William Hill NZ: History, Products and Legal Status

William Hill is one of the oldest and most recognisable bookmaking brands in the world. Founded in Britain in 1934, it grew from a single postal and telephone betting operation into a high-street chain and, later, a large online sportsbook and casino business. This page explains, in plain English, what William Hill is, who owns it today and the products it is known for — and, most importantly for readers here, where the brand stands under New Zealand’s gambling laws, which changed significantly in 2025 and 2026.

A short history of the William Hill brand

From a 1934 bookmaker to a listed company

William Hill set up his bookmaking business in London in 1934, at a time when most cash betting in Britain was illegal, so the firm operated largely by post and telephone. Betting shops were legalised in the United Kingdom in 1961, and William Hill expanded onto the high street over the following decades.

Ownership changed hands several times. The company was bought by Sears Holdings in 1971, by Grand Metropolitan in 1988 and by Brent Walker in 1989. In 1997 it was taken over in a roughly £700 million leveraged buyout — a purchase funded largely by borrowed money — by the Japanese investment bank Nomura. William Hill floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2002, and between 2008 and 2009 it rebuilt its online operation through a venture with the software supplier Playtech. In 2009 the company moved much of its online betting to Gibraltar, a common base for UK-facing operators at the time.

Caesars, 888 and the move to evoke

In September 2020 the US casino group Caesars Entertainment agreed to buy William Hill, and the deal completed in April 2021 for about £2.9 billion. Caesars was mainly interested in William Hill’s United States sportsbook business, which had expanded quickly after the US Supreme Court cleared the way for state-by-state sports betting in 2018.

Caesars kept the US operation — now branded Caesars Sportsbook — and sold the rest. On 1 July 2022 the gaming group 888 Holdings completed its purchase of William Hill’s non-US business, known as William Hill International, for a little under £2 billion. In 2024, 888 Holdings renamed itself evoke plc. The result is that two separate companies now use the William Hill name: evoke owns the UK and international business, while Caesars runs the US sportsbook. In 2026 evoke itself became the subject of a proposed takeover by Bally’s Intralot, so readers should treat the brand’s corporate ownership as something that can keep changing.

What William Hill offers

Across the markets where it is licensed, William Hill operates as a full-service gambling brand rather than a single product. Its range covers sports and racing betting, an online casino, bingo and poker, plus a network of betting shops in the United Kingdom. The exact products available depend entirely on the country a customer is in and the licences the brand holds there.

Sports markets and bet types

William Hill is best known for sports and horse racing betting. In its home market it lists around 30 sports, from football and tennis to darts, snooker and greyhound racing, alongside virtual and novelty markets. Football coverage is broad, spanning scores of leagues worldwide, and racing has traditionally been a core strength.

The brand supports the standard bet types a British-style bookmaker offers: single bets; accumulators, where several selections are combined into one bet and all must win; system and permutation bets; and racing wagers such as forecasts and tricasts, where you predict the finishing order of runners. If these terms are new to you, our guide to decimal odds explains how a price translates into a potential return.

In-play betting and live streaming

Like most large operators, William Hill offers in-play (live) betting, which lets customers wager on an event that is already under way, with odds that update as the action unfolds. Major fixtures tend to have the widest live markets, while smaller events usually offer fewer options. The brand also streams selected events to eligible, funded accounts, subject to broadcasting rights and the customer’s location. The availability of both features varies by market and device.

Casino, gaming and UK betting shops

Beyond betting, William Hill runs an online casino with slots and table games, along with bingo and poker, in markets where it is licensed to do so. Gaming machines in its betting shops have historically been an important source of revenue, particularly after the UK’s Gambling Act 2005 reshaped the rules. The retail estate has been shrinking: evoke announced in 2026 that it would permanently close around 200 of its roughly 1,300 UK shops, citing higher gambling taxes. In Great Britain the brand is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, and it became a founding member of the industry body the Betting and Gaming Council in 2019.

William Hill and New Zealand’s gambling laws

This is the part that matters most for Kiwi readers. William Hill is built around the British and selected European markets; it does not hold New Zealand authorisation, and the rules on who may offer gambling to New Zealanders online changed substantially in 2025 and 2026.

Since 28 June 2025, amendments to the Racing Industry Act 2020 have made clear that online sports and racing betting may be provided to people in New Zealand only by the country’s sole authorised operator, TAB NZ. In practice, this means offshore bookmakers — William Hill among them — are not permitted to take online sports or race bets from New Zealand residents. You can read more about whether online sports betting is legal in New Zealand and how New Zealand regulates offshore sportsbooks in our dedicated guides.

Online casino gambling is being brought into a licensing system of its own. Under the Online Casino Gambling Act, New Zealand will issue a limited number of licences — reported as 15, allocated by auction — and from 1 December 2026 offshore online casino operators will be prohibited from offering or advertising their services to New Zealanders unless they hold or have applied for a licence. Penalties for breaching the rules rise sharply under the new regime. For the wider picture, see our overview of betting in New Zealand.

Legal options for New Zealand players

Because offshore brands such as William Hill cannot lawfully take online bets from New Zealand, the only licensed route for online sports and racing betting is TAB NZ. TAB NZ offers both fixed-odds and tote (pool) betting, pays New Zealand gambling duties and problem-gambling levies, and operates under local consumer-protection and harm-minimisation rules. Using the authorised operator also means your funds and any disputes are covered by New Zealand law rather than a distant overseas regulator.

Whichever operator you look at, it helps to understand that no brand offers a long-term edge to the customer: the odds are always set to give the bookmaker a margin. Comparing prices, reading the terms attached to any promotion, and setting your own limits matter far more than the name above the door.

Mr Green, the casino brand in the same group, is covered in our Mr Green guide.

Responsible gambling and disclaimer

This page is published for general information only. It is not betting advice, and it does not encourage anyone to gamble or endorse William Hill or any other operator. Gambling involves real financial risk; no bet type, system or “tip” improves your long-term chance of winning, and the odds always favour the operator.

Anyone who chooses to bet in New Zealand must be 18 or over and should set firm money and time limits before starting. If gambling is causing harm to you or someone you know, free and confidential help is available 24/7 from the Gambling Helpline New Zealand on 0800 654 655. You can also use responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion to stay in control.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Who owns William Hill today?

The William Hill name is used by two different owners. The UK and international business, William Hill International, has been owned by evoke plc — formerly 888 Holdings — since 1 July 2022. The separate United States sportsbook is owned by Caesars Entertainment and trades as Caesars Sportsbook. In 2026 evoke was itself the target of a proposed takeover, so the corporate ownership can still change.

Can I legally bet with William Hill in New Zealand?

No. William Hill does not hold New Zealand authorisation. Since June 2025, online sports and racing betting may be offered to people in New Zealand only by TAB NZ, and from December 2026 offshore online casinos must be licensed in New Zealand to operate or advertise here. Offshore operators such as William Hill fall outside what New Zealand law permits.

What is the legal way to bet online in New Zealand?

For online sports and racing betting, TAB NZ is the only licensed operator. It offers fixed-odds and tote betting under New Zealand law, with local consumer protections and harm-minimisation tools. A regulated online casino system, with a limited number of licensed operators, is being introduced from 2026.

Is William Hill in the United States the same company?

Not any longer. When Caesars Entertainment bought William Hill in 2021 it kept the US operation and sold the rest. The US business now trades as Caesars Sportsbook, while the William Hill brand elsewhere is run by evoke plc. They are separate companies that happen to share a heritage and a name.

What is William Hill best known for?

Historically, William Hill is best known for sports and horse racing betting and for its network of UK betting shops, alongside an online casino, bingo and poker in markets where it is licensed. It has also been a long-standing sponsor of sporting events and of a literary sports-writing award first run in 1989.