When online betting in the newly liberalished American market is the gambling sector’s hottest ticket, it is perhaps unsurprising that investors have been underwhelmed by 888’s acquisition of William Hill’s non-US business — shops and all. The shares have fallen steadily since hitting a record high in September, taking total losses for the FTSE 250 constituent to almost a fifth in the past three weeks.
In his half-year statement on September 1, Itai Pazner, the chief executive, warned that revenue growth had slowed in the summer as the group’s online business faced the impact of retail and leisure venues reopening internationally. He added: “For the remainder of the year, the board remains mindful of the tougher comparables in the fourth quarter, a period that enjoyed
