Ladbrokes coral acquisition by GVC Holdings clears CMA
News on 21 Mar 2018
News on 21 Mar 2018
GVC Holdings’ acquisition of the Ladbrokes Coral online and retail gambling group is on track for completion following the news this week that the UK Competition and Markets Authority has given the potentially GBP 4 billion deal its blessing.
The clearance follows a thorough investigation and consideration of the deal.
The CMA notes that GVC currently has an online only presence, that it is not a close rival of Ladbrokes Coral, and the online environment has many competitors. The merger therefore does not give rise to competition concerns.
“The CMA looked closely at betting services for individual sports and individual games but found that, in all cases, there will be enough rivals to the merged entity to prevent price increases or a reduced quality of service as a result of the merger,” the CMA reported.
