William Hill boss warns bet tax rises could trigger more betting shop closures
William Hill's boss has urged the Chancellor to halt gambling tax rises after blaming earlier increases for the closure of 270 betting shops.
TL;DR
- William Hill's boss, Per Widerstrom, has urged the Chancellor to halt gambling tax rises.
- He blamed earlier increases for the closure of 270 betting shops.
- Widerstrom warned that further tax hikes could put more jobs and livelihoods at risk.
- Quarterly revenues for the parent company, Evoke, fell seven percent to £406 million.
- Changes announced in the previous Budget could add up to £135 million to Evoke's annual tax bill from 2027.
- The duty on online casino games rose from 21% to 40% in April, and a new 25% duty on online sports betting (excluding horse racing) is due next year.
- Rival companies like Entain, Rank, and Flutter have also expressed concerns and are taking measures like job cuts to offset higher duties.