Ladbrokes owner Entain pays back some furlough after outcry

Entain, the gaming giant which owns Ladbrokes, is to pay back ₤ 44m of the furlough money it claimed during the pandemic, however keep ₤ 57.5 m.

Carolyn Harris MP called it "definitely disgraceful" that Entain was not repaying it all, regardless of skyrocketing revenues.
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The group made ₤ 393m in pre-tax profit in 2021, up 125% on the year before.
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It stated the furlough scheme had helped to secure 14,000 jobs, and a "more particular medium-term outlook" made the partial payment possible.
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Entain has around 3,000 wagering shops in the UK branded Ladbrokes or which it had to close for large parts of 2020 and 2021 because of coronavirus limitations.
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However, punters did not stop wagering, they just moved online. Entain's online service grew rapidly, and helping to push the group's profits up 8% last year.
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In reaction to a BBC News story in January, MPs contacted Entain to repay the cash it had actually received under the furlough scheme, with former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith saying the company must "instantly hand the money back to the UK taxpayer".
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Entain has actually said formerly that the situation was "under review". On Thursday, it announced that it would return the ₤ 44m it declared in 2021, however keep the ₤ 57.5 m it claimed in 2020.
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Labour MP Carolyn Harris, chair of the Gambling Related Harm All Party Parliamentary Group, stated