A Ladbrokes takeover has been at the center peculation this morning, following rumors of a potential £1.6 billion acquisition by rival Paddy Power. UK news source The Daily Mail had revealed the potential takeover bid by Paddy Power, which saw Ladbrokes share price jump 5% to 127p at time of this writing. The takeover speculation had witnessed +25 million Ladbrokes shares traded, as the operator may have become the target of a rival operator or a cash rich private equity firm. The speculation of a potential Ladbrokes takeover by Paddy Power may surprise many within the industry. In March 2015…

iGaming Business – A mystery investor has acquired a near 3% stake in Ladbrokes for £37.1 million (€44.2 million/$59 million), sparking fresh speculation of a possible takeover bid for the UK bookmaker. The UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper said that the investor is Playtech founder Teddy Sagi, who made the deal either through his own account or that of Playtech, in which he holds a 49% stake. Playtech already has a relationship with Ladbrokes, having been hired by the bookmaker to overhaul its poor performing digital business – something that has been highlighted as the main cause of four profits warnings…