Trouble seems to stick to William Hill owner Evoke like an elephant being stalked on a Big Game hunt.
Now–following a recent warning that it may close some 200 of its 1,300 iconic High Street betting shops because of threatened tax rises, and as part of CEO Per Widerström’s ongoing fiscal fight to get the company’s massive debt under control–the FTSE250 omnichannel has announced that as of next month, December 2, it will be pulling out of nine Africa markets, among them–surprisingly–both Nigeria and Kenya, which together with South Africa comprise the Mother Continent’s Big Three jurisdictions.
Political Instability
The other markets, admittedly far lesser in nature and many with serious attendant operating difficulties because of insurgency or political instability, are Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Somalia.
Evoke will also be shutting operations in Bolivia, Nepal, Nicaragua and Vietnam, a company source confirmed to iGamingFuture.
Blue Ribband
Existing customers on Evoke sites in these nations will be able to withdraw funds until January 6, 2026. But all betting action as such will terminate on December 2.
Meanwhile, Evoke’s stake in 888Africa, a joint venture licensing the company’s blue ribband 888 brand, continues untouched.
