Betfred will stop operating in Ireland on 30 June, the day before the new GRAI licensing system takes effect. The company told customers to withdraw funds and avoid bets due to settle after 29 June; it has said it hopes to return but has given no date.
Betfred’s exit ahead of the new licensing system affects customers and operators preparing for Ireland’s regulatory transition.
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Reportedly, UK Tote Group has named James Coxon as its next chief executive. He will replace chief executive Alex Frost, who steps down at the end of 2026. Frost will serve as an executive director in 2027 before becoming a non-executive director.
James Coxon is to become the next chief executive officer of the UK Tote Group. He takes over from Alex Frost, whose departure comes at the close of this year. Frost is to remain involved with the business as an executive director during 2027, after which he will move into a non-executive director post.
More in Common UK presented survey findings at the 2026 Labour Party Conference showing that 25% of respondents trusted the gambling sector. The poll also found that 65% wanted more regulation and 63% said more betting shops would signal a decline in their community.
The UKGC said on 3 December 2025 that Betfred’s Done Brothers (Cash Betting) Limited would pay £825,000 for safer gambling and anti-money laundering breaches. The betting shop operator will also receive a warning and undergo an independent audit of its compliance controls.
Done Brothers (Cash Betting) Limited, which trades as Betfred, will pay £825,000 following a UKGC investigation that found social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures, the regulator said on 3 December 2025. The betting shop operator will also receive a warning and must undergo a third-party audit to confirm that its anti-money laundering and safer gambling policies, procedures and controls are being applied effectively.
The Betting and Gaming Council launched a campaign on 28 September opposing further betting shop tax rises in Britain. The BGC attributed to EY modelling an estimate that raising Machine Games Duty to 40% could jeopardise up to 16,000 jobs and leave the Treasury approximately £124m worse off.
A campaign called "Back Our Betting Shops" was started by the Betting and Gaming Council on Monday. It sets out to show how employees, communities and high streets across Britain could be affected by additional tax rises and shop closures. According to the BGC, the initiative features workers from several parts of the industry, among them apprentices, managers, customers, long-serving staff and community collaborators.
Bet365 has confirmed plans to eliminate 340 jobs across Stoke-on-Trent, Malta and Gibraltar, equal to 3% of its global workforce. The company cited a competitive trading environment and higher regulatory and tax costs; 300 roles are at its Stoke-on-Trent headquarters and 40 are split between Malta and Gibraltar.