Honestly less bookies are a good thing they are just predators to people with gambling problems. People can spend that money elsewhere. This is coming from an ex gambler.
Selected highlights (emphasis mine):
> Evoke, the parent company behind betting giants William Hill and 888, has announced “quick and decisive” measures, including shop closures and significant cost reductions, to counteract recent government changes to gambling taxes.
> Evoke stated it has acted to mitigate the financial blow from the November Budget, implementing both retail betting shop closures and group-wide cost-saving initiatives.
> Last year, the **debt-laden firm** warned that new online gaming duties and a fresh online sports betting tax would inflate its annual duty costs by as much as £135 million from 2027.
> While the exact number of sites already closed was not confirmed on Tuesday, the company had previously suggested that up to 200 locations could be shut down if gambling taxes were raised.
> “We continue to believe these tax increases will negatively impact the industry’s economic contribution, customer protection, and will ultimately serve to support further growth in the illegal black market.
> “As a result of these significant UK tax increases, the board is assessing its strategic options, with a resolute focus on maximising shareholder value.”
> …the revenues of £464 million were 7 per cent higher than the previous quarter.
> Betting revenues were the hardest hit in the quarter, down 22 per cent year-on-year, while gaming revenues lifted 9 per cent.
> Despite this, the firm said it expects to report a rise in full-year revenue of about 2 per cent to £1.79 billion.
> Shares in the firm fell 7 per cent in morning trading on Tuesday.
Honestly how can a gambling firm lose money.. is it Trump running them?
Like feeling sorry for drug dealers being forced out of the area.
Good. We don’t need this. No one’s got excess money and it just takes it away from necessary spending and puts it in their pockets.
Shut ‘em down.
“Blow to Rachel Reeves” has become “Blow from Rachel Reeves”. We’ve come full circle here people. She’s giving out blows not taking them.
I feel sorry for the few members of staff that will be losing their jobs, but I don’t think anyone will be mourning the loss of the gambling shops. Absolute leaches of society that prey on people’s addictions in often deprived areas.
Oh no, now gambling addicts will be pushed into focussing on recovery through services like Gambler’s Anonymous and their hard earned cash will go into the local economy.
Can’t believe Rachel would do this!
fantastic news. hate bookies, literal poverty generators.
Yeah , boo to businesses that we think we are immoral. Never mind that people will lose their jobs.
This is not fully thought out. Online gambling has turned every living room in the nation into a bookies and casino. 100% of the money leaves the community.
At least these local shops provide some employment, rent, rates and tax. Attacking onsite bookies while leaving online gambling untouched does pretty much nothing to fix problem gambling, it just moves it elsewhere while damaging local economies.
Hills are already skint due to having too much debt. They’re using this as excuse
There will still be options online and if this goverment has its way the only profitable options left will be online international companies which won’t generate any tax for the UK or provide jobs. The level of problem gamblers in this country isnt growing or falling but trying to ban thingd can have negative unintended consequences.
This can only be a good thing.
Gambling is a huge issue in this country
Oh… No. A gambling company is less able to prey on the vulnerable. How fucking sad…..
Shame about any job losses, but blaming the government for people moving to online gambling platforms, away from high street shops, is straight up dishonest.
16 comments
Honestly less bookies are a good thing they are just predators to people with gambling problems. People can spend that money elsewhere. This is coming from an ex gambler.
Selected highlights (emphasis mine):
> Evoke, the parent company behind betting giants William Hill and 888, has announced “quick and decisive” measures, including shop closures and significant cost reductions, to counteract recent government changes to gambling taxes.
> Evoke stated it has acted to mitigate the financial blow from the November Budget, implementing both retail betting shop closures and group-wide cost-saving initiatives.
> Last year, the **debt-laden firm** warned that new online gaming duties and a fresh online sports betting tax would inflate its annual duty costs by as much as £135 million from 2027.
> While the exact number of sites already closed was not confirmed on Tuesday, the company had previously suggested that up to 200 locations could be shut down if gambling taxes were raised.
> “We continue to believe these tax increases will negatively impact the industry’s economic contribution, customer protection, and will ultimately serve to support further growth in the illegal black market.
> “As a result of these significant UK tax increases, the board is assessing its strategic options, with a resolute focus on maximising shareholder value.”
> …the revenues of £464 million were 7 per cent higher than the previous quarter.
> Betting revenues were the hardest hit in the quarter, down 22 per cent year-on-year, while gaming revenues lifted 9 per cent.
> Despite this, the firm said it expects to report a rise in full-year revenue of about 2 per cent to £1.79 billion.
> Shares in the firm fell 7 per cent in morning trading on Tuesday.
Honestly how can a gambling firm lose money.. is it Trump running them?
Like feeling sorry for drug dealers being forced out of the area.
Good. We don’t need this. No one’s got excess money and it just takes it away from necessary spending and puts it in their pockets.
Shut ‘em down.
“Blow to Rachel Reeves” has become “Blow from Rachel Reeves”. We’ve come full circle here people. She’s giving out blows not taking them.
I feel sorry for the few members of staff that will be losing their jobs, but I don’t think anyone will be mourning the loss of the gambling shops. Absolute leaches of society that prey on people’s addictions in often deprived areas.
Oh no, now gambling addicts will be pushed into focussing on recovery through services like Gambler’s Anonymous and their hard earned cash will go into the local economy.
Can’t believe Rachel would do this!
fantastic news. hate bookies, literal poverty generators.
Yeah , boo to businesses that we think we are immoral. Never mind that people will lose their jobs.
This is not fully thought out. Online gambling has turned every living room in the nation into a bookies and casino. 100% of the money leaves the community.
At least these local shops provide some employment, rent, rates and tax. Attacking onsite bookies while leaving online gambling untouched does pretty much nothing to fix problem gambling, it just moves it elsewhere while damaging local economies.
Hills are already skint due to having too much debt. They’re using this as excuse
There will still be options online and if this goverment has its way the only profitable options left will be online international companies which won’t generate any tax for the UK or provide jobs. The level of problem gamblers in this country isnt growing or falling but trying to ban thingd can have negative unintended consequences.
This can only be a good thing.
Gambling is a huge issue in this country
Oh… No. A gambling company is less able to prey on the vulnerable. How fucking sad…..
Shame about any job losses, but blaming the government for people moving to online gambling platforms, away from high street shops, is straight up dishonest.