William Hill Scales Back Its High-Street Presence — What It Means for Affiliates

Industry News
William Hill has announced plans to close around 200 betting shops across the UK, marking another major step in the country’s gambling industry transformation. This move is part of a wider cost-cutting and restructuring strategy as the company adapts to tighter regulations and shifting player habits.

What’s Happening

  • Stricter regulations, especially the reduction of the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) from £100 to £2, have hit retail revenues hard.
  • The cost of maintaining physical shops continues to rise while profits decline. Closing hundreds of locations helps William Hill refocus on digital operations.
  • Analysts suggest this could be just the beginning — up to 2,000–3,000 betting shops may disappear from UK high streets in the coming years if trends continue.

What It Means for Affiliates Working with William Hill

If you’re already promoting William Hill through their affiliate program, this news has several key implications:

  • Traffic Is Moving Online

Fewer physical shops mean more players will turn to online betting and mobile apps. For affiliates, this could mean a surge in digital conversions — if your campaigns are optimized for online traffic, that’s an opportunity to scale.

  • New Player Behavior to Adapt To

Traditional bettors who used to visit physical shops will now seek the same experience online — maybe even exploring different operators. Affiliates can take advantage of this by fine-tuning content, landing pages, and messaging to appeal to “offline-to-online” audiences.

  • Stronger Online Campaign Potential

As William Hill invests more in digital growth, affiliates can benefit from improved conversion rates, updated creative assets, and new promos designed for online audiences. It’s worth re-evaluating your traffic sources and doubling down on online-friendly segments.

  • Reputation and Trust Considerations

Shop closures might affect brand perception locally. Affiliates should keep messaging positive and highlight that William Hill is focusing on creating a more seamless, modern online experience for players.

  • Possible Changes in Partner Terms

With the shift to digital-first operations, William Hill’s affiliate terms might evolve — expect new RevShare models, bonus structures, or CPA adjustments. Keep an eye on your dashboard and updates from your affiliate manager to stay ahead of these changes.

In short, this isn’t bad news for affiliates — it’s a signal of where the market is heading. The offline era of UK betting is fading, and digital is taking the lead. Affiliates who understand this shift early can capitalize on the wave of new online players and stronger digital marketing budgets.

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