William Hill exits 13 markets, much of Africa and Bolivia
William Hill, owned by Evoke, will cease operations in 13 countries — including 10 African markets — starting December 2. Customers will have until January 5 to withdraw funds, amid a strategic process that coincides with possible closures of physical locations in the United Kingdom due to tax pressure.
William Hill confirms its withdrawal from numerous African and global markets
The British operator William Hill, part of the Evoke group, announced that it will withdraw from 13 international markets as of December 2, in a move that marks a significant retreat of its global presence. Of these countries, 10 belong to the African continent, a region where the group maintained activity through different business models.
Starting December 2, users residing in the following countries will no longer be able to place bets on the platform: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia, as well as Bolivia, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Vietnam.
According to the company’s website, all open bets will be paid out normally until December 2. However, those that need to be settled afterward will be canceled and refunded. Customers will be able to continue accessing their accounts to withdraw funds until January 5, 2026, after which access will be disabled. From January 6 onward, any pending withdrawals must be handled exclusively through customer service.
Context of the African market
The exit occurs alongside the strategy Evoke has promoted since 2022, when it granted the license for the 888 brand to the joint venture 888Africa, aimed at operating in regulated markets within the continent. Evoke retains a shareholding in this operation, led by Christopher Coyne, former head of competitive intelligence at Paddy Power, and with Andrew Lee, former online general manager of William Hill, as product director.
Tax pressures and possible closures in the United Kingdom
The international retreat coincides with a complex scenario in the United Kingdom. Evoke warned it could be forced to close up to 200 William Hill locations, equivalent to 15% of its network, if the British government proceeds with a gambling tax increase in the November budget. This measure would put approximately 1,500 jobs at risk.
In a statement, an Evoke spokesperson said:
“We are assessing the impact of various tax scenarios on our UK operations. Among them, considering store closures is a difficult but necessary decision. A tax increase could reduce local investment and push more players toward the illegal market.”
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