REG - Evoke PLC - 2025 Post-close Trading Update

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RNS Number : 4426Q  Evoke PLC  27 January 2026

 

27 January 2026

 

evoke Plc

("evoke" or "the Group")

 

2025 Post-close Trading Update

FY25 revenue growth of +2%; FY25 Adjusted EBITDA expected to be in line with
market expectations

evoke (LSE: EVOK), one of the world's leading betting and gaming companies
with internationally renowned brands including William Hill, 888 and Mr Green,
today announces a post-close trading update for the three and 12 months ending
31 December 2025 ("Q4" and "FY25" respectively).

Financial performance

Q4 revenue was approximately £464m, representing the strongest quarter of the
year. Q4 revenue was up 7% quarter-over-quarter ("QoQ"), but down 3% (4% in
constant currency) year-over-year ("YoY") as a result of the strong
comparative period with operator friendly sporting results in the prior year.

The improved Q4 performance was driven by gaming (+9% YoY), which saw growth
across all divisions, including 888casino returning to growth in the UK and
strong growth in both Retail (+10% YoY) and International (+14% YoY). Betting
revenue was down 22% YoY for the Group due to the strong prior year
comparative.

As a result, revenue for FY25 is expected to be approximately £1,786m (+2%
YoY). Reflecting the Group's focus on achieving profitable growth and the
successful delivery of cost savings through the year, Adjusted EBITDA is
expected to be in the range of £355-360m (approximately 14-15% higher YoY).
This would be in line with market expectations and would represent an Adjusted
EBITDA Margin of approximately 20%, in line with prior guidance.

Strategic review and outlook

As previously announced on 10 December 2025, the Board is undertaking a review
of the Company's strategic options, including the consideration of a range of
potential alternatives to maximise shareholder value. This includes, but is
not limited to, a potential sale of the Group, or some of the Group's assets
and/or business units. Accordingly, while this review remains ongoing the
Board does not consider it appropriate to provide forward-looking financial
guidance at this time. The Group will update the market on the progress of the
strategic review when and if appropriate and will issue its full year results
in due course.

Per Widerström, CEO of evoke, commented:

"During Q4 we made good progress against our strategic plans, delivering our
best quarter of the year and demonstrating the underlying momentum in the
business. Our focus on core markets continued to drive our profitable growth,
with Italy and Denmark both delivering record quarterly revenues in Q4. This
positive momentum has continued into 2026 with a strong start to the year with
good growth across all divisions.

While the strong strategic and financial progress we made throughout 2025 was
encouraging, we were very disappointed with the outcome of the UK Budget in
November that dealt a significant blow to both evoke and the wider regulated
industry. 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.

We have moved quickly and decisively to execute on our mitigation plans
including the closure of retail stores that are no longer sustainable as well
as broader cost savings, and we will update shareholders on our progress and
updated strategic plan in due course."

 

Enquiries and further information:

 evoke Plc                                       +44(0) 800 029 3050
 Per Widerström, CEO

 Sean Wilkins, CFO

 Investor Relations                              ir@evokeplc.com (mailto:ir@evokeplc.com)

 James Finney, Director of IR

 Media                                           evoke@hudsonsandler.com (mailto:evoke@hudsonsandler.com)
 Hudson Sandler                                  +44(0) 207 796 4133

 Alex Brennan / Hattie Dreyfus / Andy Richards

 

About evoke Plc:

evoke plc (and together with its subsidiaries, "evoke" or the "Group") is one
of the world's leading betting and gaming companies. The Group owns and
operates internationally renowned brands including William Hill, 888, and Mr
Green. Incorporated in Gibraltar, and headquartered and listed in London, the
Group operates from offices around the world.

The Group's vision is to make life more interesting and its mission is to
delight players with world-class betting and gaming experiences.

Find out more at: https://www.evokeplc.com (https://www.evokeplc.com)

 

Important Notices

This announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements, beliefs or
opinions, with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and
business of evoke. These statements, which contain the words "anticipate",
"believe", "intend", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "seek", "continue",
"aim", "target", "projected", "plan", "goal", "achieve", words of similar
meaning or other forward looking statements, reflect evoke's beliefs and
expectations and are based on numerous assumptions regarding evoke's present
and future business strategies and the environment evoke will operate in and
are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ
materially. No representation is made that any of these statements or
forecasts will come to pass or that any forecast results will be achieved.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and contingencies because they relate to events and depend on
circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of evoke to be materially different from
those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Many of these
risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond evoke's ability to
control or estimate precisely, such as future market conditions, currency
fluctuations, the behaviour of other market participants, the actions of
regulators and other factors such as evoke's ability to continue to obtain
financing to meet its liquidity needs, changes in the political, social and
regulatory framework in which evoke operates or in economic or technological
trends or conditions. Past performance of evoke cannot be relied on as a guide
to future performance. As a result, you are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on such forward-looking statements. The list above is not exhaustive
and there are other factors that may cause evoke's actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of their date and evoke, its
respective parent and subsidiary undertakings, the subsidiary undertakings of
such parent undertakings, and any of such person's respective directors,
officers, employees, agents, affiliates or advisers expressly disclaim any
obligation to supplement, amend, update or revise any of the forward-looking
statements made herein, except where it would be required to do so under
applicable law. No statement in this announcement is intended as a profit
forecast or a profit estimate and no statement in this announcement should be
interpreted to mean that the financial performance of evoke for the current or
future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical
published for evoke.

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