Entain closes 45 Ladbrokes shops across Ireland
Table of contents
- Entain confirms 39 Ladbrokes shop closures in the Republic of Ireland and six in Northern Ireland, putting up to 226 jobs at risk.
- Sale talks with Irish bookmaker Bar One Racing over the Irish Ladbrokes estate collapsed without a deal last year.
- The closures reflect mounting cost pressures, shifting customer behaviour, and competition from unlicensed operators.
Entain is going ahead with the closure of 39 Ladbrokes betting shops in the Republic of Ireland and six in Northern Ireland, after reported negotiations to sell the Irish business to a local rival broke down.
Up to 226 jobs are at risk in the Republic as a result of the planned closures. A consultation process with affected staff began in late March 2026, with closures expected to be completed by the end of May 2026.
Sale talks collapse
Reports emerged in June 2025 that Entain had been in advanced discussions with Barney O’Hare’s Dundalk-based Bar One Racing about selling its Ladbrokes chain in Ireland. Those talks ultimately did not lead anywhere, industry sources have confirmed.
Ladbrokes operates just over 100 shops across Ireland, meaning the planned closures would reduce its retail footprint by more than a third if all go ahead. Following the Northern Ireland closures, Ladbrokes says it will still retain over 50 shops in the north.
The company has begun notifying staff and says it will continue to employ around 350 people in Ireland at its remaining locations. It has declined to name which shops are earmarked for closure, citing the need to engage with staff first.
Cost pressures mount
A Ladbrokes spokesperson said:
“We continually review our retail estate to ensure our business remains competitive and financially sustainable. These planned closures in the Republic of Ireland are not a decision we take lightly and reflect sustained cost pressures, long-term changes in customer behaviour and the growing competitive threat from the unlicensed market.
“Our priority now is to engage constructively with colleagues throughout the consultation process, with a strong focus on redeployment wherever possible. Ladbrokes remains committed to Ireland and to operating responsibly within a sustainable retail footprint.”
When Entain published its full-year 2025 results in early March, it said its retail business in the UK and Ireland had “performed well,” though it acknowledged “continued challenges” in Ireland specifically.
Its latest financial reporting showed net gaming revenue for UK and Ireland retail declined 2% in 2025, with sports betting revenue down 3% across its shop estate.
Operators have also raised concerns about competition from unlicensed rivals, particularly in informal settings such as pubs, and Ladbrokes has made representations to authorities on this issue.
Wider retail retreat
The Ladbrokes closures are the latest in a series of retail pullbacks across the UK and Irish gambling sector.
The closures at William Hill and earlier moves by Flutter’s Paddy Power brand reflect the same structural headwinds: rising labour, energy and property costs combined with a long-term shift in customer spending towards online channels.
In the UK, 1 April 2026 marked the first day that Remote Gaming Duty increased from 21% to 40%, as committed to by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last November’s Autumn Budget. A further increase to General Betting Duty, from 15% to 25%, is due the following year.
Entain had already warned that the tax hikes would cost it around £200m annually before mitigations, with the company planning to cut marketing spend as an immediate response.
Ireland operates under a separate regulatory framework, but operators consistently cite overlapping cost dynamics across both markets.
Ladbrokes Ireland previously entered examinership in 2015, resulting in the closure of 60 of its 196 shops at the time. The business was acquired by Entain in 2018.
Keep reading
Do you have a story worth sharing?
Send it over to our editors!
