Consultant says PokerStars job cuts do not signal wider eGaming trouble

The expected loss of around 30 PokerStars jobs on the island says little about the health of the local gambling industry, according to the head of a Douglas eGaming consultancy.

Lee Hills, chief executive of SolutionsHub, which works with eGaming and fintech companies on licensing, compliance and operational matters, made the comments to Isle of Man Today. They followed an announcement by Flutter International, which owns PokerStars, of job cuts affecting its island operations.

Mr Hills said the news would be hard on staff and their families, and that the first priority should be helping them into new work.

He said he saw the redundancies as the continuation of a trend that began when Amaya bought PokerStars and continued as the business was absorbed into Flutter. “My impression has been of a gradual reduction in the island’s role within the wider business,” he said.

He accepted that higher UK taxes may have added to the pressure but said he did not think they explained the decision. In his view, a company’s priorities tend to shift once it becomes part of a far larger international group with new markets and channels.

“We control our own business environment, but we cannot control how a global group chooses to organise its operations,” he said.

Mr Hills said choices made by a multinational should not be confused with the outlook for gambling operators based on the island.

He said the island’s eGaming talent remained strong. He added that many local firms were finding it hard to fill posts because few experienced candidates were available, and that people leaving Flutter could be an asset to other island employers.

“Flutter has some exceptionally skilled and experienced people on the island,” he said. Redundancy would still bring uncertainty, he acknowledged, but some local businesses would place a high value on what those staff could offer.

He said he hoped strong demand for experienced workers would mean those affected were quickly re-employed and their skills stayed on the island.

PokerStars is based in Onchan. The constituency’s MHK, Rob Callister, told Isle of Man Today the potential loss of 30 jobs was “clearly concerning”. He said staff and their families faced a “period of considerable uncertainty”.

Mr Callister said PokerStars had been a major presence in Onchan for many years. His priority, he said, was making sure those affected received proper support.

“I hope the consultation process is handled sensitively and that every possible avenue is explored to minimise job losses,” he said. He added that skilled jobs should be kept on the island.