Gamblog.co.uk - Gambling & Casino Blog

"UK bookmaker and betting shop giant William Hill Plc the U.K.'s second largest bookmaker, may buy Stanley Leisure Plc's highstreet betting shops for more than 500 million pounds (945 million dollars) as it seeks to supplant Ladbrokes as the country's industry leader.

Shares of Stanley Leisure the biggest U.K. casino operator, rose as much as 14 percent to a record after London-based William Hill said in a statement it's in talks to buy about 600 outlets in the U.K. and Ireland to create a chain of about 2,200 bookmakers. Ladbrokes runs about 1,900 betting shops in the U.K.