Darts drives Matchroom profit as promoter warns of gambling law impact
The growth of darts is driving increasing profits at Matchroom, with the resurgent sport contributing a third of the multi-sport promoters’ £44m yield.
Accounts for Matchroom Holdings Limited, parent company of the pro darts circuit featuring teenage double world champion Luke Littler, showed turnover of £225.5m for the year ending 30 June 2025, up from £218.3m the year prior.
Profits increased to £44m, from £40.5m, with the growth largely coming from darts.
The Professional Darts Corporation Limited (PDC), which runs the main tour, and the World Series of Darts Limited together posted profits of £16.2m, up from £13.5m the year prior.
The most recent accounting period included Littler’s first world title, an event that created a surge in popularity for the sport.
Matchroom Boxing generated profits of £9.9m, down from £11.4m the year prior.
Darts popularity paying out
The popularity of darts has been demonstrated in recent years by blanket sell-outs at the World Championship at Alexandra Palace – including a subsequent increase to capacity after the accounting period – and well-attended Premier League nights across the UK and Europe.
Matchroom, founded by Barry Hearn and now run by son Eddie, enjoys ownership and investment in various capacities across boxing, darts, snooker, poker, bowling and fly-fishing.
And earlier this year chairman Eddie Hearn announced the launch of a new talent agency, which features rugby union player Henry Pollock as an early poach.
Snooker turned a profit of £1.3m for Matchroom Holdings Limited while the multi-sport limited brand turned just shy of £2.5m.
The portfolio of sports is synonymous with gambling, with major brands sponsoring the darts and snooker. But the organisation warns, however, that “any change to gambling legislation may affect the ability of companies in the betting and gaming sector to exploit their brands at group events”, adding that “the directors are working to diversify the group’s sponsors away from this sector”.