Flutter Entertainment closes Sky Bet offices in Malta

Flutter Entertainment is set to close Sky Bet’s office in Malta amid the Irish company’s wider layoffs.

The company’s UK and Irish division employs some 9,000 employees across a number of countries, as it is expected to make 1,400 employees redundant, with its presence in Malta among the affected countries.

Flutter’s Sky Bet operation in Malta was introduced to the islands in November 2025. At the time, the company planned to move its day-to-day commercial and marketing decision-making to Malta. “Tax was the elephant in the room. It is absolutely understood, across everyone affected, indirectly or directly, or even aware of the announcement, that this is about tax. No one with a straight face would say it’s ‘for strategic reasons’ or whatever other nonsense people come up with,” insiders at Flutter told ITV News at the time.

But 11 months later, a European-wide restructuring exercise resulted in Sky Bet to be moved to Gibraltar. 

The move will result in some 50 employees in Malta being made redundant. The number represents around 10% of Flutter’s employees in Malta. 

The company’s restructuring programme comes as the UK introduces higher betting and gaming duties which have increased costs for gambling companies.

Flutter UK & Ireland CEO Kevin Harrington had warned that the company wouldn’t fully absorb the rise in costs without reducing its costs.