Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 31, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 31, 2026
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Evoke, the owner of William Hill, plans to permanently close around 200 UK betting shops from May, citing significant tax hikes on online gambling announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s 2025 budget that could cost the company up to £135 million annually.
March 31 (Reuters) - British betting group Evoke will shut a number of betting shops from May, the company said, citing rising cost pressures and higher taxes imposed in the government's autumn budget last year.
Bloomberg News earlier reported that William Hill owner Evoke plans to close about 200 UK stores after a government crackdown on the gambling sector. Evoke did not immediately confirm the number of closures to Reuters.
"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,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The company in December announced that it was reviewing options including a potential sale of the company, after UK tax hikes on online gaming and sports betting forced it to withdraw its medium-term outlook.
The British bookmaker further withheld its 2026 outlook in late January, leaving investors in the dark.
Shares in the company, which fell more than 63% last year, have risen 54% so far this year.
(Reporting by Sri Hari N S in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Hugh Lawson)
Evoke is closing about 200 betting shops in response to new tax rises and a regulatory crackdown on the gambling sector.
The closures are expected to start from May, following the implementation of new tax measures in April.
The shops are owned by Evoke, which is also the owner of William Hill.
Recent tax hikes on online gaming and sports betting forced Evoke to review its strategic options and withdraw its medium-term outlook.
According to the article, Evoke did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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