Acquisition Clears Major Shareholder Hurdles as Parent Company Reports Strong Quarterly Revenue Growth
The vast majority of eligible shareholders in evoke, the parent company behind major brands such as William Hill, 888, and Mr Green, have officially voted in favor of a recommended £243.1m buyout by Bally’s Intralot.
Following initial acquisition discussions confirmed back in April and the formal unveiling of the bid terms in June, evoke announced the results of its General Meeting held on August 17. An overwhelming 99.63% of evoke shares were cast in favor of the transaction. Additionally, during the concurrent Court Meeting, 30 Scheme Shareholders voted in support of Intralot’s full takeover, with only one vote recorded against.
Timeline and Regulatory Progress
Both companies reported that several key antitrust and regulatory approvals have already been successfully satisfied. Looking ahead, the firms expect the final court hearing to sanction the acquisition to take place either in the fourth quarter of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027.
The shareholder approval coincides with Bally’s releasing its latest financial figures, highlighting a 20.5% year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue, rising from $658m to $792m (£584m). While adjusted EBITDAR for the second quarter was impacted by the UK government’s Remote Gaming Duty increase from 21% to 40%, resulting in a gross negative impact of approximately $39m, Chief Executive Officer Robeson Reeves emphasized that the evoke acquisition provides a definitive pathway toward future growth.
Reeves noted:
“We remain firmly on track against the margin management commitments we previously disclosed to investors. It is worth flagging that market consolidation in the UK has not moved quite as quickly as we originally expected. We see that as an opportunity still ahead of us rather than a concern, particularly as smaller operators come under increasing pressure post-World Cup and through the fall tax season. We are already delivering double-digit growth ahead of that consolidation, which gives us confidence in our position.”
