Paddy Power owner Flutter is to axe 1,400 jobs across Leeds, Sunderland and Dublin, blaming Labour's gambling tax hikes

Rachel Reeves, as chancellor, nearly doubled the remote gaming tax rate from 21 per cent to 40 per cent and raised the online sports betting levy from 15 per cent to 25 per cent. Flutter — the parent company of Sky Bet, Betfair and Tombola — estimates the increases will hit its finances by just over £400 million in 2027. About 15 per cent of its UK and Ireland workforce faces redundancy, with offices in Gibraltar, Malta, Porto and Cluj also affected.

UK and Ireland boss Kevin Harrington warned the industry 'cannot fully absorb a rise of this magnitude'.

He claims the hikes are 'helping to fuel the unlicensed, unregulated market'.

Bet365 shed 300 Stoke jobs last month, and Betfred is closing 132 shops.