Betfred to Close 132 Betting Shops and Cut Over 600 Jobs

Betfred to Close 132 Betting Shops and Cut Over 600 Jobs Amid Rising Taxes

by Dimitri Dimitrov Published on August 3, 2026

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The blue and red exterior signage of a Betfred betting shop on a high street building.

Key Takeaways

⏱ 2 min read

Shop Closures — Betfred is launching a consultation to close 132 shops, representing over 10% of its physical estate

Job Losses — The restructuring places over 600 jobs at risk of redundancy starting in September

Remaining Estate — Following the closures, the Warrington-based bookmaker will retain around 1,100 shops across the UK

Industry Trend — Rival operators such as Paddy Power and William Hill have also implemented store closures and cost cuts in response to recent budget tax adjustments

High Street Bookmaker Blames Budget Changes and Economic Pressures

Betfred has announced plans to shut 132 betting shops and eliminate more than 600 jobs starting in September, citing higher taxes and wider economic uncertainty. The company has launched a consultation over the closures, which will affect more than 10% of its betting shop estate and leave Betfred with approximately 1,100 betting shops across the UK.

Founded in Warrington in 1967 by brothers Fred and Peter Done, who hold an estimated wealth of £3.61 billion, the company pointed to severe pressures from recent fiscal changes. Measures introduced in the previous autumn budget include an increase in remote gaming duty from 21% to 40% and a forthcoming 25% online sports betting duty covering all sports except horse racing starting in 2027.

Co-founder Fred Done previously described these tax increases as the “biggest threat” to the industry in his 57 years in business. Additional strains include rising National Insurance contributions and threshold changes.

Executive and Industry Perspectives

Jo Whittaker, Chief Executive of Betfred, commented:

“We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them. 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. These are well-run shops, staffed by dedicated colleagues, and it is incredibly hard to see any of them close, but the current fiscal and regulatory environment has made it impossible to keep trading all our shops. Our priority now is to support the colleagues affected, and to continue serving customers and communities across the rest of our estate.”

Betfred‘s announcement follows similar downsizing moves across the UK betting sector. In January, William Hill and 888 owner Evoke reported executing swift store closures and cost cuts to offset budget changes. Additionally, Paddy Power announced plans last October to shut 57 shops across the UK and Ireland, putting 250 workers at risk.