Bookmaker Boylesports has opened a London office to recruit staff needed to support the planned expansion of its digital business.

The Dundalk-based group, controlled by founder John Boyle, has hired James Arnold, former head of European marketing at rival Sportingbet, to lead the operation.

Mr Arnold said Boylesports had "an ambitious growth strategy" and realised that the staff and skills needed were more likely to be available a large urban centre than in its home base and so opted for the British capital, as it is targeting that market.
"In terms of recruiting the specific expertise that we need to grow the digital side of the business, we felt that this was more readily available in London," he said.

“There were a lot of other efficiencies as well,” Mr Arnold added. These included the fact that many of the group’s strategic partners and affiliates, such as software developers and other suppliers, also have offices there.

Five staff, some of whom formerly worked with Mr Arnold at Sportingbet, are now based in the new office and the group intends adding to this number over time. “We are in a good position to do that,” he said.

The office will be responsible for marketing the group’s digital offering and directing its growth.

Boylesports has a strong retail presence but decided last year it needed to grow the digital side of its operations. As a result, it split the two businesses into separate divisions and appointed Keith O’Loughlin as chief executive of online.

Mr Arnold was appointed chief marketing officer in May. He spent 4½ years with Sportingbet, where he said he was "very much focused" on the online gaming and digital side of the business.

Digital strategy

The group has invested €1 million-plus in technology and systems over the past year and its digital strategy involves a particular emphasis on mobile.

Boylesports is unlimited and does not have to publish its accounts. The group has 180 shops and last year took more than €1 billion in bets.