The online betting sector has transformed the way that the industry is run. It’s not difficult to believe when we say that it has had a negative impact on bookmakers that are based in the high street however, with many of the smaller ones being acquired by larger competitors.
Although the number of casinos is certainly less than at their peak, the high street has been surprisingly solid in the gambling sector during the past decade or around. Although some stores have shut down however, this is the first time that in a long period of time, the sector has stabilized, and at times has even seen periods of growth in the past 5 years or around.
The most significant difference we’ve seen is the fact that there are less brands to pick from. As you will see from the list below, vast majority of the 8,423 brick and mortar bookshops on the streets of the UK are now run by just five companies.
This is our list of the top high street brand names in the industry right now.
William Hill – 2,200 Shops
William Hill is one of the most well-known brands of betting in the world of gambling. The company first began operations in 1934, and since then have been able to experience huge success from as well as the traditional high-street as well as the online market.
A majority of workforce of more than 16,000 work in betting shops, and they contribute to the enormous revenue of PS1.6 billion produced each year.
The company has changed hands several times in the past and is one of the bookmakers with the highest investment the industry has experienced.
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The first of the takeovers was in 1971, the year that Sears Holdings first got involved. Other takeovers include the Grand Metropolitan in 1988 and later Brent Walker in 1989. Since then, they have bought and sold various areas of their business, such as greyhound racing, gambling shops, and software firms, to name just a few.
The company has also been an outspoken brand on the subject of the new rules governing FOBTs. The brand has stated that they may see more than 25 percent of their betting outlets being shut down as a result with the loss of over 7,000 jobs.
Ladbrokes – 1,800 Shops
Ladbrokes is another name that has been a staple on our streets for decades until today. They’re the oldest bookmaker across the UK and was first introduced in 1896. This was long before the advent of high-street bookselling became legal in 1961.
The company is now element of GVC Holdings, who bought the Ladbrokes Coral brand not long after the two bookmakers merged in a deal that was initially worth PS2.3 billion. GVC then bought PS4 billion in exchange for this Ladbrokes Coral group along with all assets that came with it, in the biggest ever transaction in the history of gambling.
It’s worth noting that both Coral as well as Ladbrokes operate as distinct brands in the high street however, they’re essentially the same group. This means it is the case that GVC Holdings are technically the most important company on the high street, owning over 3,300 betting stores within the sector.
Ladbrokes were probably the most significant pioneers of high street bookmaking They were also the first to begin pushing the idea on a scale of number. Within six years of the time that the introduction of high-street betting legal in the UK they had managed to open over 100 betting shops, several times more than any other brand. They were the first company to become public through the stock exchange and are regarded as one of the largest betting brands going.
Coral – 1,500
Coral began in 1926, and was created in a small London office. They enjoyed a huge following, at least in the beginning and aimed to make sure they provided the highest possible product at the best possible cost for their customers.
They ruled the racetracks and dog tracks across the UK for years, but began their first high street betting shop in the year 1961. Within just 12 months, Joe Coral (formerly Joseph Kagarlitsky) was able to open 26 betting outlets across the UK which helped them become one of the biggest in the world at the time.
In 2005, Coral acquired the Gala brand, which increased their value at PS2.1 billion. Then the merger with Ladbrokes just over a decade later meant that they were able to progress once more, and like Ladbrokes, they are now a part of GVC Holdings’ empire.
Their presence on the high streets is one that’s some uncertainty than the majority. It’s likely that some reshuffle in GVC Holdings will mean that several of their stores change to focus specifically on particular brands which could put the Coral name at risk moving forward.
At the minute though it’s just speculation, and they remain one of the most prominent names on the high street currently.
Betfred – 1,600
Fred Done founded Betfred in 1967, and is very heavily involved with the business even to this day. In a business that is undergoing the acquisition of companies and changing hands almost every month, Betfred are still owned and operated by Done and tells a lot about the underlying principles behind the brand.
The city’s high streets have been very accommodating to Betfred, as they managed to be more open after winning a an own bet on England to take their 1966 World Cup. They were able to make huge profits on the local dog and horse racing tracks too, but it was in the high street, at first in their home town of Salford in the UK, that Done was able to grow the Betfred brand.
This has led to Betfred has one of the biggest selections of shops located in the high street the market. Their success is dependent on the ability of Done to invent game-changing betting markets like Lucky 15, Goals Galore as well as Double Delight.
One of the most significant moves in the history of the company was the purchase of Tote in 2011. Following a lengthy process which included many months of bidding on the contract, the government decided to choose Betfred as the bookmaker to move the company forward for the amount of PS265 million and a proportion of that going to the taxpayer and the sport of horse racing.
What’s intriguing to note about Betfred is that they’re among the few companies trying to establish themselves on the high street. It’s obvious that Done has developed a recipe that punters love, and they seem to be one of the more stable brands during a period of uncertainty.
Paddy Power – 660 Shops
Paddy Power are one of the biggest and most successful exports of Ireland that the gambling sector has seen. They currently have one of the less range of shops in our list, but also have a huge presence in their homeland of Ireland.
The company has seen an increase in success since the majority of bookmakers have shifted to online betting. The high street has been generally welcoming for Paddy Power, and where the FOBTs that are significantly restricted in the UK have had an impact on other bookies However, they’ve never been banned from Irish betting shops, which means that Paddy Power won’t feel the pain in the same way as UK only bookmakers will.
In fact, increasing the amount of Paddy Power shops is on the rise, increasing from 350 in 2010 to more than 600 in the present.
The merger of their company together with Betfair in 2016 made them the biggest bookmaker, in terms of turnover in the last year, and they are worth a staggering PS10 billion as a result.
Boylesports – 300 Shops
Boylesports is one of the most intriguing bookshops in the world right now. They are one of the most renowned independent bookmakers in Ireland and have a substantial local presence on the high street and have more than 250 betting stores.
They were in the news in 2019 when, a few months after the gambling industry restricted FOBTs as well as other bookmakers were talking about closing, BoyleSports stated they would be moving into on the UK market. The first purchase they made was of 13 stores under the Wilf Gilbert brand, but they was hoping to see this number more than 100 before the end 2020.
The company failed a bid to get 400 stores off the back of the Ladbrokes-Coral merger, as they were obliged by the law of market monopoly compliance to sell some of their shops, however there have been other opportunities that have developed.
It will be fascinating to examine if Boylesports can reverse the trend of decline in betting shops on the high street and bring new life to the business.