Bookmaking chain Ladbrokes has posted a 2% fall in operating profits to £130m for the first half of the year.
The fall comes despite the news that the company's gross win, or money taken in after pay-outs are taken into account, rose to £648.3m from £611.5m for the same period last year.
The firm's operating profit in Ireland jumped a whopping 45% to £47.6m, though the big increase can be attributed to its purchase of the Eastwood chain of 54 shops in Northern Ireland.
Ladbrokes has also opened seven new shops in the Republic, bringing the number of outlets it has on the island of Ireland to 282.
Its operating costs have risen by 59% to £28.5m, though this can also be explained by the company's expansion here.
