Local bookmaker Sean Graham has announced plans to establish an online betting operation that will create around 100 jobs over the next sixteen months.

Spokesperson for Sean Graham, Ian Duff, said that the decision to create an online division had been taken so that the firm could take full advantage of the potential developments occurring in the betting industry. He explained: “For example, the World Cup 2002 is based in the Far East. There are millions of punters based there, and we’re going to give them the opportunity to bet with our products.”

He also stated that the decision to base the new division locally was attributable to Chancellor Gordon Brown’s decision to abolish betting tax. While telephone tax-free betting has been in existence for some time in overseas-based operations, the new tax-free environment means that bookmakers throughout the UK and Northern Ireland are now on a level playing field to compete with such off-shore set-ups for customers.

The company is also initiating a refurbishment strategy in an attempt to bring bookmakers to the high street, and to remove the public’s impression that their outlets are based in ‘back alleys’.

Betting tax – at a rate of nine per cent – will be removed from Saturday September 8. (CL)