BoyleSports announces major expansion in UK retail sports betting
The Irish bookmaker plans to invest £100m to relaunch its brand and open over 200 new betting shops.
UK.- Ireland’s BoyleSports is betting big as it bids to grow its presence in the UK, particularly in the retail sports betting market. The company has announced plans to invest over £100m over the next three years.
It plans to open more than 200 new retail betting shops in Britain. That will triple its current count of 50 stores and will come close to equalling its presence in Ireland, where it has around 300 betting shops.
The new betting shops are expected to create over 1,000 new jobs. Meanwhile, the company also plans to introduce major tech upgrades to the BoyleSports sportsbook, focusing on areas highlighted in feedback from existing customers. It stressed its commitment to local communities and long-term growth.
The announcement follows the arrival the company secured a major sponsorship deal with West Ham United, replacing Super Group’s Betway as the Premier League’s front-of-shirt sponsor for what will be the last season before the league’s voluntary ban on such deals.
BoyleSports is also launching a new-look brand identity with a modernised logo, streamlined typography and a new colour palette. It said the rebrand was designed to stand out across both digital and retail environments and to “reflect a sharper focus on intuitive tech and user experience and a more rewarding customer promise built around personalised offers, expert insight and great service across every touchpoint.”
BoyleSports was founded in Markethill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, by John Boyle in 1989. It made a major expansion in 2011, when it took over 17 new shops from Celtic Bookmakers and then 15 William Hill shops, taking its total number of shops to 174.
The company says its UK relaunch has been two years in the making since it has been in planning since Vlad Kaltenieks was named as chief executive in early 2023.
Kaltenieks said: “This relaunch marks a major milestone for BoyleSports as we bring over four decades of betting expertise to a new era in the UK. The UK is one of the most exciting, well-regulated, and competitive betting landscapes in the world and we believe we offer something genuinely different to customers.
“As a family-owned, independent business, we’ve built a loyal customer base in Ireland by focusing on trust, service and a seamless omnichannel experience – and now we’re rolling that approach out even more widely across the UK.
“We’ve listened to what our customers have told us they want and with £100m+ committed to team, innovation, retail expansion and product development, we’re investing in the future of betting and staking our claim as a major player in the UK market.”
The bookmaker has made several senior appointments to back the expansion. In October, Troy Cox was named as chief commercial officer. The Australian previously held the same role at SKS365 Group for six years. Before that, he was director of operations at Tipico.
On the West Ham sponsorship deal Cox said: “West Ham is one of the most iconic clubs in the Premier League and our partnership marks a powerful alignment between two proud, ambitious brands. We both have deep historic roots and a commitment to our communities to succeed at the highest level, making them a natural partner for us.”
