William Hill Owner Urges Halt to UK Gambling Tax Hikes

Evoke, parent company of William Hill, has called on the UK Chancellor to prevent further gambling tax increases, attributing previous hikes to the closure of 270 betting shops. CEO Per Widerstrom warned that additional tax rises could jeopardize more jobs and livelihoods.

What Happened

Per Widerstrom, chief executive of Evoke, the parent company of William Hill, has reportedly urged the Chancellor to stop further gambling tax increases. Widerstrom stated that earlier tax hikes were responsible for the closure of 270 betting shops, and cautioned that another increase could risk additional jobs and livelihoods, according to The Sun.

Widerstrom commented, “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,” as reported by The Sun. This plea was made as Evoke’s quarterly revenues reportedly declined by seven percent to £406 million. When excluding the impact of shop closures, the decline was two percent.

Changes announced in last year’s Budget could reportedly add up to £135 million to Evoke’s annual tax bill starting in 2027. The government is reportedly considering increasing machine games duty in the upcoming Budget, a tax that covers gambling machines, according to The Sun.

Key Details

• Evoke’s CEO, Per Widerstrom, attributed the closure of 270 betting shops to previous gambling tax increases (The Sun).
• Quarterly revenues for Evoke reportedly fell seven percent to £406 million; excluding shop closures, the decline was two percent (The Sun).
• Changes from last year’s Budget are projected to add up to £135 million to Evoke’s annual tax bill from 2027 (The Sun).
• Duty on online casino games rose from 21 percent to 40 percent in April, and a new 25 percent duty on online sports betting (excluding horse racing) is scheduled for next year (The Sun).
• Rivals such as Ladbrokes owner Entain, Grosvenor casino owner Rank, and Paddy Power owner Flutter have also issued similar warnings or are implementing cost-cutting measures due to higher duties (The Sun, This is Money, Independent, Business Live, The Standard).

Why It Matters

The call from Evoke and other major operators highlights ongoing industry concerns regarding the financial sustainability of gambling businesses in the UK under increasing taxation. The closure of 270 William Hill shops and reported job reductions by other companies like Flutter indicate a direct impact on employment and regional economies, as stated by The Sun. The potential for additional tax hikes, such as on machine games duty, suggests a continued shift in regulatory pressure on the sector.

The consolidated warnings from multiple key industry players, including Evoke, Entain, Rank, and Flutter, underscore a shared perspective that current and proposed tax policies are creating significant operational challenges. This collective action aims to influence government decisions in the upcoming autumn Budget, focusing on the implications for business viability and employment across the regulated market (The Sun, This is Money, Independent, Business Live, The Standard).

What’s Next

The UK Government is reportedly considering increasing machine games duty in the forthcoming autumn Budget. Industry stakeholders, including Evoke and its rivals, are urging ministers to carefully consider any further increases to gambling taxes in response to these ongoing discussions (The Sun, This is Money, Independent, Business Live, The Standard).

Originally reported by The Sun·Published 23 Oct 2026, 23:56