Some 800 jobs in areas such as e-commerce, m-commerce, technology development, social media, quantitative research, risk management and online marketing are to be created in Dublin by betting giant Paddy Power as it pushes ahead with its global expansion.
The new jobs will be created at the company’s new headquarters at Power Tower in Clonskeagh, which will be opened later this morning by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD.
Paddy Power, which operates 365 retail outlets and is the sixth-largest online gaming business in the UK and Ireland, has been steadily expanding across Europe and new geographies, such as Australia, and is eyeing opportunities around the world, including Asia.
The company is arguably one of Europe’s major players in terms of m-commerce, enabling punters to place bets through various mobile devices and through all the key app platforms.
All 800 new jobs will be filled by the end of 2015, bringing the total employment by Paddy Power in Ireland to 2,783.
Patrick Kennedy, chief executive of Paddy Power, said: “We are hiring at an increased rate and investing heavily in e-commerce to capitalise on structural market growth and emerging opportunities around the globe as more and more countries licence online betting and gaming.
“We are a business born and bred in Ireland and we take pride in continuing to create high quality jobs with the associated economic multiplier effect in this country, particularly given the current economic challenges. We welcome the Government’s introduction of a licensing regime and commitment to a robust regulatory framework which will sustain and attract investment.”
Paddy Power’s international online growth
Strong international online growth in recent years has resulted in four-fifths of the group’s operating profit being generated online last year. Paddy Power is the No 1 mobile online bookmaker in the UK and Ireland and the No 1 online corporate bookmaker in Australia.
In May of this year, the group launched in the Italian online market, resourced out of Rome and Dublin. In July, the group successfully secured a Preliminary Finding of Suitability from the Nevada Gaming Commission and has located resources in the US to prepare for the opening of the online market there.
Paddy Power has established partnerships with PMU, the second-largest betting organisation in the world, in France and with the British Colombia Lottery Corporation in Canada. It also has an international games technology operation in Bulgaria.
Of the 800 jobs announced today, 189 have been filled since the beginning of April, an average of 30 new jobs per month. 100 positions are currently open in a variety of areas. Details of these positions are online.
Announcing the jobs, Kenny said: “This welcome announcement of 800 new high skilled jobs by Paddy Power highlights the strides Irish companies are taking in e-commerce and technology. Through our Action Plan for Jobs, we are supporting the transition from the old unsustainable economic model to a new, dynamic economy based on enterprise, exports and innovation.
“Paddy Power’s announcement shows how Irish companies can embrace change and respond to new opportunities. I commend the company on its commitment to Ireland and, in particular, its commitment to retaining and developing Irish graduates,” Kenny said.
