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A year ago this time, 位于斯托克城 online betting outfit 日博 BET365 reported a pre-tax 利润 of £91m for the year ending March 31, 2011. This week, the privately held company reported a 利润 of £116.5m (+22%) on revenues of £721.8m (up from £501.4m) and 投注量 totaling £12.4b (+45%) for the 12 months ending March 31, 2012. 利润 would have been £5.8m higher but for the company’s majority stake in the money-losing 斯托克城足球俱乐部.
利润 would have been significantly higher still if 日博 BET365 had followed the lead of most of its UK competitors and relocated its 总部 to 直布罗陀(Gibraltar) or a white-listed jurisdiction like 阿尔德尼(Alderney) or 曼岛(the Isle of Man). 日博 BET365’s decision to remain in 斯托克 resulted in a £20.3m corporation tax bill (up from £18.5m last year). Add in betting duty and VAT and 日博 BET365 anted up a whopping £130m to the UK taxman. (George Harrison just turned over in his grave.) Still, their decision to stay in the UK means they won’t face any additional tax burdens when the UK’s new licensing regime becomes a reality. In fact, given the rumored 5% tax rate haircut the UK government intends to offer betting companies as an incentive, 日博 BET365 actually stands to improve their bottom line.
Over the past 12 months, 日博 BET365’s total salary expenditure rose to £51.19m (+£3m) as the company’s payroll expanded to 2,151 from 1,673 a year ago. 创始人丹尼斯科茨(Denise Coates), who was named a Commander of the British Empire in the Queen’s New Year Honors list in 2011, commanded a £6.3m total pay packet last year. She also receives a half-share of dividend payouts, which means she’s taking home an extra £20.1m this Christmas. 科茨的弟弟约翰(John Coates) received a £10m dividend, while 父亲彼得科茨(Peter Coates) earned a £3.1m dividend for having the bloody good sense to have such bloody smart kids. |
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