William Hill is British bookmaker with an online casino and other gambling verticles. The company was founded in 1934 by Will Hill when he was in his early 30s. Gambling was illegal in Britain at the time. Will Hill passed away on 1971 and Sears Holdings bought the company the same year. Since 2002 it has been a publically traded company (LSE:WMH) it went through several sales, leveraged buyouts and attempted takeovers throughout the years.

Licenses include the Gambling Commision (UKGC), Gibraltar, Italy, and Spain. Responsible gambling initiatives include links to Gambleaware, GA, and Gambling Therapy. Dispute resolution is handled by the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), an accredited Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service. However, players must go through at least two customer service dispute processes to have their complaint heard by IBAS.

In 2008 the company purchased assets from Playtech and created William Hill Online, moving the online casino created in 1990 from Cryptologic to Playtech software. They then launched a new sportsbook using Orbis (OpenBet) software. In 2013 the company became the first European gaming operator to be granted a full gaming license in Nevada. The same year, they also bought back Playtech's 29% share.

Telephone, online, and in person betting shops employ over 16,000 people. It has been estimated that the bookmakers process more than a million bets each day through their 2300 betting offices in the UK.

In short, it is a very large company. While that may bode well for players who may be concerned about liquidity and a gambling provider's ability to pay out a bet - the sheer size may bring with it the pitfalls of bureaucracy and a less than person-oriented culture within the organization.

Some indicators of that could be the less than well-thought-through decision to let an Israeli subsidiary of Playtech run casino operations in 2009. The cPays group (Affiliates United) ran Joyland Casino, which went under before paying off about $2,000,000 remaining on a progressive jackpot win. Very few Playtech casinos will pay out a full progressive jackpot full win in a lump sum.

In early 2018 the company was fined £6.2 million by the Gambling Commission for failing to implement or exercise proper problem gambling and anti-money laundering (AML) practices. It may come down to a matter of taste and preference. Some people enjoy a sense of security when they gamble with major players such as the Hill or BetVictor - others may prefer to play at a smaller place where they know the entire support staff.

Software and Games

The site undeniably offers one of the biggest variety of games including fixed odds, numbers, bingo, scratch cards, live dealers, slots, progressive jackpots, poker, and the full gamut of table games. Providers include Microgaming, NetEnt, Nextgen and about two dozen other developers and suppliers. Some are widely known such as Quickspin, others like Reflex Gaming are best known online for the games they launch at Will Hill.

Games are available for instant play or clients can download the entire casino for PC desktop play.

The instance play website is laid out well with a lot of variety packed into an orderly and aesthetically pleasing space. For colorfully presented themed casinos try Vegas with its neon glow and 'Must Drop' jackpots or the Macau 'Jackpot Kingdom'. Both are available from the top of the website. Each offers bonuses and promotions specific to the niche.

The award-winning live dealer casino offers high-quality video and audio streams with nearly 70 different tables spreading about 10 different table games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, Casino Hold’em and Three Card Poker from the Evolution Gaming studios and about three dozen blackjack tables between two providers. Use the Playtech Multi-Game screen configuration to play baccarat, roulette, and blackjack at the same time - or bet on several tables dealing a single game with various table limits.

Bonuses and Promotions

Individual promotional bonus terms may apply and opt-in is required for most promotions. Always be sure to check terms and conditions prior to accepting a bonus. Wagering requirements, game restrictions, and other conditions may apply before cashing out. The site offers several deposit-and-play incentives.

Banking and Customer Service

Virtually all normally accepted deposit method is accepted with high maximum limits. Most withdrawals are processed in one working day with card payments taking 3-5 days. Oline banking transfers can take 5-10 days and have lower deposit limits.

A very detailed FAQ is offered which should answer most questions. Live Chat, email, and free telephone service is available internationally.

Pitfalls

Rarely, if ever, attend player advocate forums to solve complaints. Huge company that may not be as attentive to customer comfort as smaller operations.

The Final Word

While the operation may be a behemoth in the industry and therefore must always focus and refocus on a culture of customer service, it is also has a market cap of more than £2.75B so players never need to worry about the cashier cage running out of money. The game selection is also vast and varied with provenance from more than 25 developers and aggregators. The banking system is a finely tuned machine for players in regulated jurisdictions.

External Links

• Official Youtube
• Official Twitter
• Corporate Website
• IBAS Dispute Resolution