Privately-owned Irish bookmaker BoyleSports has reportedly announced the signing of an agreement that has seen it purchase six Northern Ireland retail sportsbetting locations owned by local rival HughesBet.

According to a report from G3Newswire, the Dundalk-headquartered firm declared that the arrangement has given it ‘almost everything’ previously run by the seven-strong chain from bookmaker Gregory Hughes and taken its estate in the small province up to 45 locations.

Determined development:

G3Newswire reported that the deal follows BoyleSports’ January acquisition from London-listed William Hill of 33 retail sportsbetting shops in Northern Ireland as well as its June of 2019 expansion into mainland Britain via the purchase of 13 largely Midlands locations once owned by independent bookmaker Wilf Gilbert.

Elevation expectation:

Conor Gray (pictured), Chief Executive Officer for BoyleSports, reportedly detailed that the six acquired locations are to now be rebranded under his firm’s livery before undergoing upgrades ‘to bring them up to the industry-leading standard’ its patrons ‘have come to expect and enjoy.’

Island influence:

BoyleSports last month inked a first-of-its-kind kit sponsorship deal with Northern Irish soccer side Larne Football Club and will now reportedly be the operator of retail sportsbetting shops across the island of Ireland from Skibbereen in the south to Ballycastle in the north.

Reportedly read a statement from Gray…

“Since BoyleSports founder and Chairman John Boyle opened his first shop at Markethill, County Armagh, in 1982, it has been our ambition to develop a meaningful retail presence in Northern Ireland. The purchase of the HughesBet chain of shops demonstrates our long-term commitment to the market in Northern Ireland.”