William Hill will close 200 betting shops in the UK next month, impacting at least 15% of its branches. The company employs about 8,000 people, according to major media reports, though the exact number of employees affected by the closures remains unknown. The full list of locations for these closures has not been disclosed, and the timeline for completion is unspecified.
The closures result from shops being deemed 'no longer sustainable' after a thorough review by parent company Evoke. Evoke cited increased cost pressures on the regulated sector, including significant tax increases announced in the government's Autumn Budget, as reasons for the closures. Chancellor Rachel Reeves doubled the tax on online gaming from 21% to 40% in the Autumn Budget, and she justified the tax increases by stating she was targeting the industry because it was 'associated with the highest levels of harm', according to major media reports. The specific 'increased cost pressures' beyond tax increases cited by Evoke are not detailed.
I was targeting the industry because it was 'associated with the highest levels of harm'.
Evoke will offer full support to retail colleagues affected by the closures. The tax increases were blasted by influential figures in the sector, with some describing them as 'deeply appalling' and a 'devastating hammer blow', according to major media reports. Whether other bookmakers besides William Hill, Paddy Power, and Ladbrokes will announce similar closures is unclear.
Other bookmakers are also reducing their physical presence. Paddy Power will close 57 shops in October 2025, affecting 28 outlets in Britain, 28 in Ireland, and one in Northern Ireland, representing 10% of its estate, according to major media reports. A spokesperson for Flutter Entertainment, Paddy Power's parent company, said the decision was not affected by the Autumn Budget. Ladbrokes will close 45 shops across Ireland, with six in Northern Ireland and 39 in the Republic, according to major media reports.
The closures occur against a backdrop of broader retail challenges. Last year, more than 13,000 stores closed in the UK high street, according to major media reports. The Chancellor did not increase machine gaming duty, charged on profit from slot machines. Other retailers are also scaling back: GAME will cease trading its final three stores in April 2026, located in Dudley, Lancaster, and Sutton, and River Island closed 27 stores at the start of this year, according to major media reports.