William Hill owner evoke had progress across its core markets to thank as the company returned to growth in 2024, for the first time in three years.
Group revenue rose three per cent to £1.75bn, up from £1.71bn, while EBITDA climbed four per cent year-on-year from £299.5m to £312.5m.
The gambling operator group said H2 adjusted EBITDA of £197m, up 33 per cent year-on-year, was among the commitments kept in H1 which has led to a “step change in profitability.”
Overall online growth of six per cent, including “strong acceleration” of eight per cent in H2, was a key factor in evoke’s revenue growth.
CEO Per Widerström said the company remains “laser-focused” on its core markets of the UK, Italy, Spain, Romania and Denmark, which collectively reported an 11 per cent rise in online revenue.
This was underpinned by “product improvements and a more sophisticated data-driven approach to customer segmentation supporting our leading brands,” Widerström said.
UK online revenue grew by five per cent, with new sports betting products Bet Builder and Impact Sub drawing “positive customer reactions.”
A new William Hill Vegas app, meanwhile, now offers an extended range of games and promotions, the company said.
“We have also focused on improving functionality on the William Hill app with a relaunched home page and simpler navigation resulting in improved ease of use,” Widerström said.
“These have combined with a much clearer CVP for William Hill, focusing on betting and gaming done properly, and I am excited for the full rollout of our refreshed brand identity in 2025.”
Retail remains a challenge for evoke, though, with the company adopting a strange of strategy to arrest the five per cent fall in UK retail revenue seen in 2024.
“In retail our store estate had been under-invested and had become uncompetitive as a result,” Widerström said.
“Crucially, the business had been focused on creating its own proprietary retail gaming platform, but the data analysis of the trials showed that this was not the right plan. Part of making bold decisions is being able to realise when you are off track, and we have changed course here as a result.
“I'm pleased to say we signed a multi-year deal for best-in-class third party gaming cabinets, replacing 5,000 machines across our entire estate, with the roll-out beginning in the fourth quarter and completing in March 2025.
“We have been pleased with the initial customer response to our new cabinets, and we are well placed to see sustained gaming revenue growth going forward.”
International revenue grew by seven per cent with “strong double-digit growth” in H2.
