Sept 2 (Reuters) - Online gambling company GVC Holdings Plc said it could go hostile in the 1-billion-pound ($1.5billion) battle for Bwin.party Digital Entertainment ifBwin's board recommends a lower offer from 888 Holdings Plc, the Times newspaper reported.
GVC's board is "not prepared to walk away" from Bwin, theTimes quoted GVC Chairman Lee Feldman as saying. (http://thetim.es/1hSLo2W)
"We don't see (going hostile) as necessary right now aswe're offering a higher price and have a better operating trackrecord. That said, we believe GVC should own this asset and wewouldn't exclude any strategy," Feldman told the Times.
888 Holdings stepped up the battle for Bwin on Tuesday bysubmitting a revised takeover proposal to fend off GVC.
Bwin, which has been up for sale since November, did notprovide details of 888's new proposal but said it would evaluateit alongside with GVC's.
Bwin, which like smaller rivals 888 and GVC, offers casino,poker, bingo and sports betting, accepted a 900 million-pound($1.4 billion) cash and share offer from 888 in July, preferringit to a higher but more complex offer from GVC.
GVC, owner of the Sportingbet brand, has since worked withBwin to iron out a number of concerns and has made an improvedoffer, valuing the company at around 1.06 billion pounds.
Reuters could not immediately reach GVC, Bwin and 888 forcomment outside regular business hours. ($1 = 0.6531 pounds) (Reporting by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by AnupamaDwivedi)
