In its trading update published 16 November for the 10 months to 31 October 2006, the Chief Executive of Ladbrokes plc, Christopher Bell, commented that the company “continues to focus upon international expansion and growing its eGaming business, while continuing to prepare itself for future opportunities in UK and Irish shop estates.” In October the company submitted a tender to operate betting centres in Italy and is watching closely the new Spanish legislation. Recently Ladbrokes added 14 betting shops in Eire and 16 shops in Northern Ireland.

Now Ladbrokes is reportedly in talks with the biggest racecourse operator in Britain, Arena Leisure, over a casino venture at the Wolverhampton racetrack. In September Arena outlined plans for Britain’s first racino in a £20 million (US$39.9 million) development and has now revealed that it wants to build one of the new casinos to be licensed under the Gambling Act 2005. The casino would be constructed between the racetrack – the country’s first floodlit course – and an existing restaurant.

It is thought that Ladbrokes is the frontrunner as a future operator of the racino although other companies have expressed an interest. Arena is aiming to expand from racecourse ownership into a wider leisure-based company. It is already in a joint venture with BSkyB to provide a dedicated freely available racing channel. More recently the company withdrew from a racing consortium bidding for the Tote. (E-12.12.06)

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