Betting boss is biggest UK tax payer for second year

Denise Coates of bet365 has topped the Sunday Times Tax List for the second year running.

UK.- Denise Coates, the founder and joint chief executive of bet365, was the UK’s biggest taxpayer for the second year running, according to the Sunday Times Tax List.

Coates, who launched the online betting site bet365 in the year 2001, paid £573m in tax in 2020.

Last year, she was named the richest woman in the UK and the 16th richest person. She and her family own 50.01 per cent of bet365 and are estimated to be worth £7.17bn

Together with her father Peter and brother John, Denise also owns a majority stake in Stoke City football club.

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Another bookmaker at the top of the tax list

Another bookmaking family, the brothers Fred and Peter Done of Betfred, took third place on the Sunday Times list. They paid £191.3m in taxes in 2020. They are estimated to be worth £3.1bn.

Second on the list was the Gordon family of drinks makers William Grant & Sons. They paid £436.4m in tax in 2020.