Evoke Considers £225m Takeover Offer From Bally’s Intralot

Evoke considering £225.3 million ($303.88 million) takeover offer from Bally’s Intralot, structured mainly as an all-share deal with a partial cash option.

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: April 20, 2026 12:01 PM EDT • 2 minute read

Pictured: A view of the exterior of a Bally's casino as we look at Bally's Intralot's bid to take over Evoke. Photo by USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Evoke, the owner of betting brands William Hill UK and 888, has confirmed it is considering a takeover proposal from Bally’s Intralot.

The deal values the company at around £225.3 million ($303.88 million) and is reportedly structured as an all-share transaction, though with a partial cash alternative included.

Evoke’s shares rose by nearly 16% after the news broke, hitting a six-month high. Bally’s Intralot now has until May 19 to make a firm offer or pull out of the deal.

Evoke, formerly known as 888 Holdings, has faced several financial challenges in recent years. Its share price is down on its 2021 peak, thanks to a mix of high debt and underwhelming profit figures, with a rise in UK gambling tax also playing a part.

The company started a strategic review in late 2025, considering a range of options, including a partial or full sale, and earlier this year it withdrew its financial outlook, saying it would take further measures to stabilize its operations.

Bally’s Intralot, headquartered in Athens, Greece, is present in multiple regulated markets and has been growing steadily in the UK online sector. In 2025, it completed the acquisition of Bally’s International Interactive, making the US Bally’s Corporation its majority shareholder.

Evoke to close around 200 William Hill shops

Amid takeover talks, Evoke has confirmed plans to close approximately 200 William Hill retail sports betting shops across the UK, representing around 15% of its total estate.

The closures will start in May and are part of the wider strategic review it launched at the end of last year. Tax changes are thought to be a key factor in Evoke’s decision. The UK government’s recent adjustments to Remote Gaming Duty have already taken effect, while changes to Remote Betting Duty are scheduled to be introduced in April 2027.

The retail betting sector has also experienced a wider contraction, with many brands, including Entain (BetMGM), Flutter (FanDuell), and Betfred, also cutting back on retail networks in response to falling customer numbers and rising costs.

In a statement, Evoke said the shop closures would be focused on venues that it considers to be no longer commercially viable, and that support measures would be offered to employees impacted by the changes. Given the overall trend in the sports betting sector in the UK towards online operations, it seems unlikely that these venues would reopen even if Evoke were to be acquired by Bally’s.

Written by:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.