CMA publishes issues statement in Ladbrokes/Coral merger 

The UK’s primary competition and consumer authority, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has issued a press release to make publish the issues statement as part of its investigation into the anticipated merger between Ladbrokes and certain businesses of Coral.

The merger was referred for an in-depth phase 2 investigation on 11 January 2016.

Ladbrokes and Coral supply betting and gaming products in their extensive network of stores, as well as online, by telephone and at certain racecourses. Ladbrokes and Coral also operate 2 greyhound tracks each in the UK.

The independent inquiry group of Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) panel members must decide whether the merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the UK. The deadline for the inquiry group to report is 24 June 2016.

The issues statement identifies the key questions that the inquiry is examining and also sets out areas the CMA panel members do not currently propose to investigate in more detail. The CMA welcomes submissions by interested third parties on the questions set out in the issues statement as well as any other potential issues relating to the potential competitive impact of the merger on competition. The issues statement does not imply that the inquiry group has, at this stage, identified any competition concerns. It is available on the case page along with all other published information relating to the inquiry.

CMA informs that Anyone wishing to respond to the issues statement should do so in writing, by no later than 5pm on 18 February 2016.

Source: GOV.UK – CMA publishes issues statement in Ladbrokes/Coral merger

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