888 UK Limited (888 group)

888 UK Limited, or 888 Group, is an online gambling company famous in the UK. The company is one of the long-standing gaming companies, as it was founded in 1997. It is established in Israel and is fully licensed and under the regulations of the Government of Gillette. It is based at 601-701 Europort, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA.

The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2005 and it is a leading company is a leading iGaming operator with dozens of online casino brands globally, and it is currently one of the largest gaming operators in the United Kingdom. A public limited company owns, develops and successfully runs many online gaming, bingo, casino and gambling-related websites and brands. The operation's four significant sites are the 888 Casino, 888 Poker, 888 Sport and 777 Casino. 

HISTORY OF 888 UK LIMITED

888 Holdings has a rich history in the online gambling industry. It was founded in 1997 by Israeli entrepreneurs Avi and Aaron Shaked and Shay and Ron Ben-Yitzha. The company started as Virtual Holdings Limited and launched its first website, Casino-on-Net. Antigua was its initial administrative centre.

The company witnessed steady growth in the early 2000s. In 2002, it expanded its website by making Reef Club Casino and Pacific Poker available, and by 2003, Gibraltar became its new operational base. In preparation for the potential of public markets, 888 was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2005. This coincided with consolidating its brands under the now-familiar “888.com” umbrella.

The company faced a setback in the US market in 2006 when online gambling regulations changed. It exited the Pacific Poker operations but continued to make strategic acquisitions. An example of the acquisition is the 2007 purchase of Globalcom Limited's bingo business. This diversification proved successful, with the bingo segment contributing significantly to the revenue stream.

888.com made waves in the online poker world as well. By 2012, It had become the 4th largest poker network and tripled its player base in under two years. The company's success attracted takeover interest. In 2015, William Hill engaged in “advanced talks” for a potential acquisition. 

Operating under a license from Gibraltar, 888 Holdings has always prioritised responsible gaming practices. The company offers real money and educational gaming experiences across various platforms. Notably, it declined a lucrative acquisition offer in 2014. This demonstrates its confidence in having an independent growth strategy. This strategy paid off. It has mobile users driving a significant revenue increase and reaching a user base of 17.8 million paying customers as of 2014.

Brexit uncertainties made 888 Holdings secure a gaming license in Malta in 2018. The company experienced a personal tragedy in 2020 with the passing of one of its founders, Shay Ben-Yitzhak. On 3 March 2021, 888 Holdings appointed Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn as Chairman.

In 2022, the company experienced a series of exciting developments. 888 Holdings completed the acquisition of William Hill for £1.95 billion.  This marks its entry into the retail sports betting market with over 1,400 betting shops in the UK. It also launched the Sports Illustrated Sportsbook in the US, building on this success in Colorado. It has underway plans for further expansion. 

In May 2022, the company launched the Sports Illustrated Sportbook (SI Sportsbook) in Virginia. This follows the launch of the same SI sportsbook in Colorado earlier in September 2021. 

Moving ahead, the gambling company is embracing a new chapter. In March 2024, it announced a proposed name change to “evoke plc.” This move reflects its multi-brand strategy and commitment to delivering exceptional online gaming experiences. With shareholder approval, this rebranding will mark a new era for the company.

888 Holdings has now streamlined its offers regarding the specific player requirements, simply divided and named 888 Poker, 888 Sports and 888 Casino. It also has many bespoke bingo sites with unique designs, games and names.

As expected for such a large and time-served operator, 888 Holdings has plenty on offer for players' tastes and requirements; these include a simply massive sportsbook, table casino games, including live dealer games (powered by Evolution Gaming), 90 ball, bingo, 75 ball bingo and games by design such as Rainbow Riches bingo as well as a massive selection of side games and scratch cards.

888 UK Group Brands (Sister sites)

888 Casino

The 888 group started with 888 Casino, and we are correct in saying that the casino brand evolves as the company grows. With over 25 million players globally, it has stood the test of time and become one of the top casino platforms in the United Kingdom. It has everything casino-based-  online slots, tabletop games, live dealer games, and even “888 exclusive” games. These are games developed by the world’s best providers. It has lots of bonuses and a unique loyalty program for its customers. It offers free or demo gameplay for many of its games. However, unlike many UK casinos, it does not offer bingo, poker, or sports betting. However, the company specifically develop other platforms for them.  The casino site has bagged several awards, including the EGR Award for Best Online Casino of the Year in 2013, Digital Operator of the Year Award for 2014 by Global Gaming Awards and Casino Operator of the Year 2015 from Gaming Intelligence.

888 Poker 

Following the s of most 888 group iGaming portfolio to Broadway Gaming Limited, the 888 Bingo was left out of the group and left a big hole in the operator’s portfolio. But the Poker survived it. Since the company now concentrates on casino, poker and sports, the 888 Poker has undergone a severe overhaul, giving it an edge in the competitive gaming market. It has a comparably better welcome bonus without a deposit. It has been around since 2002 and has, over the year, gained customer’s confidence. 

The website has introduced webcam games, which allow players to opt in and out of visual play. It has rapid card variants like Snap Poker and 3D tables. Also, thanks to its slick and beautiful graphics. Another unique addition to the site is the forum for vocal players willing to chat and debate with other gamers. 

Though we must acknowledge that the site lacks features like Party Poker, PokerStars and Sky Poker, that’s not a dealbreaker if you already have several years of experience. You’re looking to play for big money against players of a similar skill level. 

888 Sport

It was launched in 2008. This is an 888 platform purely dedicated to sports betting brands. It involves horse track betting and sports betting. Casino covers major leagues in Europe, North America, and some other top leagues. It covers live bettings along with traditional pre-game bets. The brand is one of the best-known sports bets in the UK. Maybe this is mainly due to the sponsors of many gaming events. Its commercials are also top-notch across the UK. It showcases almost all the legitimate globally and has an intuitive design, making it easy for bettors to navigate.  

777 Casino

This casino website has a gorgeous “American road trip” theme. However, the casino name might be an obvious play on 888 Casino because it appears to have fewer numbers than the 888 Casino. However, the 777 casinos might be a better sister site for some casino players. It has unique offers and fine choices of games. It stands out from the 888 Group network. 

Casino has a good range of slots, table games, live dealer options, and other attractions at 777 Casino, which can compete with anything else. It has a VIP reward system for loyal players. The site is purely dedicated to casinos, as there is no sports betting, bingo or poker at 777 Casino.

Bonuses and Promotions on 888 UK limited. 

The company offers one of the best welcome bonuses and promotions across its brands. With its extensive portfolio of casinos, poker, and sports, it has used huge bonus offers to draw the attention of bettors. Some of its significant bonuses are promotional offers are; 

Free credit on 888casino for new customers must be claimed within 48 hours. The credit is available for 14 days.  There is also a 100% matched deposit in the casino. This double deposit is for every customer. Also, there are free bets redeemed in 888sports when customers place bets. 

It is equally essential that the company offers 88 no-deposit bonuses across its platforms. This means players can win games such as table games and other slots before making a deposit. The platform will give players a bonus of 88, which can be used to play table games, video games, poker games, and other slots. Players need not make any deposit to qualify for this bonus, as it is included in the 888 Hot Promotions. Beyond the No Deposit arrangement, players can win through the FAB Bonus Spins, BIG Bonuses, and  Fantastic Freeplay.

VIP and Loyalty Programmes at 888 UK Limited

The company has loyalty rewards and VIP programmes for all customers. With consistent wagers and keeping to the platform rules, players can quickly become VIPs for the company brands. Bets on favourite selected games earn loyalty or Comp Points. These points can be accumulated and redeemed for cash. There is a promotion to VIP member after being a consistently loyal player.  Customers can get further promotions to be VIP Platinum Members. There is no hard rule to moving the ladder. All it takes is consistent game-playing and sticking to the platform's rules. The reward comes with having access to regular bonuses, weekly rewards and extra spins. 

Games  Software Developers

All-in-One Mobile App

Irrespective of the company’s brand, there are integrated mobile applications. This is to ensure a smooth customer experience. It works perfectly on both Android and iOS smart devices. Customers can easily download it from either Playstore or Apple Store. The app is user-friendly, even on a smaller screen. It works perfectly as it is on-site. The app is one of the top betting apps in the UK. 

Payment Options 

One of the core determinants for a betting company to prosper is for customers to have a smooth withdrawing and depositing experience.  888 ensures that any customer can safely deposit/withdraw money and place bets within its betting sites without any complicated process. 

The company ensures that most payment methods are available to customers to deposit and withdraw money. Customers can deposit as low as £5/$5/€5 with debit/credit cards and PayPal. Other payment options are available to transfer money into an 888 account, and credit will be instant. However, the company has a relatively delayed payment when requesting a withdrawal. 

The Safety of 888 UK Limited 

 The UK Gambling Commission and Gibraltar Gambling Commission permitted 888 Limited to operate legally. This diminishes any doubts anyone should have regarding the question ‘is 888 a legit company?”

The company uses 128-bit encryption to protect all customer information and data. Furthermore, the website is periodically tried and tested with tools like McAfee software. This helps to identify and remove any potential viruses or malware

.The gambling company also has a Social Responsibility Programme for customers that adhere to its procedures. These include maintaining self-limits and self-exclusion. Besides that, the company also maintain standard procedures by following the best gambling practices. It requires proof to verify the customer’s age. This ensures that everyone who bets on the site is above 18. It also promotes organisations like GamCare and Gamblers Anonymous. These are organisations that encourage responsible gambling. 

Customer Support

The company has effortless access to any customer-facing issue. It offers an aseven-day-a-weekk telephone service between 8 am and 12 am. Customers speak directly to customer services. It also has an email address for personalised and in-depth messages ([email protected]). There is also live chat for customers who want to solve their problems in real-time. 

The company has active social media handles. This allows customers to engage with them on either Twitter or Facebook. 

FAQs

CONCLUSION

The 888 UK Limited is a giant gambling company in the UK and has even reestablished its market in the USA. However, it is not thriving without its challenges. 2022 was not such a good year for 888 Group. The UK Gambling Commission fined its casino network after being found guilty of several serious breaches of its licencing conditions. It was fined a sum up to £9.4m. This is the second time 888 UK Limited has found itself on the wrong end of regulatory action from the UKGC. The company was also fined in 2017  for failing to protect vulnerable customers. 

Despite this, the company remains one of the top in the UK. It has a more extensive customer base and competes to offer customers the best. Its major casino brands have won multiple awards, and the sports is also not doing badly. 
Though the company is still widely known as 888 UK Limited, it must be mentioned that it has officially rebranded to Evoke plc. The renaming was subject to shareholder approval, which was gained on the 13th of May, 2024, at the company’s AGM.