In 2016 it lost out to UK firms Stan James and Betfred in its bid to buy more than 350 UK-based shops being offloaded to make way for the merger of Ladbrokes and Coral.īoylesports has said it remains 'opportunistic' surrounding growth opportunities in the UK. The near-term geographic focus also seems to have relegated the importance of previously suggested growth targets - including launching an online service in at least one emerging market before an aggressive online roll-out in Europe, Asia and parts of Africa.īoylesports has been eyeing an on-street retail presence in Britain for some time.

Revenues at its UK online business have grown in recent years and the company sees its retail business benefiting from that brand awareness. The betting firm's immediate expansion ambitions are solely focused on its retail businesses in Ireland and the UK. The company is understood to be in early-stage talks with a number of other UK-based bookmaker chains.īoylesports has publicly said that it hopes to have around 100 betting shops operating in the UK market in the next 12 months. Its last such deal, which came to an end after three seasons in 2010, was with Sunderland FC when that club was under Irish ownership. That purchase will push its UK shop numbers to more than 20.īoylesports is using the midlands as its foundation for UK growth and has signed up as shirt sponsor with Birmingham City Football Club. The company acquired the Wilf Gilbert chain of 13 betting shops in the Birmingham area in June and has just completed rebranding them.īoyle's second UK acquisition - an unnamed chain, again located around the Birmingham area - is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Boylesports is understood to be closing in on its second UK betting shop chain acquisition. Its main Irish retail rival, Paddy Power has already said that it will likely take a £20m (€22m) hit to 2019 earnings from the Irish betting tax hike, which was introduced by the Government as a budget measure earlier this year and which could be amended further in next year's budget.

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