The newly merged Ladbrokes Coral is being forced to divest a portion of its betting shops – an estimated 350 to 400 – following a mandate from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. The reason? Concerns over excessive market dominance in specific regions (642 to be precise!). Speculation is rife regarding potential buyers for these shops. While Betfred was initially a contender, whispers suggest that BoyleSports may be positioning itself to acquire approximately 360 locations. Eager to broaden its UK footprint, BoyleSports views this as a golden opportunity. A bid submission deadline was apparently set, and BoyleSports appeared quite assured about presenting its offer. Stay tuned! The outcome of this situation and the eventual winner of this deal will be intriguing to observe.
BoyleSports ventures beyond its Irish and Northern Irish roots, aiming to acquire a selection of betting shops from bookmaking giants Ladbrokes and Coral.
“This presents a fantastic opportunity for us to broaden our reach into the UK market,” remarked Conor Gray, Chief Executive Officer of BoyleSports. “While still in the preliminary stages, we are enthusiastic about the potential this holds.”
Details regarding the specific number of shops encompassed by this prospective acquisition remain undisclosed.