UP to 30 jobs have been lost in the past six weeks following the closure of five betting shops around the country as a direct result of the impending betting tax increase, according to the Irish Bookmakers Association [IBA].

The IBA has accepted that, in accordance with Budget 2019, betting tax will double to 2% from January 1st but the organisation is taking comfort in a pledge from the Minister for Finance that he will review the situation in the first quarter of the year.