Flutter Reviews Up to 100 Paddy Power Shops Amid Rising Costs

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Altay Celikkaya

Content Manager

Updated: 04/09/26

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Flutter Entertainment is reviewing up to 100 Paddy Power betting shops across the UK and Ireland as higher operating costs, tax pressure and changing customer behaviour reshape retail betting. Around 400 roles could be at risk, although no closures have been confirmed.

The review covers almost one-fifth of Paddy Power’s 506-shop estate, comprising 310 locations in the UK and 196 in Ireland. Flutter has not identified the shops involved or indicated how the potential reductions may be divided between the two markets. The company will consult affected employees and offer redeployment where possible.

Flutter and Paddy Power logos displayed above text highlighting the review of up to 100 shops and around 400 potentially affected roles.

Industry News

Key Takeaways From the Paddy Power Retail Review

Flutter is assessing up to 100 shops rather than implementing a confirmed closure programme.
Around 400 positions could be affected, with redeployment expected to be considered where suitable roles are available.
The locations under review represent nearly 20% of Paddy Power’s current British and Irish retail estate.
Higher labour, energy, rent and property costs are combining with heavier taxes on Flutter’s online operations.
The review reflects a wider contraction across UK retail betting rather than a complete withdrawal from the high street.

Consultation Places Nearly a Fifth of the Estate in Scope

Paddy Power’s retail network employs more than 2,300 people across the two countries. If the maximum number of shops were eventually closed, the action would represent a substantial reshaping of the estate rather than a routine portfolio adjustment.

A Flutter UK and Ireland spokesperson said,

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.

Supporting affected colleagues remains Flutter’s stated immediate priority. No timetable for completing the consultation has been disclosed publicly.

Tax Changes Add Pressure to Rising Retail Costs

Flutter attributed the review to several overlapping factors, including wage inflation, energy costs, rents, business rates, economic uncertainty, competition and the continuing migration towards online betting. The company also pointed to the UK’s Remote Gaming Duty increase to 40%, which took effect on 1 April 2026.

The higher rate applies to remote gaming rather than bets placed in licensed shops. Its relevance comes from Flutter’s combined operating model, under which the profitability and investment requirements of online and retail operations form part of the same UK and Ireland business. A new 25% rate for most remote sports betting is also scheduled for April 2027.

Flutter previously estimated that the 2025 Budget changes would reduce adjusted EBITDA by approximately $320 million in 2026 before mitigation. It expected $85 million of direct mitigation during the year, leaving a projected net impact of $235 million before wider benefits.

Paddy Power Is Part of a Broader Retail Contraction

The review follows Betfred’s planned closure of 132 UK shops, which placed more than 600 jobs at risk. William Hill and Entain have also reduced their retail estates, showing that the pressure is not confined to one operator.

The sector is simultaneously facing proposed changes to Britain’s gambling-premises licensing rules. Those proposals primarily concern future applications and would not directly force existing Paddy Power shops to close, but they could give councils greater discretion over new betting-shop locations and make later retail expansion more difficult.

Online Demand Remains Resilient as Shop Economics Weaken

Flutter’s latest results show why the relationship between digital growth and retail contraction is not straightforward. UK and Ireland revenue increased 4% year on year to $971 million in the second quarter, while iGaming revenue rose 7%. At group level, however, Flutter recorded a $296 million quarterly net loss, compared with a $37 million profit a year earlier.

Separate post-tax UK iGaming demand data found that overall demand remained broadly stable between April and July 2026, with Paddy Power among the leading brands recording the largest gains in demand share. That resilience does not remove cost pressure. It instead illustrates how customer activity can continue moving towards digital channels while weaker physical locations become harder to justify.