Boyle Sports who are one of the leading bookmakers in Ireland have agreed on a deal with William Hill on the purchase of 33 of their Northern Ireland betting shops as well as 2 of their betting shops on the Isle of Man, the purchase sum has not been disclosed as of yet. This latest acquisition will increase Boyle Sports premises in Northern Ireland to 39 and a total of 298 betting shops across Ireland. 
Staff retained
The deal will come into force with immediate effect, and also that present staff will be employed by Boyle Sports under the terms and conditions of their employment contract with William Hill. It is expected that Boyle Sports will take over full control of the shops within a transition period of 30 days. They are hoping to expand their market in the UK with the addition of 100 betting shops before the end of 2020. 2019 was a tough year for betting industry as the FOBT’s (fixed odds betting terminals) were reduced from the £200 down to £2 which resulted in the closure of premises and reductions in staff.
Commenting on the deal
Speaking about the acquisition of the shops, Chief Executive Officer of Boyle Sports, Conor Gray, commented: “BoyleSports is delighted to realise its long held ambition to develop a meaningful retail presence across Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.” “Indeed, John Boyle opened the first ever BoyleSports in Markethill, Co Armagh , Northern Ireland in 1982, so increasing our presence in Northern Ireland many years later is significant on many fronts.” “This acquisition complements our existing retail network in Northern Ireland and our retail network in the Republic of Ireland while also representing a significant step in our long-stated ambition to develop our retail footprint across the UK.”