The cuts were announced on September 16, 2026, and are set to affect around a fifth of Entain‘s customer care workforce in 11 countries, including the UK, Austria, Bulgaria, Brazil, Gibraltar, India, Ireland, the Philippines, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. The consultation is expected to run until November 2026, and the company hasn’t said how many of the roles will come from the UK specifically.
Entain, which owns Ladbrokes, Coral, and Sportingbet, said the move is meant to keep the business competitive as the sector faces a tougher operating environment after April’s increase in Remote Gaming Duty from 21% to 40%.
Entain CEO Stella David commented:
“The proposed changes are being made to ensure our business remains competitive, financially resilient, and well positioned for the future as our sector faces an increasingly challenging operating environment. This decision has not been made lightly, and our immediate priority is to support those of our colleagues who may be impacted through this transition.”
David has also written to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, warning that a further doubling of Machine Games Duty to 40% could add around £100 million a year to the cost of running Entain’s UK retail business. Citing a report from EY commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), she warned such a hike could lead to up to 1,470 betting shop closures and 15,900 job losses in the industry.
David added in her letter:
“We are not asking to be insulated from taxation. Indeed, Entain is one of the UK’s top 20 taxpayers. However, this would also come on top of substantial tax increases already imposed on the sector.”
Entain shares were trading 1.28% lower at 491.90 pence following the announcement, having fallen more than 36% since the start of the year.
