Betfred Blames Gambling Taxes and Wage Hikes for 132 Shop Closures
Betfred has begun a consultation to close 132 of its betting shops and cut more than 600 jobs from September, in the latest blow to the UK's high street betting sector.
The UK bookmaker blamed a combination of higher gambling taxes, rising employment costs and wider economic uncertainty for the closures, which will affect more than a tenth of its estate.
What Betfred Announced
The Warrington-based operator said it had opened a consultation with staff over plans to shut 132 shops, a move that would leave it with around 1,100 outlets across the UK. More than 600 roles are at risk.
Betfred was founded by brothers Fred and Peter Done in 1967 and remains one of the largest independent bookmakers in Britain, with the pair estimated to be worth 3.61 billion pounds on the most recent Sunday Times Rich List.
Why The Shops Are Closing
Chief executive Jo Whittaker said the decision followed sustained pressure on costs.
"We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them," she said, "but the combined impact of higher employer national insurance contributions, wage inflation, increases in gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty has left us with no choice." She described the affected outlets as "well-run shops, staffed by dedicated colleagues" and said supporting those affected was now the priority.
The Tax Changes Behind The Decision
Betfred pointed to tax measures announced in last year's autumn budget. These included an increase in remote gaming duty from 21% to 40%, alongside a new online sports betting duty of 25% that will apply to all sports except horse racing from 2027.
The company also cited higher employer National Insurance contributions and changes to thresholds. Founder Fred Done has described the tax rises as the biggest threat to the industry in his 57 years in the business.
The Treasury has rejected the tax blame, pointing out that remote gaming duty applies only to online operators and that sports-betting revenue was excluded, so the direct duty rise does not land on the shops themselves. For retail, the sharper bite is payroll: higher employer National Insurance and wage inflation.
Amongst the shop closures, Betfred will no longer be running as the title sponsor of rugby league's Super League once they reach its contracted end after the 2026 season.
A Wider High Street Retreat
Betfred is not alone. Paddy Power owner Flutter and William Hill owner Evoke have both closed dozens of shops over the past year as the retail betting sector absorbs rising costs.
Last October, Paddy Power revealed plans to close 57 shops across the UK and Ireland, putting around 250 jobs at risk, while Evoke, owner of William Hill and 888, said in January it had moved "quickly and decisively" to offset budget changes through closures and cost cuts.
The statement is backed up with the group confirming the closure of around 270 shops, having initially flagged about 200 from 24 May, with up to 1,500 jobs affected.
Across the sector, Flutter has guided to a roughly $235m net tax hit in 2026 and Entain has flagged about £200m in extra annual costs.
What Happens Next
The consultation on the 132 sites is due to run from September, so the exact list of closures and the final number of job losses could still change.
For now, Betfred's move is the clearest sign yet that the autumn budget's gambling tax rises are reshaping the UK's retail betting estate, with more operators likely to review their shop networks before the new online duties take effect.
