Bookmaker Not Hurt by Recession: Opening 80 More Shops

Paddy Power, Ireland's biggest bookmaker, plans to expand into Scotland with the opening of 80 more shops by 2011 with a stg£16m investment.

The openings will increase its number of UK stores to 150 and add 400 new jobs to the chain.

The company's chief executive, Patrick Kennedy, said "Scottish punters have already experienced significant exposure to the unique brand offering of Paddy Power through our phone and online betting services. This move to ground and complement our brand with a bricks and mortar presence is very exciting and we look forward to bringing our unbeatable range of products and service to Scotland."

Paddy Power was founded in 1988 by the merger of three existing Irish high street bookmakers. The company also markets its services in the UK and is a publicly quoted company, listed on the Irish and UK stock exchanges.

Paddy Power's stated mission is to make ‘risk-based' entertainment more accessible and fun. To this end, Paddy Power has a reputation for funny and often controversial advertising.

In November 2008 the bookmaker was criticised by a spokesperson for the American Embassy in Ireland for offering odds on the assassination of US President-elect Barack Obama.

Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com