Casino News

Ladbrokes pull out of casino bid

2008-01-22 10:58:27

Ladbrokes, one of the UK's biggest bookmaking companies, has decided to abort plans to run 16 new casinos, it has been reported.

The large gaming locations are expected to be approved by the government in the coming weeks; however, Ladbrokes has said it is no longer interested in operating them, according to Reuters.

A number of big players in the casino trade are still in the running for the casino licenses, including Las Vegas Sands, Genting and Harrah's Entertainment.

The latter two have already shown interest in the UK gambling scene in recent months, with Genting purchasing Stanley Casinos and Harrah's making a bid for Rank, which has also been mentioned as a possible contender in the license battle.

Explaining the company's decision to pull out, a Ladbrokes spokesman said: "We have conducted a review of our casino strategy and have decided we won't bid for licenses."