Gibraltar-based bookmaker Victor Chandler plans to take a punt on the Irish market. The company yesterday launched an Irish website and said it planned to open shops in Dublin and other centres around the State. Barry O'Halloran reports

The head of its Irish operations, Mr Ian Marmion, said the company was actively seeking a premises in Dublin's city centre for what will be its flagship Irish retail outlet. Victor Chandler will follow that with other betting shops around the country.

Mr Marmion said yesterday that it was likely to stick to larger population centres when it came to choosing locations for its shops.

In the meantime, it will operate its Irish website, www.victorchandler.ie, which will offer bets specifically to the Irish market, as well as its other products. According to Mr Marmion, the company already has several thousand Irish customers.

Founded in the UK, Victor Chandler sold its shops and decamped to Gibraltar in 1999, where it established a tax-free online and telephone-betting operation. The company is committed to keeping its headquarters in Gibraltar.

However, it re-entered the on-street market last year with an upmarket, lounge-style shop in Mayfair, London. It recently bought a chain of 28 shops in the UK and has begun converting them to Victor Chandler outlets.

As well as chasing high-volume, low-stakes punters, Victor Chandler has a reputation for laying large bets. It has taken individual punts of up to £1 million (€1.48 million). Mr Marmion said it would look to both low- and high-stakes punters to develop its Irish business. It will offer betting on racing and sports, as well as online gaming and poker.

Mr Marmion is from Galway and has over 10 years' experience in bookmaking, with Paddy Power and Victor Chandler Asia.