Entain, the gambling group behind Ladbrokes and bwin.party, reported online revenues up by a third between January and March even as the closure of its high street betting shops dragged down overall growth.

The 33 per cent rise in online net gaming revenue is a slowdown on the 41 per cent growth in the previous quarter but is still the 21st consecutive quarter of double-digit increases — a record sustained by people looking for entertainment during months of lockdown.

Online business has also picked up across the gambling industry as sports fixtures have restarted, following initial shutdowns during the pandemic, and while betting shops have mostly been closed.