Stars Group cuts jobs ahead of planned Flutter merger

Staff cull began 15 months ago and is thought to have seen 70 employees leave the organisation.

Canada.- Canadian gambling company The Stars Group has been cutting jobs at its Dublin office ahead of its planned merger with Irish rival Flutter Entertainment.

The staff cull began 15 months ago and is thought to have seen 70 employees leave the organisation.

Customer service staff have been put on protective notice and told that their jobs are likely to go in December 2020.

Some workers have already been laid off while others have been told their jobs are being phased out and have been offered alternative positions within the business.

According to local press, other workers who choose to leave outside the job-cutting process are not being replaced in Dublin. Instead, the Stars Group is opting to fill positions in Bulgaria and India where it also has offices.

“We believe our proposals will help us to deliver long-term sustainable growth. Dublin remains an important hub for the business,” said the company in a statement.

The Stars Group, which owns Pokerstars and Sky Bet, plans to merge with Flutter Entertainment, which owns Paddy Power and Betfair, to create a global gambling colossus with more than 10 million customers.

Competition regulators in several jurisdictions are reviewing the planned merger, which would create a business worth €10-12 billion should it go ahead.