William Hill Exits 13 Markets, Including 10 in Africa
Evoke-owned William Hill has announced that it will cease operations in 13 countries starting 2 December 2025, including 10 key markets in Africa. The affected African countries are Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia, alongside Bolivia, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Vietnam.
William Hill has stated that all open bets placed before 2 December will be settled normally, while bets scheduled to settle afterward will be voided and refunded. Customers can access their accounts and withdraw funds until 5 January 2026. After this date, login access will end, and withdrawals will require contact with William Hill’s customer service team.
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The withdrawal from these 13 markets comes after Evoke warned it could close up to 200 William Hill retail shops in the UK should the government increase gambling tax in the November budget, which is due next Wednesday. An Evoke spokesperson said: “As part of our ongoing planning, we are assessing the potential impact of different overall tax scenarios on our UK operations. This includes the difficult but necessary consideration for shop closures. We are mindful of potential tax increases in the forthcoming budget which would impact investment in the UK and drive more customers to the black market.”
Industry observers note that this retrenchment aligns with challenges in both African and domestic markets. In the UK, Evoke’s potential retail closures could impact around 1,500 jobs amid rising gambling taxes and evolving regulations.
