William Hill to Exit Multiple International Markets by December

William Hill has announced a significant shift in its global market strategy, opting to cease operations in several international territories. This move represents one of the most substantial retrenchments by the Evoke-owned bookmaker in recent years. The company has outlined plans to scale back its presence across 13 jurisdictions, starting from December 2, focusing significantly on regions within Africa. This strategic reorientation is taking place in the midst of challenging domestic pressures that Evoke is concurrently navigating. As the company prepares for this international retreat, it faces potential impacts back home in the UK, where government policies are poised to affect operations.

Details of the Market Withdrawals

The territories affected by these changes predominantly include regions across Africa. Countries such as Angola, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Vietnam will all see William Hill no longer providing their betting services. The company plans to phase out its wagering activities, ensuring a structured withdrawal process. Starting with the honouring of all live bets that are scheduled to settle on or before December 2. Any bets due to settle after this cut-off will be canceled with automatic refunds provided. Customers will be able to access and manage their accounts until January 5. Post that date, player logins will be disabled, necessitating that any remaining funds be withdrawn by contacting the operator's support team directly.

Domestic Challenges and Future Plans

This international withdrawal strategy comes in tandem with domestic challenges that Evoke is facing in the UK. The company has recently issued a warning regarding the potential closure of up to 200 William Hill retail outlets if anticipated tax increases are implemented in the coming UK budget. This could lead to a reduction of about 15% of its UK store network and may put approximately 1,500 employees' jobs at risk. Evoke's spokesperson emphasized that the company is evaluating the ramifications of various tax environments on its UK operations. These possible tax hikes might affect their investment strategy within the UK and inadvertently push more consumers towards unregulated markets. In response to these challenges, Evoke is not completely retreating from Africa. A previous licensing agreement in 2022 allowed them to expand through 888Africa, a collaborative venture aimed at further penetrating regulated online gaming markets on the continent. This indicates a nuanced strategy in which William Hill is refining rather than completely abandoning its approach within Africa. Source: “William Hill to exit a number of major African markets in December”, igamingbusiness.com, November 20, 2025. By GamesAndCasino