An update from William Hill customer support has communicated the bookmaker’s decision to exit from several non-core markets, chiefly in Africa but also in Latin America and Asia.

On its customer support site, a list explained that it was withdrawing from 13 markets, nine of which are in Africa – Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia.

In addition to the nine African markets are Vietnam, a major but also controversial Asian market, and the Latin American nations of Bolivia and Nicaragua – gaming being somewhat of a grey area in the former but legal and broadly regulated in the latter.

William Hill confirmed that it will exit all of 13 of the markets from 2 December 2025. The reasons for doing so have not been explained, but there could be various motives given the wider political and economic environment the firm is operating in.

A spokesperson for Evoke Plc, William Hill’s parent firm, said: An evoke spokesperson said: “On a periodic basis, we review the products we provide in markets across the world. 

“In this instance, we have made the decision to close the William Hill, MRG and 888 brands in a selection of markets across Africa and Asia. 

“Customers can still enjoy evoke’s brand 888Africa across Africa, which is not affected and continues to perform positively, and via 888.com in other markets.”

An international solution to a UK problem?

The move may be indicative of cost cutting efforts at the bookmaker as it prepares for a substantial increase in costs in its home and primary market, the UK, where tax raises are anticipated.

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, is due to announce the UK budget next week, with the government needing to fill a mulit-billion pound black hole in public finances. It is also facing calls from backbench MPs and a former PM, Gordon Brown, to raise gaming taxes to pay for a scrapping of the two child limit on childhood benefit allowances.

It is widely anticipated that Reeves will either merge three types of gaming duty – Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) of 21%, General Betting Duty (GBD) and Pool Betting Duty of 15% – into one single 21% rate, or go for the even more costly option of raising RGD from 21% to 40% and Machine Games Duty (MGD) on slot games from 20% to 50%.

Both options could be costly to Wiliam HIll, particularly the latter which would hit its online business as well as FOBT revenue from its over 1,300 betting shops, though sports betting revenue in these shops would be less affected. 

Evoke has already warned that such a move by the government could lead to it closing hundreds of shops, echoing similar warnings made by Betfred and Ladbrokes Coral owner Entain. 

Withdrawing from what are 13 minor markets for the company in the grand scheme of things may be a way for the firm to shore up its financial standing in the UK in anticipation of taxes biting its bottom line there. 

William Hill’s performance, particularly in retail, has been recovering in the UK this year, and the firm will be keen to see this continue in the face of tax challenges.

A global solution to good PR?

Another motivation could be a desire to limit Wiliam Hill’s exposure in international grey and black markets at a time when the UK sector is undergoing a lot of political scrutiny.

Gambling’’s legal status varies across the 13 countries William Hill has pulled out from. Gambling in Angola is legal and regulated, for example, but in Somalia and Vietnam it is strictly prohibited, with the exception of some foreigner-only casino resorts in the latter.

In 2023, Evoke withdrew from all ‘grey jurisdictions’ as its 888 brand was embroiled in an investigation of illegal transactions with high-value customers in the Middle East.

Various big name operators have been reducing their grey market exposure in recent years. Entain announced back in January 2023 that it was accelerating its withdrawal from grey markets, and in December 2023 was told to step it up as part of Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). 

Bet365, meanwhile, pulled the plug on its activity in China, arguably the world’s biggest grey market and according to some sources one which had been a huge revenue generator for the company. A spokesperson told SBC News at the time that bet365 would ‘shortly cease operations in various jurisdictions including China’.

In the UK tax debate, British bookmakers have been routinely making the argument that black market activity is a threat to the regulated gaming sector. Continuing to remain active in grey markets while making this argument could harm its credibility, perhaps offering another explanation for William Hill’s withdrawal from some of these 13 jurisdictions.