Bally’s Intralot Shareholders Clear Final Hurdle in £243m Evoke Acquisition

The takeover of William Hill and 888 parent company evoke plc by Bally’s Intralot has moved decisively closer to completion, after shareholders of the Greek-listed gaming group approved the transaction at a general meeting on 18 September 2026. The vote, which passed with 99.63% support, follows evoke’s own shareholder approval in August and leaves regulatory clearances and court sanction as the principal outstanding conditions.

Deal Structure and Terms

The acquisition, first announced as a firm offer on 5 June 2026, values evoke at approximately £243.1 million in equity terms. Under the recommended all-share arrangement, evoke shareholders will receive 0.537 new Bally’s Intralot shares for each evoke share held. A cash alternative is also available, capped at £117.1 million in aggregate.

The transaction is being implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement, requiring both shareholder consent and court approval. Evoke shareholders endorsed the deal by wide margins at meetings in August, with more than 99% of votes cast in favour at each meeting.

Strategic Context

The proposed takeover brings together two complementary businesses. Bally’s Intralot was formed in October 2025, when Intralot completed its €2.7 billion acquisition of Bally’s International Interactive, with Bally’s Corporation becoming the majority shareholder of the combined Athens-listed entity. The company, led by Chief Executive Robeson Reeves, combines lottery operations and gaming technology with an established international digital gaming portfolio.

For evoke, the transaction marks the conclusion of a strategic review initiated after the company faced significant headwinds from UK gambling tax increases. The London-listed operator, which owns the William Hill, 888 and 888sport brands, confirmed takeover talks with Bally’s Intralot in April 2026 at an initial indicative valuation of approximately £225.3 million, representing a premium of around 29% at the time, before agreeing to firmer terms in June.

The acquisition is expected to establish the enlarged group as the second-largest operator by share in the UK iGaming market and the fourth in UK sports betting.

Remaining Conditions

While shareholder approval on both sides has now been secured, the transaction remains subject to a number of antitrust and regulatory approvals. Of particular note, the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority has opened a review of the acquisition, a process that commenced shortly before the shareholder votes. Legal commentary has indicated that the Jersey filing should not yet be interpreted as the final outstanding regulatory step.

Completion is currently expected between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027, consistent with the timetable outlined when the offer was first announced.