jili tutorial

Flutter ponders closure of 100 Paddy Power shops due to higher taxes and “economic uncertainty”

By jili tutorial · September 4, 2026

Flutter ponders closure of 100 Paddy Power shops due to higher taxes and “economic uncertainty”

Flutter Entertainment has become the latest UK gambling giant to feel the impact of the recent increase in Remote Gaming Duty (RGD), confirming that up to 100 Paddy Power retail outlets are now “under review”. The company, which is now listed solely on the New York Stock Exchange, stated that “approximately 400 roles could potentially be put at risk of redundancy” as it implements cost-cutting measures to offset the near-doubling of RGD. Business Post previously reported that these stores would close, and Flutter said that “impacted colleagues will be offered redeployment opportunities where possible”.

Tax rise and cost-cutting measures

This is the latest example of Flutter making cuts at Paddy Power. Earlier this year, an email seen by SBC News revealed that the company was restructuring Paddy Power’s famous marketing department. At the time, Flutter attributed that move to the RGD increase, and it has cited the same factor following the announcement of this review. The company also pointed to “fierce competition” and “economic uncertainty” as contributing reasons for initiating the review. However, it reiterated that its retail operations remain an important part of the wider group.

“We are incredibly proud of our high street estate, and it remains a key part of our business in communities across the UK and Ireland,” a spokesperson for Flutter UK and Ireland said. “Unfortunately, we have had to take the extremely difficult decision to conduct this review.”

Shop closures follow revelation of “clear mitigation plan”

The news comes after Flutter’s underwhelming Q2 results, which saw the owner of Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair swing from a $37 million profit to a $296 million loss year-on-year. It was also announced that Peter Jackson will step down as Chief Executive Officer, to be replaced by Dan Taylor, currently CEO and President of Flutter International.

UK and Ireland (UKI) revenue grew 4% year-on-year in Q2 to $971 million. Jackson later stated that Flutter is confident in “substantially increasing UK market share” as smaller operators feel the pressure of tax rises. The firm is the UK’s market leader through its three major brands, and Jackson explained that it has “a very sustainable and clear plan to mitigate the tax changes”.

“We’re going to keep our foot down hard on the marketing and generosity side, and we have other ways that we can help mitigate some of the increase in costs,” he said.

Broader industry context: Flutter joins other operators in cutting estate

This review is a prime example of that mitigation strategy, and it was always likely that some of Flutter’s UK retail estate would be among the first to be affected. Several other tier-1 operators in the UK, including Betfred, Entain and Evoke, have made similar moves by closing high street shops.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made his opinion on betting shops clear, labelling them as “dodgy businesses”. This adds another layer of uncertainty to UK retail betting, which is already showing signs of decline according to the Gambling Commission.

“The high street trading environment has been challenging for a number of years given rising costs, fierce competition, economic uncertainty and the shift to online, but we also face a material impact from the higher gambling taxes announced in last year’s UK Budget,” the Flutter spokesperson continued. “Our immediate priority at this time is to support those colleagues affected by this announcement.”