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About Clucking Hell
Betfred has already shuttered 132 outlets this year, following last year’s RGD increase.
“We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them, but the combined impact of higher employer National Insurance contributions, wage inflation, increases in gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty has left us with no choice,” said Chief Executive Jo Whittaker in a statement to iGB at the time the closures were announced.
Evoke also closed 200 of its William Hill stores in April of this year for the same reason.
About Clucking Hell
Warren Buffett, arguably the most celebrated investor of the modern era, is stepping back. As the 96-year-old “Oracle of Omaha” transitions to chairman emeritus, his legendary career concludes just as Americans are gambling at record levels—a speculative culture he has spent decades criticizing.
After leading his financial conglomerate for more than six decades, Warren Buffett is stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman, effective immediately. Buffett has transitioned to the role of chairman emeritus and will remain on the company’s board of directors.
Greg Abel took over as CEO of the $1 trillion organization in early 2026. While Buffett continued to visit the office daily, he indicated he is now ready for a slower pace.
How to play Clucking Hell
Much of the onus for the increasing black market is put on increasingly restrictive policies enforced by regulators across the licensed sector.
Taking a deeper look at these restrictive driving black market activity, up to 46% of the markets covered in the report enforced “significant advertising restrictions” on the regulated market, including in Belgium, Bulgaria, Coratia, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain.
Additionally the report cited taxing consumers (in 29% of the 28 markets covered), and banned products (14%), were also propelling growth in illegal gambling. A lack of choice, due to monopolies in place in five markets has also driven the rise.
