Suitors gather for William Hill betting shops

Predators are circling the William Hill bookmaking business in the UK as the company is in the course of completing a deal with Caesars, which shows little interest in retaining the UK operation.

That means that 1,400 bookmakers’ shops and other operations outside of the US are up for grabs.

Over the weekend the financial press was speculating over the fate of those bookies’ shops. It is thought that they will be worth around £1.5bn and showing interest are CVC Partners and Apax Partners apparently. Also in the reckoning is Apollo Global Management.

Some of the William Hill business is of interest also to one of its UK high street competitors, Fred Done of Betfred, who also has a substantial shareholding in William Hill. Also in the frame is 888 Holdings.