Bet365 plans to remove about 340 roles across its European operations, including its Stoke-on-Trent headquarters, after citing higher tax and regulatory costs. The company announced the restructuring on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. It said voluntary redundancies would be explored first. It has not announced a final compulsory redundancy total.

The planned reduction represents about 3% of bet365’s workforce.

  • About 300 roles are expected to be affected in Stoke-on-Trent.
  • The company employs about 5,500 people there.
  • About 40 roles are expected to be affected in Malta and Gibraltar.

Racing Post reported the figures.

What bet365 has said

Bet365 said it faces a highly competitive trading environment, along with increased regulatory and tax-related costs. It described the changes as a restructuring of some locations, rather than a final compulsory redundancy programme.

Bet365 said it was “exploring all avenues” to reduce the number of redundancies and would begin with voluntary departures.

The announcement does not establish that tax changes caused every planned job loss. It does show how a major operator is responding as Britain raises duties on online gambling.

Tax changes affecting the market

HM Revenue and Customs raised Remote Gaming Duty from 21% to 40% for accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2026. The duty applies to profits from remote gaming with UK customers, including online casino-style products and slots.

A separate 25% rate for remote betting is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2027. Remote bets on UK horseracing are excluded from that new rate and remain subject to the existing 15% rate. Bingo Duty was abolished on April 1, 2026.

The government said the package is expected to raise more than £1 billion a year. HM Revenue and Customs estimated that higher duty bills will affect:

  • About 160 businesses providing remote betting.
  • About 95 businesses providing remote gaming.
  • About 55 businesses providing both services.

Why the Stoke-on-Trent cuts matter

Stoke-on-Trent is one of bet365’s main employment centres. The proposed reduction therefore extends beyond the company’s offshore hubs and affects a major employer in Britain’s gambling technology and operations sector.

The Betting and Gaming Council said in August that more than 540 betting shops had closed and about 4,500 jobs had been lost since the previous year’s Budget. The trade body said the wider regulated sector still supports about 109,000 jobs across Britain, but warned that higher taxes and costs could reduce investment.

Those figures include retail betting and are not directly comparable with bet365’s online workforce reduction. They do, however, frame the central policy question: whether higher public revenue will outweigh lower employment, weaker investment and pressure on licensed businesses.

Bet365 remains licensed for Great Britain

The Gambling Commission’s public register lists bet365 trading names under Hillside (Technology) Limited and Hillside (UK Gaming) ENC. The register shows active remote casino licensing for Hillside (UK Gaming) ENC. Hillside (Technology) Limited is recorded at bet365’s Stoke-on-Trent address.

The Great Britain licence framework does not automatically cover Malta, Gibraltar, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man. Bet365’s staffing changes span separate locations and regulatory jurisdictions. The UK gambling duties described by HM Revenue and Customs apply to gambling supplied to UK customers under the place-of-consumption system.

The next test

The immediate test is whether voluntary redundancies can limit compulsory job losses. The wider test will come when operators report the effect of the 40% Remote Gaming Duty rate and prepare for the 25% remote betting rate in 2027.

Bet365’s decision is not evidence that Britain’s tax policy has reduced the size of the whole industry. It is an early, high-profile signal that higher duties are shaping decisions about staffing and the location of gambling operations.