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Evoke Plc has begun a formal review of its future direction as pressure grows in the UK gambling industry, with newly announced tax hikes and planned store reductions by one of its major brands adding to the strain.
In a statement, the company said: “[The] board of directors of the Company confirms it has decided to undertake a review of the Company’s strategic options, which will include the consideration of a range of potential alternatives to maximise shareholder value, including, but not limited to a potential sale of the Group, or some of the Company’s assets and/or business units.”
The Gibraltar registered group, which owns brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green, has appointed Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc and Rothschild & Co as joint financial advisers. The board stressed that “there is no certainty that any transaction will materialise, nor as to the terms of any transaction.”
Evoke announces review of potential sale after UK Budget changes
The strategic review comes after the recent UK Budget, where the government revealed it will raise duties on gambling operators. These higher taxes are set to increase operating costs for companies with a large UK presence beginning in 2026.
Earlier this year, William Hill said it plans to close about one in ten of its UK betting shops in 2026, pointing to changing customer habits and a tougher regulatory and economic climate. The move will shrink the brand’s presence on the high street and highlights the wider shift toward online betting.
Evoke stated that further updates will be provided “when and if appropriate”. The company also reminded investors that, because it is incorporated in Gibraltar, “The City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the Code) does not apply to the Company… a takeover offer for the Company will not be regulated by the UK Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.”
The review signals what could be a major period of change for the group, although it’s still unclear where things will end up. Possibilities like selling assets, restructuring the business or even a full takeover are all on the table, but nothing has been decided yet.
ReadWrite has reached out to evoke Plc for comment.
Featured image: evoke Plc
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Washington State has banned prediction markets as interest in the platforms ramps up across the United States.
The Washington State Gambling Commission has officially banned prediction markets across the state, prohibiting either offering events-based contracts or participating with online operators that offer event-based contracts for purchase. That puts the onus on both users and operators to stop any related activity in Washington.
“Offering events-based contracts or participating in these markets is not authorized in Washington State,” reads the statement from the Washington State Gambling Commission.
“While prediction markets are an unauthorized activity in Washington State, we acknowledge that the future of prediction markets, including those for sports, political events, remains a subject of ongoing litigation both federally and in other states.
“We will continue to monitor the ongoing cases as they progress through the court system and will provide updates once the courts provide further guidance.”
The Commission went on to state that any Washington residents who want to gamble on sports should do so at tribal casinos, where sports betting is legally authorized.
Is the door closed to prediction markets in Washington?
With the Gambling Commission’s note that it will “continue to monitor the ongoing cases”, it seems that Washington intends to follow other states’ leads when it comes to authorizing prediction markets. The line between events contracts and gambling is getting increasingly blurred, especially as major players like Kalshi continue to push into traditional fields like sports betting.
Washington has a history of protecting tribal groups’ exclusive gambling rights, as evidenced in a case earlier this year. At the same time, other states like Nevada and Connecticut are cracking down on prediction markets, with some government bodies and gambling groups viewing them as a means to circumvent traditional gambling regulations. As more newcomers join the ever-growing sector of prediction markets, the competition is likely to only heat up further.
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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US Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg has sent letters to several sports organizations in the wake of illegal sports gambling schemes involving professional athletes.
Walberg sent queries to various organizations on Tuesday (December 9), including the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA), and the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), asking how they are working to support players in the wake of various illegal sports gambling schemes.

Sports betting is booming and illegal gambling schemes are on the rise. It’s simple: Illegal schemes shred fair competition, hurting betters who follow the law and exposing athletes to extortion.
Chairman @RepWalberg sent letters to the heads of 5 pro athletes unions to get more… pic.twitter.com/3bF0vltdGR
— House Committee on Education & Workforce (@EdWorkforceCmte) December 9, 2025

Many of these illegal rings involved professional athletes, including a high-profile NBA case and instances involving student athletes. Concerns around players’ involvement in illegal sports gambling has already led to some organizations putting pressure on their members to maintain integrity, but now external forces like the Education and Workforce Committee are stepping in too.
Pressure is mounting to take action against illegal sports gambling schemes
“Recent instances highlight the alarming rise in proprietary information sharing to benefit certain gamblers,” wrote Walberg.
“These actions eviscerate the integrity of sports and hurt honest, law-abiding athletes. The Committee understands the important role of players’ associations in educating individuals on illegal sports betting practices and seeks to understand how you can better ensure proper conduct among players to safeguard free and fair competition.”
The letter goes on to make direct mention of the NBA case involving former Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones, as well that related to two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz.
“In light of these and other similar scandals, the Committee seeks information from the NFLPA to understand what steps it is taking to ensure the athletes it serves are protected from these unethical actions,” the letter continued. “By no later than January 31, 2026, the Committee kindly requests that the NFLPA provide information on what actions it has taken or plans to take to curtail players from using proprietary information to skew sports betting.”
ReadWrite has reached out to the NFLPA, the MLBPA, the NBPA, the NHLPA, and the MLSPA for further comment.
Featured image: US Education and Workforce Committee via X
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