: https://t.co/aAXWCGJf3n

— Entain (@EntainGroup) January 31, 2022

First technology companies working with Ennovate include Verizon, BT, and Theta Labs, all looking “to develop ground-breaking experiences for customers in gaming and interactive entertainment,” according to a press release.

“We want to lead the way with new, exciting products and experiences for customers and use our cutting-edge technology to pioneer innovations in sport, gaming, and interactive entertainment for the metaverse,” said Jette Nygaard-Andersen, Chief Executive of Entain, in January.

Ennovate’s first dedicated innovation lab will be located in Charterhouse Square, Farringdon, at the heart of London’s entrepreneurial tech community, close to the UK headquarters of TikTok and Snapchat. It will host members of Entain’s innovation technology team, working alongside its commercial and not-for-profit partners.