[clevfan]

L&G's U.S. gaming to continue in private hands
Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:06 AM ET



LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S.-focused gambling operations of Britain's Leisure & Gaming are likely to be taken private and continue operating after online gambling is banned there, a source close to the company said on Wednesday.

Leisure & Gaming said on Tuesday it would block U.S. gamblers from its sites, and was in preliminary talks to sell its U.S. operations.

"All the American facing business is likely to carry on under private ownership, and the impact on customers should be minimal," said the source. "The management is expected to be unchanged."

The source added that online gambling had become impossible for publicly-listed companies like Leisure & Gaming.