Over-the-counter stakes at Ladbrokes’ Irish-based betting shops fell 7.5% to £218m (€260m) in the first half of the year.
The lower turnover can be explained by the UK bookmaker’s reduced presence here (142 shops) following an examinership process that ended in June last year.
Indeed, the firm said that – on a like-for-like basis – staking grew by 9.7%, while net revenue increased 2%.
Ladbrokes’ operating profit in Ireland for the first six months was £4.4m (€5.26m), up 76% on H1 2015.
For the entire operation of the bookmaker – which has its main presence in the UK as well as shops in Belgium and Ireland – net profit for the first six months of the year rose by 57.2% to £34.9m (€41.73m).
Chief Executive Jim Mullen said the “strong numbers show customers are responding positively to the new strategy at a time when the sporting gods have generally been on our side and we've enjoyed some helpful bookmaker friendly results.
“This combination has helped boost profits in the first half of the year.”
