Ladbrokes-Gala Coral Deal Clearance May Depend Upon Shop Sales Ladbrokes-Gala Coral deal clearance might depend upon store sales Bookmakers Ladbrokes and Gala Coral might need to shed numerous stores if their proposed merger is to go ahead, the competitors watchdog has said. The Competition and Markets Authority said a merger of the UK's 2nd and 3rd largest bookies may limit competitors on the High Street. About 350 to 400 shops may need to be sold "for the merger to be conditionally cleared", the CMA said. The CMA has provided till 13 June for reactions to its provisionary findings. Ladbrokes runs 2,154 wagering stores in Great Britain and 77 in Northern Ireland, while Gala Coral runs about 1,850 betting stores in Great Britain. The combined group would make it larger than present market leader William Hill. Martin Cave, who is chairing the CMA's query, stated: "We have actually provisionally discovered that the merger between two of the biggest bookmakers in the country might be anticipated to lower competition and choice for clients in a a great deal of local areas. "Although online betting has grown significantly over the last few years, the proof we have actually seen validates that a big number of clients still pick to wager in shops - and lots of would continue to do so after the merger. "For these consumers, competitors originates from the option of stores in their city and it's they who could lose out from any reduction of competition and choice." The CMA said it was aiming to publish its final report by the end of July. Ladbrokes stated: "This is a significant step and our focus now will be on concurring the shop disposals to satisfy the CMA." Ladbrokes shares had actually jumped 6.5% by the close of trade on Friday.