Evoke to Close 200 UK Betting Shops in May

Evoke, the parent company of betting giant William Hill, announced plans this week to close approximately 200 high street betting shops across the United Kingdom, representing about 15 percent of its 1,300 locations. The closures, which will begin in May, stem from a review that identified sites no longer sustainable amid rising operational costs and recent tax increases on the gambling sector.

The decision affects hundreds of employees, with Evoke committing to provide full support to those impacted, including redundancy assistance. Staff were informed during a companywide virtual meeting on Tuesday. While the exact list of closures has not been released, sites in regions including Yorkshire could be among those affected. Evoke operates roughly 8,000 jobs in its retail network, and the move is part of a broader restructuring to focus investments on viable locations.

Company officials attributed the closures primarily to mounting pressures, including higher taxes outlined in the Autumn Budget. Chancellor Rachel Reeves raised the online gaming duty from 21 percent to 40 percent and increased the sports betting levy from 15 percent to 25 percent, measures intended to generate...