Positive World Cup helps Tabcorp ride disastrous Sun Bets storm

Tabcorp's decision to exit from ailing bookmaker Sun Bets cost the Australian gambling giant £52 million.

The figures were revealed on Wednesday when Tabcorp released its 2017-18 full-year results for the period that ended June 30.

They outlined a net profit of £16.5m, helped by the firm's £6.32m merger with bookmaking rivals Tatts Group and the World Cup.

"The soccer World Cup went really well," said the firm's chief executive David Attenborough, who stressed the importance of betting shops and welcomed restrictions on television advertising during sports events.

He added: "We don't see a development where you end up with digital without retail, all our long-term strategies are about the integration within the retail environment."

Full Tabcorp results

However, while the figures were a turnaround from the previous year, which resulted in a loss of £11.96m, Tabcorp were tempered by their links with the loss-making Sun Bets and Luxbet businesses.

Launched in 2016, Sun Bets ceased trading last month and Tabcorp will make a payment of £40.81m to Rupert Murdoch's News UK to end the disastrous agreement, on top of an additional hit of £7.3m following the closure of Luxbet in December.

Speaking last month, Attenborough said: "The performance of Sun Bets has been below expectations and we don't expect a material improvement over the next 18 months.

"While we didn't get it right, we've taken valuable learnings from the Sun Bets start-up process and operations which will inform our approach across our portfolio."

You might also be interested in:

Tabcorp reports loss of £51m as it pulls the plug on Sun Bets

Australian giant Tabcorp in talks to pull out of Sun Bets

Tabcorp review of 'unsatisfactory' Sun Bets continues following big loss