Prominent UK bookmaker William Hill is set to close approximately 200 shops after a “thorough” company review.
The evoke-owned business has come under all sorts of pressure in recent months, namely by the increase in remote gaming duty tax to 40%, announced in the Autumn Budget and set to come in tomorrow (Wednesday 1 April).
In January, evoke confirmed that it would be closing some of its William Hill shops and that number is now expected to be around 200. The group is also releasing its FY25 results later than anticipated on 29 April as it conducts its strategic review.
This review was announced in December 2025, shortly after Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the Autumn Budget. It was disclosed that the review could lead to a potential sale of the company, or of some of its assets.
A spokesperson for evoke told SBC News: “Following a thorough review and further to increased cost pressures on the regulated sector including significant tax increases announced by the government in last year’s Autumn Budget, from May we are closing a number of shops that are no longer sustainable.”
The UK’s retail betting industry has been in somewhat of a crisis in the last few years. At the back end of 2025, between October and December, gross gambling yield (GGY) from high street betting shops fell by 7% year-on-year to £549m.
William Hill is hardly the first to confirm shop closures, and likely won’t be the last. Entain’s Ladbrokes has closed a number of locations over past couple of years, and Paddy Power confirmed widespread closures across the UK and Ireland last year. Not all are shuttering up, however, with BoyleSports having opened several shops since 2022.
“We are offering our full support to our retail colleagues who are affected by these closures,” evoke’s spokesperson continued.
“These decisions are never taken lightly, however in the face of rising cost pressures we must take action to ensure we can continue to invest in our core retail estate, with the right shops, in the right locations.”
evoke’s future drives rumour mill
The future of UK retail betting has become a political topic, particularly regarding adult gaming centres (AGCs), although the calls for the ‘aim to permit’ licensing rule to be revoked could impact betting shops too.
A number of Labour MPs, led by Dawn Butler, as well as members of the Green Party, SNP, and even some Conservatives like veteran gambling reform advocate Iain Duncan-Smith, have been deeply critical of the sector.
In contrast, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has warned that most bookmakers will be “gone within a year” due to recent changes on gambling taxes which were confirmed in the Autumn Budget, and prominent UK high-street brand Betfred has warned that all of its 1,287 shops could close.
The wider picture is not a pleasant one for William Hill owner evoke. The announcement of the abovementioned later-than-expected FY25 accounts comes in the midst of a tumbling share price and rumours of a breakup of the business.
Rumours have circulated that Bally’s and Betfred are potential suitors for the struggling FTSE All Share constituent, which has seen its stock drop by over 28% to 34.05p in the last 12 months. Its current market cap now sits just above the £150m mark.
Another ominous sign for the group is today’s investment from Ironshield Capital Management. The company, which describes itself as a special situations investment manager, focuses on stressed and distressed event driven credit situations in Europe and has taken a 6.07% stake in evoke.