Flutter Entertainment and The Stars Group have announced a £10 billion all-share combination that will create the world’s largest online gaming and sports betting group by revenue, earlier this month. According to the analysts, Flutter Entertainment could be forced to sell its brands, including its flagship one Paddy Power, in order to get competition authorities’ blessing to complete the merger.

According to indie financial services firm Canaccord Genuity, Flutter, whose investors will hold a 55% stake in the combined entity, could be ordered to sell both retail and online brands in order to get approval from UK’s Competition and Markets Authority to complete the deal.

Canaccord Genuity analysts say that the most “logical decision” would be for Flutter to sell Paddy Power’s online and retail business, given the importance of The Stars Group’s presence in lucrative markets such the US sports betting market through its BetStars and Sky Bet brands.

Canaccord Genuity says that the sale of Paddy Power would certainly be an “emotionally difficult decision” as the combined group’s plan is to have its headquarters in Dublin where Paddy Power has been based since its inception in the late 1990s.

According to Morgan Stanley analysts, the combined entity’s online betting revenue will be 50% higher than rival bet365’s and about twice as large as that of GVC Holdings, the owner of Ladbrokes Coral and a plethora of other popular brands.

The combination of the two gambling giants is expected to close in the second half of 2020 pending regulatory approval.

Caesars Entertainment and Eldorado Resorts have announced that they will hold separate shareholder meetings on November 15 to vote on their proposed US$17.3 billion merger.

The meetings will see Caesars shareholders cast their vote at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from 9 am Pacific Time while Eldorado shareholders will converge on Eldorado Resort in Reno. At stake is one of the biggest corporate gaming industry deals in history, with Eldorado looking to acquire the entire outstanding share capital in Caesars by way of a US$7.2 billion cash payment, 77 million Eldorado common shares and the assumption of Caesars’ outstanding net debt.

If approved, Caesars will merge with Eldorado subsidiary Colt Merger Sub Inc and become a new wholly-owned Eldorado subsidiary existing under the Caesars name.

Bruno Le Maire, France’s finance minister, has revealed that the subscription period for Française des Jeux’s (FDJ) initial public offering (IPO) will run from November 7–20. The privatisation of FDJ, the leading operator in Europe, in being anticipated as one of the year’s main highlights.

Bruno Le Maire said that French people and investors will have the chance to subscribe to FDJ shares between November 7 and November 20. He added that the state will not fix a limit for the offering, and that retail investors will get one free share for every 10 shares purchased and a 2% discount on the offer price.

The French state currently holds 72% of FDJ, but after the privatisation, it will only have 20% of the company. Government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said that the ordinance ends the FDJ monopoly to replace it with a limited-term right, set at 25 years and renewable.

“I hope that this privatisation popularly succeeds with the widest participation possible,” Le Maire said. The minister added that the privatisation will allow the company to develop and reach its full potential.

As part of the privatisation, the French government unveiled the creation of the L’autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), which will replace L’autorité nationale de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL).