William Hill Owner Evoke Posts 7% Revenue Drop, Warns on UK Taxes
Published: October 27, 2026 | Author: Roxy Vance
Evoke, the owner of William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, reported third-quarter revenue of £406 million, down 7% on a reported basis. The figures, published in a trading update on October 23, 2026, cover the three months to September 30, 2026. Evoke also used the update to urge the UK government to carefully consider any further gambling tax increases.
Closed Shops and Sports Results
Evoke said it closed 270 shops over the past year. Stripping out the impact of those approximately 270 fewer shops, and at constant currency, revenue fell 2%.
Sports results also played a part. Evoke said customer-friendly results at the start of the football season cost approximately 1 to 2 percentage points of year-over-year growth. Adjusted for expected sports margins, it said revenue was broadly stable.
The update did not break revenue down by business segment and gave no numerical guidance for 2026.
Tax Warning Ahead of the Autumn Budget
“On an underlying basis the business continues to show resilience and reflects our continued emphasis on profitability and cash generation following the substantial increases in gaming duties, particularly in the UK,” said Per Widerström, chief executive of evoke.
He added: “The closure of 270 shops over the past year shows the real impact on jobs and livelihoods from higher industry taxation, and we urge the UK Government to carefully consider any further increases ahead of its forthcoming Autumn Budget.”
The UK raised Remote Gaming Duty, the tax on profits from online and other remote games of chance, from 21% to 40% on April 1, 2026. The increase was announced at Budget 2025, which also set a new 25% rate for remote betting within General Betting Duty from April 1, 2027.
Bally’s Intralot Deal on Track
Evoke is being acquired by Bally’s Intralot in a recommended deal. Both sets of shareholders have approved the acquisition, and most of the required regulatory approvals have been received, the company said. Completion is expected late in the fourth quarter of 2026 or early in the first quarter of 2027.
For background, see our report on evoke’s 2025 results and strategic review.
What It Means for Players
The update announced no changes for customers of 888, William Hill and Mr Green: the brands continue to operate, with no changes to products or markets. What new ownership under Bally’s Intralot will mean for the brands will become clearer once the deal completes.
