Matchbook buys rival exchange Betdaq, open for trading until 21 October

Matchbook has completed its purchase of fellow betting exchange Betdaq for an undisclosed sum, and Betdaq customers are being notified of the closure on 14 October. Trading on Betdaq ends on 21 October, so affiliates and operators with links or commercial arrangements involving the platform may need to check what happens next.

The deal merges two peer-to-peer exchanges into one liquidity pool, at a time when Matchbook says the peer-to-peer model "enjoys renewed momentum worldwide".

What happened

Matchbook, which is operated by Triplebet, has acquired Betdaq, an exchange run by EPS Ltd. No price was disclosed. According to EGR's report, the deal is presented as a way of pairing Betdaq's long history with Matchbook's technology and pricing strengths, creating a "single, deeper pool" for customers of both exchanges.

The transition runs to a fixed timetable:

• Betdaq stays open for trading until 21 October, which Matchbook described as an "orderly transition".
• Withdrawals from Betdaq customer accounts are available until 4 November.
• From 5 November, the Betdaq site will show a closure message along with details of customer support services.
• An FAQ page on the operator's site states that Betdaq customers must open a Matchbook account.

Matchbook CEO Ronan McDonagh said Betdaq customers are the first priority, adding that "their funds are safe, their options are clear". He also said exchanges and prediction markets are taking peer-to-peer pricing to new audiences globally.

Betdaq was established 26 years ago, headquartered in Dublin under the Global Betting Exchange parent group, and launched the following year. It was once the main challenger to Betfair Exchange, with Matchbook (2004) and Smarkets (2008) arriving later. Ladbrokes bought Betdaq in 2013 for €30m and ran a Ladbrokes-branded exchange on the same platform with shared liquidity. Entain sold Betdaq back in 2021 for a price rumoured to be substantially less than €30m.

Matchbook has also expanded into B2B through easyBet, launched with easyGroup, and ahead of this year's World Cup it entered prediction markets with ADI PredictStreet. It soft launched a UK event-contracts product at the end of 2025. In April, Betfair, which Flutter owns, introduced a repackaged exchange styled as a prediction market.

Why it matters

Affiliates and operators with Betdaq tracking links, listings or integrations should check them before 21 October, because Betdaq is closing and its customers must move to Matchbook accounts. Anyone with a commercial relationship tied to Betdaq is likely to need to confirm whether terms, tracking and reporting carry over to Matchbook.

The deal also concentrates exchange liquidity in one place. EGR noted that liquidity on Betfair has markedly fallen in recent years and suggested Matchbook may see this as a chance to win market share. Operators and traders who depend on exchange pricing could find that a larger Matchbook pool changes how it compares with Betfair and Smarkets, though the tighter spreads and better prices touted for the deal are stated aims rather than demonstrated outcomes.

The move also sits alongside other exchange brands adopting prediction-market formats. Affiliates and B2B partners working in that area may want to watch how these products are positioned.

What's next

Betdaq remains open for trading until 21 October, and customer withdrawals remain available until 4 November. From 5 November, visitors to the Betdaq site will see a closure message and support details.