12-12-2007 Blue Square to pursue growth outside the UK

While parent company Rank decided not to pay a final dividend for 2007 as the performance of its Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos operations continues to deteriorate, Blue Square reported a 34% increase in like-for-like revenues during the first 49 weeks of the year.

The online betting and gaming site has also made further progress with its strategy of pursuing growth outside the UK with a non-exclusive agreement with 888 Holdings to offer Blue Square's sports betting products to 888 customers from 2008. Separately, Blue Square developed an online bingo business for the Spanish gaming market, which will be launched in the first quarter of 2008.