Boyle Sports expand Shop Estate with William Hill Northern Ireland Acquisition

By Simon Wright, Last updated Mar 1, 2021

Bookmaker Boyle Sports have expanded their shop estate, with the acquisition of 33 William Hill betting shops in Northern Ireland, with a further two shops in the Isle of Man also being purchased.

The deal which was announced over the weekend, will see all shops being rebranded and the number of Boyle Sports premises in Northern Ireland, increase to 39.

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.”

This deal will see the total number of shops operated by Boyle Sports across both Ireland and the UK to 317 shops, with 298 of them being located in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Gray has also confirmed that the buyout of the shops from William Hill will take place with immediate effect, with Boyle Sports expected to take full operational control within the next 30 days.

Commenting further on the acquisition and the bookmaker’s strategy, Gray said: “The Government’s 2018 decision to impose a 100% increase in betting duty has, as predicted by all Irish bookmakers, led to dramatic consolidation of the industry, with previously thriving betting companies now permanently closing their doors.”

“Although BoyleSports expects some participation in that forced consolidation to some degree, the increase in betting duty has meant that the focus of future expansion and investment will be outside the Republic of Ireland.”

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