William Hill: UK betting firm warns 200 branches could close over tax fears - which locations could shut first
Hundreds of staff could be affected as the bookmaker reviews its UK shops 📉
- William Hill’s parent company, Evoke, is considering closing up to 200 UK betting shops
- Closures could affect 9–15% of the chain and up to 1,500 jobs, though no decision has been made
- Evoke is under £1.8bn of debt and reported a £78m pre-tax loss
- The Government is reviewing gambling taxes, aiming to simplify duties, but the Treasury says this doesn’t automatically mean higher rates
Punters could soon find fewer betting shops on their high streets, with one major bookmaker’s parent company confirming it is weighing up the closure of up to 200 branches across the UK.
Evoke, which bought William Hill in a £2bn deal in 2022, said its plans were part of contingency arrangements ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget on November 26, which is expected to raise taxes on the gambling industry.
While no final decision has been made, the company – which also owns 888 and Mr Green – said it is “assessing the potential impact” of higher taxes on its UK operations.
The company warned that any new levy could “drive more customers to the black market” and impact jobs.w
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The warning comes just days after Entain, the FTSE 100 owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, made a similar plea over potential tax hikes, suggesting widespread concern across the gambling sector.
The Government is currently reviewing how gambling is taxed, aiming to streamline the complex duty rates applied to different betting products. The Treasury has said the review aims to simplify gambling taxes, not necessarily raise them.
A Treasury spokesperson said the consultation is focused on “bringing online betting in line with other forms of online gambling to cut down bureaucracy,” and is “not about increasing or decreasing tax rates.”
But even without fresh tax rises, Evoke faces a challenging trading environment - the firm is currently carrying £1.8 billion in debt and reported a £78 million pre-tax loss in the first half of 2025.
The company’s share price has also suffered, as investors question whether the firm can turn around its struggling retail estate.
Where could William Hill shops close first?
Each William Hill shop typically employs between five and 10 staff. If closures go ahead, they could affect between 9% and 15% of William Hill’s 1,300-strong estate, with up to 1,500 jobs at risk.
Evoke has said that a final decision on William Hill shop closures has not yet been made. As such, a full list of branches that could potentially shut has not been publicised.
But it stands to reason that sites already under pressure from falling footfall, or those located within dense clusters of other betting shops could be the first to go.
High street branches in smaller towns that have struggled since the pandemic, where local punter traffic has dropped, could also be at risk, while consolidation would make financial sense in areas with multiple William Hill shops close together.
Shops with short or soon-to-expire leases would also be easier to shutter without heavy financial strain on the company.
Rural and suburban branches, particularly those with steady local customer bases, are most likely to be safer, although this again is not confirmed.
For now, William Hill customers can still place their bets. But with hundreds of stores under review, some high streets could soon lose one of their most familiar shopfronts.
If you're concerned about your gambling, help is available. Call the National Gambling Helpline at 0808 8020 133.