CMA consults on Ladbrokes/Coral merger undertakings
The CMA is consulting on undertakings from Ladbrokes and Coral to remedy competition concerns arising from their proposed merger.
In July 2015, Ladbrokes plc (Ladbrokes) agreed to merge with certain businesses of Gala Coral Group Ltd (Coral). The merger was referred for an in-depth investigation on 11 January 2016.
On 26 July 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that Ladbrokes and Coral must sell around 350 to 400 licensed betting offices (LBOs) in order to obtain clearance of their merger and preserve competition in 642 local markets where the companies’ betting products overlap.
Ladbrokes and Coral have offered undertakings to sell the required number of LBOs to a suitable buyer to be approved by the CMA. The CMA now invites written comments from interested parties.
Anyone wishing to respond to the CMA consultation should do so in writing, by no later than 5 pm on 26 September 2016 to ladbrokes.coral@cma.gsi.gov.uk or write to:
Remedies Manager
Ladbrokes and Coral Merger Inquiry
Competition and Markets Authority
Victoria House
Southampton Row
London
WC1B 4AD
The notice of proposal to accept final undertakings and all other information relating to this investigation can be found on the case page.