History of Bookie shops.

[Belker]

I'm not sure that I have the right headline here, maybe it should be 'Paddy Power explained' or 'Ken's rant' or simply 'Answering SB's question' but anywaysnall:

...... I'd be interested in what you think about PP closing 28 shops. Is it simply that people are just happier gambling online these days?

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/10/15/almost-120-jobs-at-risk-as-paddy-power-closes-28-outlets-in-republic/

Intriguing question Brian, I'll put a bit of thought in to my answer and start a new topic on your question shortly, I'll try to keep it consice and understandable fer the non gamblers.

[Belker]

A short answer to your question Brian is 'YES'.

A brief history of Irish bookie shops is that they were first established in Ireland by the Free state government back in 1926, but it was a full 32 years later before the UK allowed the same off-course betting shops in 1961.

Suffice to say that a lot of Skullduggery went on in the early days of both countries from inside and outside the counter and add on the shop staff skimming off the top.

I don't know how much the Irish betting shop tax was when it first started back in 1926, but in 1976 at when I started working at aged 11 it was at a whopping 20%, which was double the UK betting tax at just 10%. Eventually in 1986 after much lobbying by the Irish bookies the Irish betting tax was reduced to the same as the UK at 10%.

[Belker]

The English bookies smelt money in the Irish market back in 1986 and they arrived on our shores in their droves with Coral, Stanley, Ladbroke, William Hill, Victor Chandler, Etc paying absolutely ludicrous money to any independent bookie with any kind of a hovel of a shop as long as it had a Bookie Licence, obviousely most small independants sold up.

But the English bookies also bought up chains of shops, Stuart Kenny of Kenny bookmakers would have been one of their biggest acquisition's along with many other chains, and the Irish government of the time took a very Dim View of those that had legally lobbied fer a reduced Tax rate to now take advantage of it by legally selling up.

A 'Dim View' that is still held by the Irish government to this day, as a few years later in 1988 the same few ex-bookie chain owners that has profited massively from their lobbying the government to get the Betting tax reduced only to sell up started up a new firm of their own and they called it PADDY POWER.

[Belker]

As I have or will mention Stuart Kenny a few times, I will say he was the real brains behind the Paddy Power movement, giving up that he took the Queen's Shilling by selling up, he was a decent gentleman, as CEO of Paddy Power fer many years he had brillant theories, pay every customer with a gripe, never lose a customer, money backs fer anything at all, never leave a customer disgruntled (within reason), he like myself embraced Ghandi's theory; "The most Important person in any business is the Customer". Unfortunately the remaining directors board of Paddy Power did not agree with the way he was openly agreeing to the terms of the new found 'Gamble aware' campaign and slowly but surely they shamefully edged him out of his CEO position.

[Belker]

Paddy Power were massively successful with the brains of Dublins best bookies running it together and all of them with huge bank balances after selling their chains to the English bookies, so successful that they ran most of the English bookies back home and wiped out most of the small independent bookies that didn't sell to the English.

Then along came the internet which nobody forsaw as being the biggest Game-changer ever in the history of gambling. I must mention the original long forgotten pioneers of online bookmakers here, it was a small family run bookie called O Halloran's from Youghal in county Cork that had the first ever online betting site call 'Luvbet', it was not a huge hit by any means but they offered ante post odds on every race every day, unfortunately O Halloran's policy of "Lay Everything offered" soon back-fired and the mostly English Professional punters wiped them out very quickly and they ceased trading in 2002.
https://www.irishracing.com/news/Luvbet.com-cease-trading/7999

[Belker]

O Halloran's 'Luvbet' site 25 years back had opened the door to what is todays massive global online betting circus and it got very popular very quick, even Stuart Kenny then CEO of Paddy Power once commented in an interview that he himself could not believe how quickly the online market took over.

Back in the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties bookie shops did very well, our first ever Cashmans bookie shop on Blarney street we had to move out of to a bigger premises around the corner on Shandon street because the old shop could not handle the volume of customers. Our main inner city shop at No 1 Maylor street, we had to buy No 2 Maylor street and expand in to it, and then buy No 3 Maylor street and expand again.

[Belker]

The internet online betting changed everything, around the Millenium every town in Ireland had about half a dozen bookie shops on every main street, Mallow in county Cork actually had 8 !

But by 2010 that had all changed, bookies who had paid huge money fer premises and licences or refurbishment costs were now looking at empty shops due to the online take-over, But the bigger problem was the staff, most bookies who bought premises and licences also took on the staff and with "their Time kept on" they would be due very large redundany settlements if they were left go, so in most cases it was actually cheaper to keep the shop open and running at a small profit/loss than to pay staff redundancy.

[Belker]

To actually eventually answer your question Silverbullet;

...... I'd be interested in what you think about PP closing 28 shops. Is it simply that people are just happier gambling online these days?

20 odd years on now from the online take-over and a lot of the bookie staff would have retired or moved on and the bookies don't hire staff anymore, they close shops gleefully when they cannot staff them.

There are a few exceptions and there is still a handful of bookie shops that still do well, but unlikely you will find a customer in there under Fifty years old, so the Clock is Ticking on them too !

[watty]

...the first ever online betting site call 'Luvbet', it was not a huge hit by any means but they offered ante post odds on every race every day, unfortunately O Halloran's policy of "Lay Everything offered" soon back-fired and the mostly English Professional punters wiped them out very quickly and they ceased trading in 2002.

Thanks for the history lesson.  Apart from the lotto, I don't gamble so what does 'lay everything offered' mean?  I thought bookies set their own odds so they would win over the long term?

[John m]

I worked for Stewart in the Fountain in Jamses Street .He brought in Vincent  O Reilly and a Woman Called Gay in Queen Street .They introduced Morning Prices and Double result .Before they came along you use to have to wait on the Weigh In could be 15 minutes after the race was over .Stewart wanted to get your money back in your hand as quick as Possible .Vincent  O Reilly sold his share in the Business years later to Stewart Kenny and his backers and bought the Graduate Pub In Kiliney .The Patrons bought a horse called Killiney Graduate and landed a few Huge touches .

 Padraig Harrington and His brother started a thing called Jack Gambles .They made a Huge FUCKING Idiots Mistake .They needed to generate working Capital so offered a lot of Anty Post Stuff but the Stupidity was If your horse was a Non Runner you were on the SP fav in the race .THEY WENT BROKE .

Even Now if you drive around some Paddy Power Shops are Paddy Power and Others are Paddy Power .com .The Big money made by Stewart Kenny was in Property .

If you look around Dublin at the Moment even Dunnes Stores are closing their Own Shops and Shopping Centers and building appartments to rent .Ben Dunnes 4 Gaffs in Carpenters Town are knocked and appartments are there now a few 100 millions worth of gaffs paid for with the sale of Saint Bernard Knickers .Probably make the same profit with two girls in an office collecting rent as they were making with thousands of employees selling Groceries .

The Bookies use to be entertainment somewhere to escape to on a Saturday few pints and a bet meet your pals to talk shite .Bookies like Showbands have had their day .Just like Live bands were replaced by DJs .Real Bookies experience is replaced by Digital apps and watching racing on Telly .Only people going to Gowran Park on a Wednesday in December are owners trainers and stable Staff .The whole racing experience is now Leopardstown at Christmas ,Punchestown and the Galway Races nobody interested in Flat Racing .Tens of Millions spent on the Curragh nobody going .Phoenix Park Gone ,Baldoyle Gone .Leopardstown will be next that site must be worth close to a Billion ?


https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/40959/killiney-graduate/form

[silverbullet]

As I have or will mention Stuart Kenny a few times, I will say he was the real brains behind the Paddy Power movement, giving up that he took the Queen's Shilling by selling up, he was a decent gentleman, as CEO of Paddy Power fer many years he had brillant theories, pay every customer with a gripe, never lose a customer, money backs fer anything at all, never leave a customer disgruntled (within reason), he like myself embraced Ghandi's theory; "The most Important person in any business is the Customer". Unfortunately the remaining directors board of Paddy Power did not agree with the way he was openly agreeing to the terms of the new found 'Gamble aware' campaign and slowly but surely they shamefully edged him out of his CEO position.

I used to drive him around when he lived on Anglesea Road, Ballsbridge. He was influenced by me, and went on to shave his fading locks.

Son of a well connected high court judge IIRC.

https://www.independent.ie/business/stewart-kenny/26415614.html

[Punter]

Aaron Logan wrote a book Paddy Power available in most charity shops at 5eu
Not a bad read with a good insight !

[markmiwurdz]

Anybody remember Kilmartins Bookies?,not even an audio commentary ...just wait for the result 

[Belker]

Anybody remember Kilmartins Bookies?,not even an audio commentary ...just wait for the result 

I remember Kilmartins of old, they like us were wiped out by the online and PP rush in the 2010's.

[Belker]

...the first ever online betting site call 'Luvbet', it was not a huge hit by any means but they offered ante post odds on every race every day, unfortunately O Halloran's policy of "Lay Everything offered" soon back-fired and the mostly English Professional punters wiped them out very quickly and they ceased trading in 2002.

Thanks for the history lesson.  Apart from the lotto, I don't gamble so what does 'lay everything offered' mean?  I thought bookies set their own odds so they would win over the long term?

@ Watty, I'm talking 'Old school' here, back in the day "Lay Everything" meant take every bet, similar to pubs allowing anyone in or Taxi drivers taking every fare.