William Hill Owner Evoke Set for £243.1m Takeover by Bally’s Intralot
The deal follows UK gambling tax increases and debt pressure, with Evoke saying the tie-up offers shareholders the best route to long-term value.
- On Friday, Evoke agreed to a £243.1 million takeover by Greek gambling operator Bally Intralot, valuing shares at 52p in a major consolidation within the betting sector.
- Mark Summerfield, chairman of Evoke, cited "significant UK duty changes and the constraints posed by the Evoke Group's existing capital structure" as drivers for the strategic review.
- Evoke reported almost £1.9 billion in debt at year-end 2025 and, facing remote gaming duty hikes from 21% to 40%, confirmed in April it was closing around 270 betting shops.
- Soo Kim, chairman of Bally, said the combination creates a "leading, diversified European gaming champion" with greater scale and plans to invest substantial free cash flow into growth markets.
- Bally Intralot, formed last year by a tie-up between Greek lottery firm Intralot and Corporation, had been negotiating with Evoke for two months before the Athens-listed operator reached agreement.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Knutsford Guardian
William Hill owner Evoke set for £243.1m takeover by Bally’s Intralot
Bosses at Evoke, which also owns the 888 brand, said they have agreed a deal worth 52p per share.
William Hill owner agrees £243.1million takeover by gambling giant
Evoke, the company behind William Hill and the 888 brand, has agreed to a £243.1million takeover by Greek gambling operator Bally's Intralot in a major consolidation move within the betting sector.The Athens-listed firm is offering 52 pence per share for the British bookmaker, representing a 33.8 per cent premium on Evoke's closing share price before takeover discussions were confirmed.The recommended all-share transaction was announced on Frida…
Bally’s Intralot agrees recommended £243m acquisition of evoke plc
Bally’s Intralot S.A. has reached an agreement with evoke plc, a Gibraltar-incorporated company listed on the London Stock Exchange, on the terms of a recommended all-share acquisition of its entire issued and to-be-issued share capital. The post Bally’s Intralot agrees recommended £243m acquisition of evoke plc first appeared on Asia Gaming News | AGB - Asia Gaming Brief.
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