Supplier News

UK – William Hill opens technological ‘centre of excellence’

By Phil - 26 November 2013

William Hill has launched a major new technological ‘centre of excellence’ in Shoreditch.

Britain’s biggest bookmaker has opened a 6,000 sq. ft. office in the heart of Britain’s ‘technology development’ community in east London – Scrutton Street, EC2A.

It will initially house 40 staff and complement William Hill’s international online operations in Leeds, London, Gibraltar, Tel Aviv, Sydney and Las Vegas. The hub will have an emphasis on innovation and developing its growing offering of mobile products.

This exciting development marks William Hill as the first FTSE 100 company to move into the ‘Silicon Roundabout’ area.

“We see this as a hugely significant step in the history of William Hill and, indeed, our industry,” said Andrew Lee, Managing Director, William Hill Online. “We plan to tap into Shoreditch’s eco-system of development talent – we are a very strong and successful brand and we have done this by evolving throughout our history.

“Our goal is to provide a unique and exciting experience for our customers through digital innovation and differentiation – being in Shoreditch, at the heart of Europe’s technical expertise, will help us achieve that.”

Mobile betting is growing fast; in June 2013, William’s Hill’s iOS app reached 1m downloads just over a year after launch. By November that figure has increased to 1.3m and rising.

With mobile development evolving at a lightning pace, William Hill is embarking on a major recruitment drive to acquire outstanding digital expertise, including high calibre mobile tech developers.

“We are the first gaming company to move into Shoreditch, because it is clear the very best talent in Europe is based here – it lives and breathes innovation,” added Andrew Lee. “Mobile technology is moving rapidly – the frequency is quicker, the scope broader – so being in Shoreditch gives us the best possible chance to anticipate and prepare for future developments, by hiring the brightest minds in the country.”