I pretty much abandoned betting shops when the Exchanges took off, 25 or so years ago now; and racegoing suffered a decline too, though that was more gradual.
Although it superficially made the experience more involving, I wasn’t that keen on the loosening of restrictions that permitted TV screens in shops as this led to a decline in camaraderie and craic with customers content to live in their own little world, glued to the screens.
Last time I darkened a shop’s doors – or brightened as it turned out – was prior to the general election in 2024, for a speculative bet at 12/1 Labour to win 500+ seats, coincidentally with Hill’s.