Some providers are almost as old as the commercial internet itself. 888 is one of them, because the 888casino is among the very first online casinos. In our series, this time it is the turn of the group that is now called Evoke and is currently changing owners.
One of the first online casinos in the world
The roots of 888 go back to 1997, when two pairs of Israeli brothers launched one of the first online casinos under the name Casino-on-Net. In 2002 a poker offering was added, in 2003 the company moved to Gibraltar, and in 2005 it floated on the London Stock Exchange as 888 Holdings. Casino-on-Net became the 888casino, and the poker offering became 888poker. To this day, the group develops some of its games in its own studio and offers exclusive titles that are not available at other providers.
888 becomes the Evoke group
In 2022, 888 took over the international business of the traditional British bookmaker William Hill and thus, overnight, also became a provider with around 1,400 betting shops in the United Kingdom. In 2024, the parent company renamed itself Evoke plc, while the customer brands 888casino, 888poker, William Hill and Mr Green kept their names. In early June 2026, the company agreed to a takeover by the Bally’s Intralot group. The brands will be continued under the new owner.
Gibraltar and Malta: where 888 is licensed
The group has its registered office in Gibraltar and operates its casino and poker offerings, among other things, with a Maltese licence. None of these brands holds a licence under the Austrian Gambling Act. This puts 888 in the same category as most international providers that serve Austria without a domestic permit.
What casino and poker losses at 888 mean
Precisely because 888casino and 888poker have been on the market for so long, many player accounts go back a long way, and that is an advantage here. For casino and poker, a licence is required in Austria, which none of the 888 brands holds. A gaming contract without a licence is void according to the case law of the Austrian Supreme Court (OGH), and losses can be reclaimed retroactively for up to thirty years, depending on the case. Pure sports betting via 888sport or William Hill is assessed separately.
How we assess an 888 case
The registered office in Gibraltar makes proceedings more involved than with a pure EU company, but it is not a fundamental obstacle. The prospects of a specific case depend on the amount of the loss and on enforceability in the individual case. We explain the background to this in the article Why some online casinos are practically impossible to sue. We assess your losses at 888casino or 888poker free of charge. You can read more about this on the page Online casino and gambling.
How we proceed
The assessment of your case is free of charge. The proceedings against the provider are conducted by cooperating lawyers at our cost, and there is no upfront payment for lawyers for you. In the event of success, R. M. Prozessfinanzierung GmbH retains from 35 percent of the amount obtained, and the remaining amount is paid out to you. A condition for working together is that you stop playing with these providers. You can read more about this on the page Online casino and gambling.
Player protection and help
If you feel that you no longer have your own gambling behaviour under control, you will find anonymous advice and concrete points of contact among the support services of the Federal Ministry of Finance. This help is independent of any reclaim.
Note
The information on companies, brands and figures in this article comes from publicly accessible internet research. We accept no liability for its accuracy and completeness.
Sources
- Evoke plc (formerly 888 Holdings plc), company and brand details, evokeplc.com
- Malta Gaming Authority, licence register
- UK Gambling Commission, public information on the licensing of gambling providers