UK bookmaker William Hill is to review its operations in Ireland as the chain reported an overall drop of 74 per cent in full-year profit for the group.
The bookmaker, which has more than 2,300 shops, has already closed 14 shops in Ireland and said it is reviewing the remaining 35 as retail customers cut back wagers in the recession.
The group reported a fall in overall net income to £61.1 million, or 9.4 pence per share, from £234 million, or 47.1 pence, in the 52 weeks ended December 29th, the London-based company said in a statement.
In the UK William Hill's telephone operations lost £1.8 million pounds last year on competition from bet exchanges and offshore rivals, the company said.
The company took one-time charges against earnings totalling £76.6 million for telephone and Irish assets
In the seven weeks ended February 16th net revenue declined 0.6 per cent. Larger rival Ladbrokes posted a 4.6 per cent decrease in net revenue in the same period. William Hill's online operating profit grew 36 per cent to £74.4 million last year, as the company expanded its websites following a venture with Playtech.
Profit from the company's betting shops dropped 16 per cent to £202.7 million.
"We're going through an economic cycle at the moment, but I'm not worried about the long-term future of the shops" across the UK, chief executive Ralph Topping said on a conference call, adding that soccer betting and gambling machines were showing "good growth".
Bloomberg