Industry rallies around BetBull employees after shock closure

The gambling industry has rallied round and offered support to BetBull employees following the unexpected closure of the business. The five-year-old social betting startup confirmed it would cease all operations on 3 July 2022, although no clear reason was given by the firm for its decision to shutter. Latest accounts filed with UK Companies House covering the period to the end of 2020 showed BetBull had 27 employees, with this figure expected to have risen in the subsequent 18 months. According to LinkedIn, the firm has staff in the UK, Malta, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine. In response to the fallout, a series of companies have taken to LinkedIn to offer support to employees and encouraging affected individuals to apply for jobs. In one such post Entain talent acquisition lead Dale Havers said the London-listed firm was currently hiring across marketing, tech, analytics, creative and head office verticals. Havers said: “Really sad news for the BetBull employees on [the] announcement, never great to see this happen. Here at Entain we would be more than happy to help work with anyone affected in helping you secure a new position with us.” Fellow London-listed operator Flutter Entertainment also noted it had open positions across its PokerStars, Paddy Power Betfair and Sky Betting & Gaming brands. Ishai Amit, The Stars Group performance marketing director, said: “Really sad to hear BetBull is closing down. I’ve met some of the most devoted and motivated people there and I am wishing you all the best. If there is anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to reach out. The Anorak Group’s Richard Gale praised BetBull staff before offering his help. “Like many in our industry was upset this morning to read that BetBull would be closing in the coming weeks. When I started out on my own they were one of my first clients, and they were a fantastic team to work with,” Gale wrote in a LinkedIn post. “What I loved about BetBull was that they innovated and really tried to move sports betting forward and some of the most recent updates to the app have been fantastic. “So to any of the staff that have been impacted by this news, please know that XLMedia are still actively recruiting across a whole range of roles and locations. I know the quality of what you guys did, so please get in contact and I can put you in touch with the right person in our organisation,” he added. Newly-appointed Oddschecker interim chief people officer Judith Turner also offered a helping hand to her affected industry colleagues. She said: “Here at Oddschecker, we were very saddened to hear that BetBull will cease trading. We know there are some great people there, so if any amazing product people are looking for a new opportunity, please get in touch. We wish everyone luck in finding new opportunities and hoping we can help some on their way.” Elsewhere, Malta-headquartered operator Betsson Group and GOAT Interactive both took to LinkedIn to offer support to BetBull employees. In late 2020, Wynn Resorts invested $80m in a joint venture with BetBull, resulting in the social bookmaker being absorbed into Wynn Interactive. Wynn Resorts took a 71% stake in the new business and BetBull investors held the other 29%. The Smart Betting Club was sent a Twitter DM by an individual purporting to be close to the business, who allowed it to be shared publicly but anonymously on the platform, in which the person said BetBull is “still a profitable business” and that the news was a “huge shock to the staff”. However these claims have yet to be confirmed by parties close to BetBull or Wynn Interactive.