Betfred CEO confirms over 130 shop closures as rising taxes bite

Betfred is preparing to close more than 132 betting shops across the UK as higher gambling taxes and employment costs place mounting pressure on its retail business.

The closures, expected to take place later this year, could put as many as 600 jobs at risk. They represent approximately 10% of Betfred’s retail estate, which currently comprises more than 1,200 shops nationwide.

Chief Executive Officer Joanne Whittaker attributed the decision to the increasingly difficult fiscal and regulatory conditions facing licensed gambling operators in Britain.

She said the closures had been agreed with “deep regret”, acknowledging the effect the decision would have on employees and the communities served by the affected shops.

“The closures underline the mounting pressure facing Britain’s land-based betting sector.” -Joanne Whittaker, CEO

Higher gambling taxes hit Betfred

Remote Gaming Duty increased from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026, substantially raising the amount operators must pay on online casino gross gaming revenue.

Although the closures concern Betfred’s land-based estate, operators typically manage their retail and digital divisions as part of a wider group. A sharp increase in the tax burden attached to online gambling can therefore influence investment and cost-cutting decisions across the business.

Further pressure will arrive in 2027 through a new 25% duty on online sports betting. The tax, announced in last year’s autumn budget, will apply to online bets placed on sports other than horse racing.

Whittaker also directly referenced higher employer national insurance contributions and increases to the National Minimum Wage. Both measures have raised the cost of operating a large retail network employing staff across more than 1,200 locations.

The announcement follows repeated warnings from Betfred co-founder and chair Fred Done. In October 2025, Done suggested the company could close its entire UK betting-shop estate if the government proceeded with substantial gambling tax increases.

While the latest announcement falls short of that scenario, the loss of more than 130 locations demonstrates the scale of the commercial pressure now affecting the operator.

Retail betting sector under sustained pressure

Betfred is not the only major bookmaker to reconsider the size of its high-street estate.

Evoke, the owner of William Hill, previously confirmed betting-shop closures following a trading update in January. Evoke CEO Per Widerström had joined other senior gambling executives in warning that higher taxes could harm the regulated UK market and make some retail locations commercially unviable.

Entain CEO Stella David also cautioned before the tax increases were confirmed that a significant rise could force the Ladbrokes and Coral owner to close shops around the country.

These warnings have added to concerns that tax rises intended to generate additional government revenue could accelerate the decline of licensed high-street betting. Operators argue that shop closures remove employment, reduce investment in local communities and potentially push some customers towards unlicensed alternatives.

Successive Gambling Commission gross gambling yield reports have already highlighted the difficulties facing the land-based betting sector. Retail operators must contend with changing consumer habits, greater competition from online gambling and considerable staffing and property costs.

The number of betting shops in Britain has fallen considerably from its historic peak, with the restrictions placed on fixed-odds betting terminals in 2019 contributing to an earlier wave of closures. More recent increases in energy, wage and property costs have compounded those long-running challenges.

Betfred’s decision suggests the latest tax changes could result in another significant contraction of the retail market. With Evoke already closing locations and other operators openly considering reductions, the consequences may extend well beyond the 132-plus Betfred shops currently earmarked for closure.