Former Entain execs take Gambling Commission to court over failed 888 bid
Former Entain executives are suing the Gambling Commission, alleging unlawful disclosure of information led to the collapse of their 888 bid.Summary
Former CEO Kenny Alexander and Chairman Lee Feldman of Entain, the parent company of Coral and Ladbrokes, are taking the Gambling Commission to court. They filed a civil case in October 2024, claiming the regulator unlawfully disclosed private information about them, which ultimately caused their leadership bid for 888 to fail in 2023. The dispute stems from a license review initiated by the Commission following the bid by FS Gaming Investments, coinciding with a criminal investigation by HMRC and the CPS into Entain’s Turkish business. Entain previously settled this investigation with a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) involving £585m in penalties. Alexander and Feldman argue the disclosure caused them financial and reputational damage. The High Court case began on Tuesday and is expected to conclude on Friday, operating under a partial restrictive reporting order to avoid prejudicing future criminal proceedings. The Gambling Commission stated it is defending the case but will not comment further on ongoing legal matters. The executives also have a separate lawsuit against Entain and law firm Addleshaw Goddard.
(Source：City A.m.)