Bally’s UK expansion faces a tougher financial test after Great Britain’s Remote Gaming Duty rose from 21% to 40% on April 1, 2026.

The increase came as Bally’s reported strong second-quarter growth and pursued its proposed acquisition of evoke, the owner of brands including William Hill and 888.

Revenue is rising, but higher gaming duty could reduce the returns from Bally’s planned expansion in Great Britain.

Revenue growth highlights UK exposure

Bally’s reported total revenue of $792.234 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026. That was up from $657.534 million a year earlier, an increase of about 20%.

The company filed the figures with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on August 14, 2026.

Great Britain accounted for approximately 27% of group revenue in the quarter. Based on Bally’s reported total, that implies about $213.9 million. The filing does not report that amount as a separate UK revenue line.

Higher duty raises the cost of scale

HM Revenue and Customs increased Remote Gaming Duty to 40% from April 1, 2026. The duty applies to profits from remote gaming involving UK customers. The previous rate was 21%.

The change is separate from the new 25% remote betting rate scheduled to apply from April 1, 2027. UK horseracing bets will remain outside that new remote rate. Bingo duty was abolished from April 1, 2026.

The distinction matters because Bally’s UK exposure includes online gaming as well as sports betting. Higher gaming duty leaves less revenue to cover marketing, technology, compliance, staffing and debt costs.

Bally’s filing lists gaming tax among the expenses of its Bally’s Intralot businesses. The Bally’s Intralot business-to-consumer segment includes interactive European gaming operations and Bally’s Newcastle, the company’s UK casino property.

evoke acquisition remains conditional

Bally’s Intralot agreed on June 5, 2026, to acquire evoke, a Gibraltar-incorporated company whose brands include William Hill and 888. The proposed all-share transaction values evoke at about £243.1 million.

Completion is expected between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027. The transaction still requires several approvals.

  • Approval by evoke shareholders.
  • Approval by Bally’s Intralot shareholders.
  • Gaming, competition and foreign investment clearances.

The deal could give Bally’s greater scale in the British online gambling market if it receives all required approvals. It would also add integration work, financing commitments and exposure to a more expensive tax regime for online casino operations.

What changes for the UK business

  • Higher tax: Remote Gaming Duty is now 40%, compared with 21% before April 2026.
  • Potentially greater scale: The evoke transaction could expand Bally’s access to British online customers.
  • More execution risk: Bally’s would need to combine the businesses while managing debt, compliance costs and higher duties.
  • Existing regulated operations: The Gambling Commission register lists Bally’s Newcastle Limited with active remote casino and real-event betting licences in Great Britain.

Bally’s second-quarter figures show that the UK remains a significant part of the group. The more important question is whether additional scale can protect margins after tax, marketing and financing costs.

The outcome also matters for Great Britain’s regulated market. Larger operators may have to balance investment in products, safer gambling controls and compliance against the higher duty burden.

The evoke transaction is not complete. Its commercial impact will depend on regulatory and shareholder approvals, integration and the combined group’s ability to convert scale into sustainable earnings.