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.
Edit: thank you for the award kind stranger, if you do have a gambling issue there are steps to help mitigate from getting gambling websites blocked on your card to signing up with gamecare which can also help. Never be afraid to reach out. There is help available and is anonymous if you need that aswell, you got this!.
BestButtons on
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.
therealharbinger on
Honestly how can a gambling firm lose money.. is it Trump running them?
DoctorKonks on
Like feeling sorry for drug dealers being forced out of the area.
Lopsided_Aeroplane-2 on
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.
thedybbuk_ on
“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.
SavingsSquare2649 on
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.
Street_Grab4236 on
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!
JigMaJox on
fantastic news. hate bookies, literal poverty generators.
SidneySmut on
Yeah , boo to businesses that we think we are immoral. Never mind that people will lose their jobs.
AlecMac2001 on
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.
DennisAFiveStarMan on
Hills are already skint due to having too much debt. They’re using this as excuse
No_Parsnip_1579 on
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.
bahumat42 on
This can only be a good thing.
Gambling is a huge issue in this country
LazarusOwenhart on
Oh… No. A gambling company is less able to prey on the vulnerable. How fucking sad…..
greenpowerman99 on
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.
pepperino132 on
That’s fine. High street bookies should be taxed out of existence IMO.
Automatic-Pumpkin567 on
I’m pretty sure basically no one is gonna be sad about this.
jas070 on
This is such a shame, who will rinse my uncle with crippling cerebral palsy of all his money and tell us to mind our own business now? Good riddance
aleopardstail on
this will make space for some much needed Turkish barbers and vape shops
which will be genuinely more useful
Gooner_93 on
Do they really want me to feel sorry for a bookies? Ahahahaha seriously
setokaiba22 on
The issue really isn’t the wages/NI increase (although it’s part of overall) – th fact is the fact is company has huge debt despite massive revenues and they are still increasing revenues
It’s an excuse for poor ownership
Not_Alpha_Centaurian on
This significant blow to William Hill is another blow to Rachel Reeves
Midnight7000 on
Oh no. Something that is a poison to the poor will be less readily available.
BenderRodriguez14 on
Oh dear god no, not the predatory bookies.
Won’t someone *please* think of the predatory bookies!? 😢
Dary11 on
Nice to see “significant blow *to* reeves” has changed to “significant blow *from* Reeves”
Journalism really is in the gutter
richardathome on
It’s not all bad news, think of all that extra space for Vape shops, Turkish Barbers, and overpriced sweet shops!!
Darius_Rubinx on
Good!
In my opinion, bookies, tobacco shops and anyone selling alcohol should be paying the highest business taxes possible. These things are actively harmful, so a sin tax is totally justified.
OpportunityFuture340 on
This is a good thing but more needs to be done about online gambling that ain’t regulated
AwarenessWilling5435 on
Terminally online Redditors celebrating this. Wait until they find out there’s vast swathes of people that enjoy gambling and dont have a problem.
ancientaeons1 on
I watched a ‘degenerate gamblers’ compilation on youtube. Really eye opening on how bad gambling can get. Bookie shops are cancer of the high street. Good riddance.
iKaine on
Good lmao – oh no poor workers won’t be able to lose all their money and rely on state subsidisation as much!!! Will someone think of the gambling boss profits!!!!
Splaterson on
I worked for William Hill for a long time, they were going to shut those shops anyway. The budget (unless I’ve missed something here) affects REMOTE betting, so their online business will be affected and they’re using that as the excuse to close shops.
Betting shops are quite misunderstood, they’re often used as social hubs much like pubs and clubs, particularly among the older generations but I’ve been seeing a lot more younger people go into betting shops to place their football bets and such. Closing them down can be a detriment to the local community, if the shop is run correctly.
HOWEVER, I agree some need to close down, the predatory practises of bookies over the years with the FOBT machines, opening shops down the road just to add another 4 in because you can only have 4 per shop, needs to stop.
On the other hand, people are not going to stop betting just because the bookies on the high street closed down, they’ll go online or simply bet with the local bloke down the pub and bring it underground and unregulated. Reddits hate boner for gambling completely misses the reality of the situation.
No_Concept_1311 on
Oh no, how will the economy ever recover without these exploitative parasites.
34 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.
Edit: thank you for the award kind stranger, if you do have a gambling issue there are steps to help mitigate from getting gambling websites blocked on your card to signing up with gamecare which can also help. Never be afraid to reach out. There is help available and is anonymous if you need that aswell, you got this!.
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.
That’s fine. High street bookies should be taxed out of existence IMO.
I’m pretty sure basically no one is gonna be sad about this.
This is such a shame, who will rinse my uncle with crippling cerebral palsy of all his money and tell us to mind our own business now? Good riddance
this will make space for some much needed Turkish barbers and vape shops
which will be genuinely more useful
Do they really want me to feel sorry for a bookies? Ahahahaha seriously
The issue really isn’t the wages/NI increase (although it’s part of overall) – th fact is the fact is company has huge debt despite massive revenues and they are still increasing revenues
It’s an excuse for poor ownership
This significant blow to William Hill is another blow to Rachel Reeves
Oh no. Something that is a poison to the poor will be less readily available.
Oh dear god no, not the predatory bookies.
Won’t someone *please* think of the predatory bookies!? 😢
Nice to see “significant blow *to* reeves” has changed to “significant blow *from* Reeves”
Journalism really is in the gutter
It’s not all bad news, think of all that extra space for Vape shops, Turkish Barbers, and overpriced sweet shops!!
Good!
In my opinion, bookies, tobacco shops and anyone selling alcohol should be paying the highest business taxes possible. These things are actively harmful, so a sin tax is totally justified.
This is a good thing but more needs to be done about online gambling that ain’t regulated
Terminally online Redditors celebrating this. Wait until they find out there’s vast swathes of people that enjoy gambling and dont have a problem.
I watched a ‘degenerate gamblers’ compilation on youtube. Really eye opening on how bad gambling can get. Bookie shops are cancer of the high street. Good riddance.
Good lmao – oh no poor workers won’t be able to lose all their money and rely on state subsidisation as much!!! Will someone think of the gambling boss profits!!!!
I worked for William Hill for a long time, they were going to shut those shops anyway. The budget (unless I’ve missed something here) affects REMOTE betting, so their online business will be affected and they’re using that as the excuse to close shops.
Betting shops are quite misunderstood, they’re often used as social hubs much like pubs and clubs, particularly among the older generations but I’ve been seeing a lot more younger people go into betting shops to place their football bets and such. Closing them down can be a detriment to the local community, if the shop is run correctly.
HOWEVER, I agree some need to close down, the predatory practises of bookies over the years with the FOBT machines, opening shops down the road just to add another 4 in because you can only have 4 per shop, needs to stop.
On the other hand, people are not going to stop betting just because the bookies on the high street closed down, they’ll go online or simply bet with the local bloke down the pub and bring it underground and unregulated. Reddits hate boner for gambling completely misses the reality of the situation.
Oh no, how will the economy ever recover without these exploitative parasites.