Betfred announces plans to shut 132 betting shops and cut about 600 jobs following changes to gambling taxes, which the company says have increased costs and made some sites uneconomic. Multiple outlets report that the closures will take place from September and will involve more than 130 shops, with the company stating that the affected sites represent more than a tenth of its betting shop estate. Betfred says it is launching a consultation process over the shop closures and workforce reductions. Sky News and other reports describe the move as part of a wider tax pressure on the gambling industry. The company’s chief executive, Jo Whittaker, is quoted by one outlet saying that high costs have made it “impossible” to keep the shops open. Across the reports, the figures reported are consistent: 132 closures and roughly 600 job losses. No changes to Betfred’s broader corporate plans are described in the provided coverage beyond the consultation, the timing from September, and the stated link to tax hikes.