Flutter Entertainment has revealed that it’s reviewing up to 100 Paddy Power betting shops in the UK and Ireland for potential closure, with around 400 jobs expected to be affected by the shutdowns.
The review comes as the operator faces higher gambling taxes and rising costs for its retail business, and the shops currently under review could close before the end of 2026, although Flutter hasn’t confirmed which locations could be affected. At the moment, Flutter operates 506 Paddy Power shops, of which 310 are in the UK, and 196 are located in Ireland.
A Flutter spokesperson shared:
“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. Our immediate priority at this time is to support those colleagues affected by this announcement.”
The company also pointed to higher operating costs, including rents, energy, employment, and business rates, as factors putting pressure on betting shops.
Paddy Power employs more than 2,300 people, but the betting shop closures are expected to affect around a fifth of the operator’s retail estate in both markets. The company further shared that it would work to redeploy staff members in cases where it’s possible.
