evoke third-quarter revenue falls 7%

evoke, owner of brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, reported that its revenue for the three months ended 30 September 2026 fell 7% compared with the same period last year. The company linked part of the decline to customer-favourable results in the early part of the football season. According to the company, this reduced group revenue growth by around 1 to 2 percentage points.

On a like-for-like basis, adjusted for exchange rate effects and comparable with last year, revenue fell 2%. The figures also took into account the closure of around 270 betting shops in the UK during the period. According to evoke, when results are normalised, revenue remained largely stable.

The company also provided an update on the acquisition by Bally's Intralot. Shareholders of both companies approved the necessary resolutions and most regulatory approvals have been obtained. The transaction is expected to complete by the end of the fourth quarter of 2026 or in early 2027, subject to the remaining conditions being met.

evoke Chief Executive Per Widerström said that rising gaming duties in the UK in particular had strengthened the company's focus on profitability and cash generation. Widerström noted that the 270 shop closures over the past year reflected the impact of tax increases on jobs and livelihoods, and urged the government to weigh any further increases carefully ahead of the autumn budget.