On September 16, Entain declared plans to reduce its customer care workforce by 20%, equating to more than 400 positions globally out of its 2,000 roles. This announcement follows the company's report of better-than-expected profits for the first half of the year, amidst rising gambling taxes in the UK.
CEO Stella David remarked that the changes aim to maintain competitiveness and financial resilience as the sector endures a tougher operational landscape. "This decision has not been made lightly, and our immediate priority is to support those of our colleagues who may be impacted through this transition," she stated.
Entain has also expressed concerns about potential adjustments to the UK’s Machine Games Duty (MGD), which applies to gaming machines found in betting shops and other venues. Reports indicate that the company sent a letter to the Prime Minister’s office, suggesting that changes to this tax could elevate the cost of UK retail operations by approximately £100 million annually. It's important to note that the MGD issue specifically relates to retail gaming machines and is separate from the current proposal involving customer care job cuts.
This is the second job reduction initiative introduced by Entain this year, following an initial plan to eliminate over 500 positions announced in July. If the latest proposal goes through entirely, the company will have outlined around 900 job reductions during 2026. While the 400 proposed cuts to customer services are still under consultation, the final number of job losses will be clarified after this process concludes. This decision affects employees globally, with those outside the UK governed by the laws of their respective countries.
Entain has committed to providing support to impacted employees throughout this consultation phase.
