Reeves accused of ‘taxing the sector out’ as William Hill owner cuts 270 shops

The owner of William Hill and 888 has announced plans to shut around 270 betting shops across the UK, as the embattled gambling group battles rising costs, heavy losses and mounting tax pressure.

Evoke, the debt-laden operator, said the closures form part of a wider review of its estate as it seeks to stabilise finances after reporting a sharp deterioration in performance.

The company posted pre-tax losses of £549.1 million for 2025, more than doubling from £220.9 million the previous year, driven largely by UK tax increases and impairment charges.

The restructuring is expected to result in hundreds of job losses, although the group has not yet confirmed how many staff will be affected.

The announcement comes as Evoke remains in takeover talks with Greek lottery and gaming firm Intralot, in a deal reportedly valuing the company at around £225.3 million.

The group effectively put itself up for sale last year after launching a strategic review amid growing financial strain and rising operational costs.

Pressure on the business intensified following the UK Government’s decision to increase gambling duties, including a rise in remote gaming duty from 21% to 40% from April.

A further online sports betting duty of 25% is also due to come into force in 2027, excluding horse racing.

Evoke has previously warned that tax changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves could increase annual duty costs by up to £135 million from 2027.

The company said last year’s losses were heavily impacted by a £440.3 million impairment charge linked to the higher tax burden.

Industry analysts say the scale of the shop closures reflects a broader shift away from high street betting, as operators increasingly pivot towards online gambling amid rising overheads and tighter regulation.

The latest round of closures adds to a wave of restructuring across the retail betting sector, which has already seen hundreds of shops shut in recent years as consumer habits move increasingly online.

Per Widerstrom, chief executive of Evoke, said: “The significant UK duty increases announced in November represented a fundamental shift in the economics of our largest market and will have a substantial impact across the regulated industry.

“We have acted decisively to mitigate the impact of these changes and protect long-term shareholder value, including initiating a strategic review and implementing significant operational actions across the business.”