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William Hill to close 200 betting shops and lay off 1,500 staff
William Hill has announced that it will shut down 200 betting shops starting from May 24, 2026, accounting for 14.3% of its outlets, which means that more than 1,500 staff could lose their jobs.
The decision comes exactly as the UK’s new tax rules take effect on April 1, 2026, which will see the Remote Gaming Duty on online casinos rise from 21% to 40%, with an additional 15% to 25% rise on the General Betting Duty on sports betting starting from April 2027.
William Hill’s parent company evoke stated:
“Following a thorough review and further to increased cost pressures on the regulated sector, including significant tax increases announced by the government in last year’s Autumn Budget, from May, we are closing a number of shops that are no longer sustainable. We are offering our full support to our retail colleagues who are affected by these closures. These decisions are never taken lightly; however, in the face of rising cost pressures, we must take action to ensure we can continue to invest in our core retail estate, with the right shops in the right locations.”
In October 2025, evoke had already started warning that the tax hikes could lead to moves such as the shutdown of 200 shops. The company is still in the process of a strategic review, which was launched back in December 2025 after a collapse in its share price and a debt of £1.8 billion.
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