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Paddy Power puts up to 100 betting shops under closure review

By jili tutorial · September 5, 2026

Overview of the Closure Review

Paddy Power has placed up to 100 of its betting shops across the UK and Ireland under review for potential closure by the end of the year. This move, confirmed by parent company Flutter Entertainment on 3 September 2026, affects approximately 400 roles and represents nearly a fifth of the operator’s 506-shop estate.

The review follows the closure of 57 shops announced in October 2025. Currently, Paddy Power operates 310 shops in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and 196 in the Republic of Ireland. The retail workforce totals more than 2,300, with 1,374 staff in the UK and 935 in Ireland. Flutter has not specified how any closures would be split between the two markets, nor has it named individual locations.

Flutter stated that affected employees will be offered redeployment where possible and that the company is consulting with colleagues throughout the process. A spokesperson for Flutter UK and Ireland said: “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. Unfortunately, we have had to take the extremely difficult decision to conduct this review.”

Tax Changes Driving the Decision

The review is largely attributed to rising costs and a changing tax landscape. The spokesperson pointed to higher energy costs, rents, business rates, competition, economic uncertainty, and the ongoing shift to online betting. Increased gambling taxes were described as having a “material impact.”

The tax rises stem from the Autumn 2025 Budget. Remote gaming duty increased from 21% to 40% effective from 1 April 2026, and a separate 25% remote betting rate within general betting duty will take effect on 1 April 2027. This rate excludes remote bets on UK horse racing, self-service betting terminals, spread betting, and pool bets. Over-the-counter bets in licensed premises remain unaffected at 15%.

Although betting shops face no direct duty increase, the same corporate group that pays for online duties also covers shop leases and operating costs. Additionally, Gambling Commission licence fees will rise by 25% from 1 October 2026.

Financial Impact on Flutter

Flutter estimated that the pre-mitigation adjusted EBITDA impact of the tax changes will be $320 million in fiscal 2026 and $540 million in fiscal 2027. First-order mitigation measures are expected to offset $85 million and $201 million, respectively.

In the second quarter of 2026, UK and Ireland revenue reached $971 million, up 4% year-on-year. iGaming revenue grew 7%, while sportsbook revenue fell 2%. International adjusted EBITDA dropped 19% to $476 million, which Flutter attributed primarily to the remote gaming duty increase and higher marketing costs related to the FIFA World Cup.

At the group level, Flutter reported a net loss of $296 million, compared to net income of $37 million a year earlier. The company also launched a second phase of cost transformation, targeting $500 million in gross operating cost and capital expenditure savings by 2029. Dan Taylor is set to take over as chief executive on 1 October, succeeding Peter Jackson.

Paddy Power’s review is part of a wider contraction in Britain’s betting shop sector. In October 2025, the operator closed 57 shops, putting 247 staff at risk, though Flutter said at the time the decision was not directly linked to the Budget. Betfred opened a consultation on 132 closures and more than 600 job cuts on 31 July 2026. Evoke, which owns William Hill and 888, confirmed around 270 closures earlier in the year.

Retail betting was largely spared in the last Budget, with over-the-counter duty staying at 15% and machine games duty unchanged. However, that may not last. In June, the Social Market Foundation called for a new 40% machine games duty band on Category B machines (higher-stakes terminals found in betting shops, bingo clubs, arcades, and casinos) in the next Budget. The Betting and Gaming Council said it fundamentally opposes any increase. For operators already facing shop closures due to online tax rises, a duty aimed directly at in-shop machines would be a second shock.