Matchbook, the Alderney-based exchange business founded in 2004 and run through Triplebet Limited, has acquired Dublin-based Betdaq, which Dermot Desmond set up in 2000. The buyer said the deal will bring the two customer pools together, with the stated aim of sharper prices and deeper liquidity for peer-to-peer bettors. It cuts the number of major UK betting exchanges to four and is being linked by Matchbook to its expansion into prediction markets. The acquisition was reported by The Herald and SBC News.
Why Matchbook is buying Betdaq
Matchbook’s chief executive, Ronan McDonagh, said the two firms had spent a long period building around the same principle: that bettors receive a better outcome when prices are set by a market instead of by a bookmaker’s margin. He added that exchanges and prediction markets are now carrying peer-to-peer pricing to new audiences, and that taking over Betdaq deepens the pool behind everything Matchbook is constructing. Matchbook said the combined operation would create a bigger base of activity and allow it to offer tighter spreads and better prices. McDonagh said the transition’s first priority is Betdaq’s customers, with funds safe and options clear, and he described the goal as making the exchange the first choice.
What Betdaq customers can expect
Betdaq’s trading service will remain open until 21 October 2026, and accounts will be available for withdrawals until 4 November 2026. A Matchbook spokesperson said money held for customers is protected under the regulatory duties of both companies for the whole transition. The spokesperson added that key dates, a detailed FAQ and account options are available on the Betdaq website. These statements are Matchbook’s own claims about fund safety, not independent verification.
The UK exchange market after the deal
The takeover leaves four major betting exchanges in the UK, according to SBC News. The other three are the Betfair Exchange, Spreadex and Smarkets. Matchbook has operated exchange markets for more than 20 years and is licensed in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission through Triplebet Limited. Dublin-based Betdaq was launched in 2000, and Matchbook was established in 2004 with its headquarters in Alderney. Betdaq’s founder, Dermot Desmond, remains Celtic’s largest single shareholder, as reported by The Herald.
Prediction markets and Matchbook’s strategy
SBC News reported that Matchbook became the first UK company to introduce a prediction markets platform in December 2025. In June 2026, it signed a white-label agreement with ADI PredictStreet, which the report describes as the official prediction market partner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Matchbook said the acquisition is connected to broader growth in prediction markets, which it believes has revived demand for the exchange model of peer-to-peer pricing. McDonagh said UK exchange gross gambling yield decreased again in 2025/26, but Matchbook has been increasing its market share. The Betdaq deal is expected to lift that share faster than continued organic growth would.
What has not been disclosed
The reports did not include a purchase price, nor the number of Betdaq customers who will be moved. Any required regulatory approvals were not mentioned. It is not yet known when Betdaq customers will gain access to the combined liquidity pool beyond the 21 October trading deadline and 4 November withdrawal deadline. Matchbook has not said how the acquisition will affect its financial results or staffing.
