Retail Customer Service Manager

Pradeep Kumar Bonda joins DataLink as Vice President - People & Culture. October 15, 2026 Pradeep Kumar Bonda has joined DataLink as Vice President - People & Culture, bringing nearly two decades of experience in human resources leadership, people strategy, organisational transformation and employee engagement. His appointment marks his move to DataLink after holding senior HR positions across technology, healthcare and business services. Before joining DataLink, Bonda served as Head of HR - India at Entain. In that role, he was responsible for translating global people strategies into local initiatives, strengthening leadership capabilities, improving employee engagement and retention, and supporting HR transformation. He also worked on incorporating data analytics and artificial intelligence into HR decision-making. Earlier, Bonda worked at Carelon Global Solutions as Senior Manager - HR Business Partner. His responsibilities included supporting business leaders, succession planning, talent development and aligning HR practices with organisational priorities. He also spent several years at Altruista Health, progressing from Senior Human Resources Manager to Director - People Success. During his tenure, he led initiatives focused on organisational effectiveness, employee engagement and talent retention. He worked with cross-functional leadership teams on change management and helped strengthen the role of HR as a strategic business partner. Earlier in his career, Bonda worked with Semantic Space Technologies Limited, now Prolifics, in inside sales. He also served as HR & Inside Sales Executive at BIR Solutions, where his responsibilities included recruitment, training and development, payroll, performance management, employee grievances and administration. Bonda holds an MBA in Human Resources and Marketing from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. He has also completed a Business Transformation and Strategy programme at XLRI Jamshedpur. At DataLink, he brings experience in strategic HR business partnering, people analytics, leadership development, succession planning and organisational culture. His background spans multiple industries and includes work on aligning workforce strategies with business objectives. - Advertisement -

Q3 2026: UK online surge pushes Entain net gaming revenue up 2%. Online NGR was up 3% year-on-year but 8% higher when excluding Brazil Double-digit online growth in the UK helped push group net gaming revenue (NGR) at Entain up 2% during the third quarter, though the recent shutdown in Brazil resulted in a decline in its international business. Reporting in a trading update, Entain did not publish full financial figures, with these due at a later stage when the Q3 data is published in full. However, the group did offer insight into its various business segments. Group online NGR was 3% higher, helped by an 8% rise in gaming revenue but partly offset by a 3% drop in sports NGR and the impact of the situation in Brazil. In late September, President Lula signed an order banning online sports betting and casino gaming in the country. Incidentally, Entain said that excluding Brazil, total online NGR was 8% higher year-on-year. As for retail performance, total NGR for the segment was 2% lower, with both retail gaming and sports betting NGR down 1%. The sports wagering dip came despite a 5% rise in wagers during Q3. "I'm pleased with our Q3 performance," said CEO Stella David. "It reflects the strength of our execution and reinforces the resilience of our globally scaled business as well as its ability to consistently deliver high-quality growth." Entain surpasses expectations in the UK and Ireland. Breaking down the performance further, Entain noted a better-than-expected performance in the UK and Ireland, with total NGR for the region up 8% in Q3. This was driven by a 14% rise in online NGR, with gaming NGR up 17% and sports NGR 3%. There was also marginal growth in retail, with NGR edging up 1% following a 1% rise in both gaming and sports betting NGR. Entain said the growth reflected its "strategic execution and investment" in the region, against the background of an "increasingly challenging" tax environment. Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) increased from 21% to 40% at the start of April, while a new rate of General Betting Duty (GBD) will be introduced at 25% next year. On this, David once again urged the UK government to think carefully over further tax rises on gambling, warning this could lead to further job losses in the sector. Entain recently said as many as 400 customer care jobs could be lost across its business to mitigate the impact of higher UK tax rates. "Both online and retail are important parts of our business and valued contributors to tax revenues and local communities," David said. "We strongly urge the UK government to carefully consider any further gambling tax increases which would threaten the viability of many shops, jobs and livelihoods." 'Disciplined' approach in Brazil. Turning to its international business, NGR was 4% lower overall. Online NGR dropped 3% amid a 5% fall in gaming NGR and 2% decline in sports betting NGR. There were greater declines in retail, with NGR for the international business down 12% in Q3. Entain did not publish NGR for retail gaming activities, but did reveal a 7% decline in sports NGR despite a 13% rise in retail wagers. Reflecting on the international business as a whole, Entain referenced the situation in Brazil, with NGR in the country down 36%. However, it also highlighted "disciplined marketing and player engagement" prior to the ban coming into effect last month. Elsewhere, Australia online NGR was flat at 1%, in line with expectations, while New Zealand, Spain and Canada continued to perform strongly, delivering double-digit online NGR growth. Italy NGR dipped 6%, where strong volume growth was offset by customer friendly football results. In addition, Entain made reference to its discontinued operations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Entain agreed to sell a 20% stake in its CEE joint venture to existing partner EMMA Capital in June. For CEE discontinued operations, NGR was flat year-on-year, with online up 4% and retail down 22%. The group said this reflected double-digit online growth in Poland, though this was offset by an adverse sports margin in Croatia. Entain reiterates full-year guidance. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, Entain reiterated guidance provided after the ban in Brazil came into effect a few weeks ago. This works on the assumption the ban will be upheld for the remainder of 2026. On this, FY26 online NGR is set to increase by between 4% and 6% on a constant currency basis. Excluding Brazil, FY26 Online NGR growth is expected to be at the top end of 5% to 7% range. Underlying EBITDA for the business is set to be at the lower end of the £910m to £960m range, while online underlying EBITDA margin is on track to be between 21% and 22%. As for BetMGM, which published its Q3 results earlier this week, net revenue for the joint venture with MGM Resorts International is still expected to hit between $2.9bn and $3.1bn, and adjusted EBITDA from $300m to $350m. "The underlying momentum we are seeing across our diverse portfolio supports our confidence in reiterating FY26 guidance," David said. "I am confident our disciplined focus on growth and optimisation will deliver strong future cash-generation, and that Entain remains well positioned to be a long-term industry winner."