| Synopsis: |
Sportech plc is the largest football pools operator in the UK, with a market share of around 75 per cent, split between its Littlewoods (70 per cent) and Zetters (5 per cent) brands. Vernons, part of Ladbrokes plc, accounts for almost all the remaining share of UK football pools sales. Brittens Pools Ltd is the only other UK-wide pools operator, and has less than one per cent share of supply by turnover. In 2006, more than 800,000 people played the football pools in the UK, together spending almost GBP 80 million. The Competition Commission's report finds that the proposed acquisition of Vernons Pools by Sportech will not give rise to any substantial lessening of competition in the UK football pools market. |