Tel A-Heave Ho: Fish Feeder, Rabbi, Hairdresser on Books at William Hill Tel Aviv Office
The turmoil continues at William Hill following a mass exodus of employees in its Affiliates United Tel Aviv-based online support centre last week. The company revealed on Monday that it had canned three of its managers based out of Israel.
The support centre is 79 percent owned by Hill and 21 percent owned by its software provider, Playtech.
Most of the close to 200 employees walked out following the resignation of Chief Marketing Officer Eyal Sanoff, said to be a close associate of Playtech head Teddy Sagi. Managers for the operation alerted staff that they would either be relocated to William Hill’s Gibraltar office or otherwise be let go. William Hill dispatched executives to Tel Aviv in an effort to calm the situation while denying such relocation rumors. Employees were also promised a one month guaranteed severance pay.
William Hill executives became suspicious of the Tel Aviv office after they were denied access to computer systems and ultimately locked out of the office.
The London Telegraph reported:
Ralph Topping, William Hill Chief Executive, became suspicious when the Tel Aviv office denied the bookie access to its computer systems. It hired former Israeli intelligence officers, also finding in the process that a rabbi, fish feeder and hairdresser were on the books – as well as payments for table-tennis coaching.
Mr Topping was set to return to the UK offices on Tuesday.
"I'm absolutely furious but cannot comment further,” he said of the apparent “rogue” operation.
Meanwhile, online gambling affiliates of William Hill were left wondering what would become of their revenue stream.
More bad news came for the company after an analyst recommended shareholders reduce their holdings in William Hill.
Analyst, Ivor Jones of Numis Securities issued the advisory as shares in the company dropped 5.3 percent or 12.7 pence closing at 228.8 pence in London
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
