William Hill owner flags possible closure of 200 UK betting shops

• Evoke considers closing 120–200 William Hill betting shops in the UK
• Closures could cut 9–15% of William Hill’s retail estate, risking 1,500 jobs
• Potential gambling tax increases in the November budget drive the planned reductions

Evoke plc, the owner of William Hill, is considering the possibility of closing as many as 200 of the bookmaker’s betting shops across the UK. This potential move reflects concerns ahead of the UK government’s anticipated gambling tax increases in the budget scheduled for 26 November 2025. The closures could affect between 9 and 15% of William Hill’s 1,300 retail outlets and put up to 1,500 jobs at risk.

The company faces heavy financial pressures, with a debt burden of £1.8 billion that greatly exceeds its market value, which stands at about £210 million. Although Evoke reported improved overall performance for the first half of 2025, its retail revenue fell 2% year-on-year, offset by gains in its gaming and international sectors. These closures form part of ongoing contingency planning to align Evoke’s retail estate with future tax and market conditions.

Financial and tax concerns

Evoke’s warnings about possible shop closures are directly tied to speculation about significant gambling tax rises expected in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s upcoming budget. The government has called for bookmakers to pay their “fair share” of taxation despite the sector’s economic contributions.

Sean Wilkins, Evoke’s chief financial officer, said earlier this year that the gaming industry was a “reasonably easy target” for tax increases, but that a balanced approach is needed to avoid driving customers to the black market, which harms tax revenues and player protection.

Evoke’s statement and future outlook

An Evoke spokesperson told The Sunday Times:

“We are mindful of potential tax increases in the forthcoming Budget which would impact investment in the UK and drive more customers to the black market. As part of our ongoing planning, we are assessing the potential impact of different tax scenarios on our UK operations. This includes the difficult but necessary consideration for shop closures.”

The company has not made any final decisions and is preparing for various outcomes depending on the government’s final tax measures. This moment marks a critical juncture for the future of the UK’s gambling retail sector, with implications for employment, market structure, and the balance between legal operators and the black market.

Entain in the same boat

Industry leaders have expressed similar concerns. Stella David, chief executive of Entain, which owns Ladbrokes and Coral, warned that tax hikes could make some shops unviable.

“Every point of [tax] increase would actually have an impact that certain shops would become unviable… there is no level that does not have some consequence, the scale depends on how far it goes,” David told The Times last week.

“The biggest winner by far would be the black market. These operators are there to take as much cash out of the UK as possible, with as little friction as possible. They look slick and professional — but none of the profits they make come back to the UK in tax.”

Impact on horse racing

Licensed betting offices like William Hill contribute significantly to British horse racing, providing around £100 million annually through media rights and £40 million from the betting levy. Financial modelling suggests that increasing betting duties to 21% or above could lead to losses of tens of millions annually for racing.

The potential closures follow a long-term decline in high street bookmakers, notably after the 2019 cut in fixed-odds betting terminal stakes, which led to the closure of 700 William Hill shops alone. Online gambling’s growth continues to undercut the role of physical shops.