Evoke Pushes Back Against Potential New Gambling Tax Rises After Recent Shop Losses

Evoke, the parent company behind William Hill, has called on the UK Government to examine any further tax increases with care ahead of the next Budget, pointing directly to last year’s changes as the driver behind the closure of roughly 270 betting shops in the past twelve months. The firm noted that higher duties have already squeezed margins across its retail estate and that additional levies would accelerate pressure on remaining locations.

Tax Changes Already in Motion

The remote gaming duty increase from 21 percent to 40 percent, scheduled for April 2026, forms one part of the picture while a separate 25 percent online sports betting duty is set to begin in 2027. Evoke linked both measures to recent losses and the wave of shop closures, arguing that the combined effect has reduced the viability of many high-street sites. Similar concerns have surfaced from Entain and Rank Group, each of which has flagged the possibility of a Machine Games Duty adjustment in the same period.

Observers note that the 270 closures represent a measurable contraction in physical betting infrastructure, with many sites concentrated in town centres where footfall has already declined. The company has not released a precise breakdown of which locations closed or how many jobs were affected, yet the aggregate figure has been cited in briefings to government officials as evidence of the sector’s sensitivity to duty levels.

Broader Operator Responses

Entain and Rank Group have issued parallel statements highlighting the same duty trajectory, although neither has published matching closure totals at this stage. Industry briefings suggest that operators are modelling scenarios in which further duty rises would force additional rationalisation of retail networks. These discussions occur against a backdrop of October 2026 speculation that the forthcoming Budget could include an uplift in Machine Games Duty, a levy that directly affects certain categories of gaming machines found in betting shops.

Data from company filings shows that Evoke’s retail division reported lower revenues in the most recent reporting period compared with the prior year, a result the firm attributes in part to the duty changes implemented after the previous Budget. The same filings note that online segments have absorbed some displaced activity, yet the margin compression from higher remote gaming duty has offset much of that shift.

Those who track the sector point out that the closures have unfolded steadily rather than in a single wave, allowing the company to manage lease exits and staff transitions on a site-by-site basis. Evoke has emphasised that it remains committed to its remaining retail presence while preparing the business for the post-takeover structure under Bally’s Intralot ownership.

Conclusion

The statements from Evoke and peer operators arrive as the Government prepares its next fiscal package, with the company urging careful assessment of how additional tax measures would interact with duties already legislated. The £243 million takeover process continues in parallel, providing a separate strategic context for the firm’s UK operations through the end of 2026 and into 2027. Figures released in recent company updates continue to show the direct link between duty increases and the scale of shop closures recorded over the past year.