Evoke Vote Clears Major Hurdle for Bally’s Intralot Takeover

Evoke shareholders have backed Bally’s Intralot’s £243m acquisition by an overwhelming margin. The deal now moves deeper into the regulatory and court approval process.

The vote removes one of the main conditions attached to the transaction agreed in June. Evoke is being acquired through a scheme of arrangement under Gibraltar law rather than a conventional purchase of shares from individual investors.

Shareholders Give the Scheme a Decisive Mandate

Support at the August 17 Court Meeting was close to unanimous. Thirty of the 31 scheme shareholders who took part backed the proposal. They represented 268.2 million shares, or 99.91% of the shares voted. Only 236,504 shares were cast against the scheme.

A separate General Meeting produced a similar result. The special resolution required to implement the transaction and amend evoke’s articles passed with 99.63% support among votes cast.

The acquisition values evoke’s ordinary share capital at about £243.1 million. Bally’s Intralot agreed the transaction in June after months of talks with the William Hill and 888 owner.

Regulators and the Court Come Next

Shareholder approval does not complete the takeover. Evoke said the August 17 votes have satisfied two conditions set out in the scheme document. Several antitrust and regulatory requirements have also been cleared, although other approvals remain outstanding.

Once those conditions are dealt with, the scheme must return to the Gibraltar court for sanction. That hearing is still expected in either the fourth quarter of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027. If the court approves the arrangement, the transaction is expected to become effective during the same period.

The Clock Is Still Running

Evoke still has little room for a long delay. Its debt position was already a concern before the takeover was agreed, and the company has warned about the consequences if the transaction fails to complete. That makes the timetable unusually important.

Shareholders have produced the desired outcome for Bally’s Intralot. The tough job lies elsewhere. There is still work for regulators to finish. The Gibraltar court, meanwhile, will have the last word on the plan.