Shares in gaming group 888 Holdings surged today as investors reacted to the possibility of a £470m (€702.7m) takeover by high street bookie Ladbrokes.

The world’s largest online casino made its stock market debut today at a flotation price towards the lower end of expectations.

The world’s largest online casino today valued its flotation as high as £714m (€1.1bn), in the latest test of London City’s appetite for internet gaming stocks.

The world’s largest online casino unveiled plans today to float on the stock market and cash in on the flurry of investor interest in internet gaming.

The stock market’s appetite for online gambling looked set to be tested again after it was reported today that a major casino operator was planning a £700m (€1.03bn) flotation in the next week.