William Hill Expects £30M Loss Due to Lockdown Closures of Betting Shops

Bookmaker William Hill has said that shop closures and lockdown restrictions have led to a steep drop in its revenues.

The group said that overall revenues for 2020 would be £1.3bn, 16% below 2019, and that it expected a £30m year-on-year loss at its retail division due to the challenges of trading at its high street betting shops during the pandemic.

Online revenues rose 5% in the UK and 12% in its other markets after it launched the Swedish online gaming group Mr Green in two new regions. Like many rivals, William Hill benefited from an increase in online gambling once live sport returned, with gamblers turning to betting apps to relieve lockdown boredom, as well as a string of favourable sports results.