888

History

Evoke plc, formerly 888 Holdings, was founded in 1997 by Avi and Aaron Shaked and Shay and Ron Ben-Yitzhak as Virtual Holdings Limited, launching the pioneering Casino-on-Net site. The company moved its administrative centre to Gibraltar in 2003 and first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2005. Over two decades, 888 expanded from a single casino brand into a multi-product operator encompassing online poker, sports betting, and bingo.

Transformative Acquisition and Rebrand

A defining moment came in July 2022 when 888 completed its transformational acquisition of William Hill from Caesars Entertainment, significantly expanding its UK and international retail and digital presence. In 2024, under new CEO Per Widerström, the group renamed itself Evoke plc to unify its corporate identity around its stable of strong consumer brands (888, William Hill, Mr Green). During 2024, the group also exited its US B2C operations and acquired Winner.ro to build a market-leading position in Romania, its fifth core market.

Business Model and Operations

Evoke plc operates under a Gibraltar gaming licence and focuses on regulated markets. The company generates revenue primarily through B2C online sports betting and casino gaming, as well as retail betting shops under the William Hill brand. Its core markets are the UK, Italy, Spain, Romania, and Denmark, which together produce 90% of revenue. Despite industry-wide challenges, Evoke plc reported revenue of £1,781.9 million for fiscal year 2025.

Key Brands and Products

- 888casino – A leading online casino brand founded in 1997 (originally Casino-on-Net). Offers over 2,000 games including online slots, roulette, and live dealer tables. - 888poker – One of the world’s largest online poker networks, offering Texas Hold'em and other poker variants. - 888sport – An online sports betting platform covering football, racing, tennis, and other sports with live markets and Bet Builder options. - Mr Green – An online casino and sportsbook brand acquired by 888, relaunched on the 888 technology platform in Germany in 2023. - William Hill – A historic British bookmaker acquired in July 2022, operating both retail and digital betting and gaming. - Winner.ro – An online betting brand acquired in October 2024, giving Evoke a market-leading position in Romania.

Leadership

The company is led by CEO Per Widerström (appointed October 2023), Chairman Mark Summerfield (appointed October 2024), and CFO Sean Wilkins (appointed March 2024). The employee headcount as of 2025 is 10,617.