Evoke: ‘Good progress’ for William Hill owner as turnaround efforts bear fruit
William Hill owner Evoke has said it is making “good progress” in its turnaround efforts as sports betting helped drive stronger revenues.
The gambling group saw shares move higher in early trading on Tuesday as a result.
It told shareholders that revenues increased by five per cent to £435m over the third quarter of 2025, compared with a year earlier.
Evoke, which also runs the 888 brand, said it represents the fifth consecutive quarter of growth as it continues its turnaround plan.
The sales increase was also boosted by its retail business, which includes betting shops, returning to growth.
Retail revenues grew by six per cent over the quarter driven by growth in sports and gaming, which has benefited from the rollout of new gaming cabinets.
The firm’s UK and Ireland online business saw revenues grow one per cent after an eight per cent jump in sports revenues was offset by weakness in gaming.
The figures come around two weeks after the company said it was considering potential store closures if it is hit by higher taxes at next month’s Budget.
The Sunday Times reported that it could close as many as 200 shops, in a move which would hit as many as 1,500 workers.
Government officials have been consulting on gambling taxation in recent months, with fears across the sector that Rachel Reeves might increase its overall tax bill as part of efforts to address the state’s fiscal black hole.
Per Widerstrom, chief executive of Evoke, said: “During Q3 we continued to execute against our strategy which is transforming our long-term competitive capabilities and building a more efficient and profitable business.
“With retail continuing the improving trend from Q2, all three divisions were in growth during the quarter.
"We have clear plans in place to support an improvement in revenue during Q4 through continued acceleration in product enhancements, including retail sports and our recently launched new William Hill Vegas app
“We continue to execute our turnaround with vigour and are making good progress against our plans to position evoke for long-term success and significant value creation.”
Shares in the business were up one per cent on Tuesday morning.
It comes after Evoke earlier this month announced that it had officially opened its new offices at West Village in Leeds.
The new office brings together more than 750 staff across the company’s segments, including brand and creative, finance, broadcast and retail.
In a statement issued alongside the announcement, Rik Barker, group CITO at Evoke, said: “We’re proud to open our new office at West Village in Leeds. Leeds is a key hub for our business, and this long term investment underlines our commitment to the city and to the colleagues who make an impact here.
“The launch was a fantastic milestone, with teams exploring the innovative workspace and its modern facilities built for collaboration. We’re delighted to re-launch Evoke in Leeds and I'm keen for us to play a growing role in the city’s tech communities.”