Shares in Paddy Power-Betfair jumped by over 3% on the back of reports linking the Dublin-based betting and gaming services group with Australian online betting firm CrownBet, writes Geoff Percival.

A surge in punters betting online and via mobile phone gambling apps helped William Hill to a better-than-expected half-year profits rise.

Exciting French recruit Mail De Bievre is set to be supplemented for the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham next month, trainer Tom George confirmed.

Betdaq, the Dublin-based betting exchange company established nearly 13 years ago by Dermot Desmond, looks set to be taken over by British bookmaker Ladbrokes in the coming weeks.

Markets were mixed worldwide as negotiations to avert the US fiscal cliff continued.

Gaming firm Sportingbet today said wagers on sport events had taken a dive in its first quarter as the number of fixtures declined.

Bookmaker William Hill said the Olympics and Paralympics saw punters stay away from its betting shops in August.

The Iseq Index began the week marginally ahead as concerns across Europe over economic growth outlook and Spain’s debt problems were temporarily set aside.

The London market started the fourth quarter strongly today as positive economic data from the US and renewed optimism over Spain’s banks boosted investor confidence.

Online gambling firm Sportingbet has snubbed a £350m takeover proposal from Britain’s biggest bookmaker William Hill, it was reported today.

A good run of results at the Cheltenham racing festival and the popularity of gambling machines helped Ladbrokes toast a rise in profits today.

Sportingbet has sold its Turkish website for £125m (€142.6m) to rival online gamer GVC.

A surge in revenues from gaming machines today helped betting firm Ladbrokes offset the impact of the UK's August riots and unfavourable horse racing results.

UK betting giant Ladbrokes today spurned a second major takeover opportunity after walking away from a bid for rival Sportingbet.

Sportingbet increased annual underlying profits by 11% to £51.4m (€59.56m) despite lower revenues, it was announced today.

Online bookmaker Sportingbet said today that talks with Ladbrokes about a possible takeover were continuing.

FIRST-HALF operating profit at Ladbrokes’ Irish operations fell by 33.3%, on a year-on-year basis, to £3.8 million (€4.4m) as well-backed Irish horses cleaned up at high-profile meets like Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, the company said yesterday.

Commodity and banking stocks briefly pushed the FTSE 100 Index past the 5900 mark today before it slipped back again.

The FTSE 100 Index returned above the 5900 barrier today as the London market overcame the impact of the UK's big freeze on travel and retail stocks.

The country's largest business campus has created 406 new jobs this year.

The London market bounced back from earlier losses today triggered by concerns surrounding the sovereign debt crisis in Ireland.

The London market struggled to find direction today as sentiment was weighed down by ongoing fears of a bail out for Ireland’s troubled economy.

Supermarket Sainsbury’s was a prominent casualty today as the FTSE 100 Index failed to maintain the momentum after two winning sessions.

PADDY Power has further extended its new foothold in the Australian betting market on the back of its new subsidiary there – Sportsbet – agreeing to acquire local online betting company International All Sports (IAS).

The FTSE 100 Index shed more than 2% today as positive news for the UK economy was overshadowed by gloom on Wall Street.

The FTSE 100 Index shed more than 2% today as banks and heavyweight stocks including Vodafone dragged the top tier into the red.

The London market slipped back into the red today as optimism over bank bail-outs gave way to recession fears.

Eager punters are still parting with their cash despite financial turmoil and recession fears, online gaming site Sportingbet said today.

Sizing Europe continues to please trainer Henry De Bromhead as the countdown to his bid for Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle glory gathers pace.

JAZZ Messenger will head straight to Cheltenham for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle after pleasing Noel Meade when second at Gowran on Saturday.

Muirhead, ante-post favourite with a number of firms for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, will arrive at Prestbury Park without the benefit of a prep run.

Online gaming group Sportingbet offset the loss of its US-facing business today by revealing strong growth at its European sports betting arm.

Online gaming group Sportingbet offset the loss of its US-facing business today by revealing strong growth at its European sports betting arm.

Online gaming firm Sportingbet today sought to allay fears that an outbreak of horse flu in Australia would hit betting revenues.

The London market kept hold of gains from its previous session today as investors appeared determined to recoup recent falls.

Two of the UK’s best-known football pools businesses – Littlewoods and Vernons – could be about to join forces.

A massive £36.2bn (€54bn) was wiped off the FTSE 100 Index today after the London market was hit by its biggest fall since May last year.

FT publisher Pearson today slid from last week's four-and-a-half-year shares high, despite confirming the business was in line for record profits for the year.

Shares in British Airways took a hit today, amid fears that planned strike action by cabin crew staff could cost the firm as much as £100 million.

Paradise Poker firm Sportingbet today revealed first-quarter losses of £241.4m (€357.6m) after selling its US business for $1.

Online gambling firm Sportingbet today said it will take a £210m (€313m) hit this year following its withdrawal from the US market in the wake of the crackdown on internet gaming.

World Gaming today said it had gone into administration as it became the casualty of the US crackdown on online gambling.

Online gambling firm Sportingbet has announced it has sold its US operations after Congress passed a law banning internet cash gaming.

Shares in online casino World Gaming were suspended today as the fall-out from new anti-gambling legislation in the United States continued.

Consolidation of the online gaming industry kicked off today when internet casino ukbetting declared it was a takeover target.

Shares in beleaguered PartyGaming took a further battering today following a newspaper report which said it would have to negotiate a new loan facility with its banks within 30 days of anti-gaming legislation being approved.

Another miserable session for online gaming stocks took the shine off record profits at Tesco today as the London market dived into the red.

BOOKMAKER Paddy Power’s share price slumped as much as 2.5% during trading after the US legislators banned Internet gaming.

Internet gambling stocks dragged the London market into the red today in the wake of anti-gaming legislation passed in the US.