The FTSE-100 playing group which owns Ladbrokes has employed bankers to arrange a sale of PartyPoker because it seeks to fend off activist traders by reinvigorating its core operations.

Sky News has learnt that Entain is working with advisers from Oakvale Capital on a potential sale of the net poker enterprise.

Industry sources who’ve been contacted concerning the sale stated on Tuesday that they anticipated it to fetch round £150m.

Its valuation represents an enormous lower on the £5bn that PartyGaming, PartyPoker’s then dad or mum, was price on the day of its London flotation in 2005.

The enterprise, which has seen a mass exodus of shoppers lately, is non-core to Entain’s enterprise.

As effectively as Ladbrokes, Entain owns Coral and a stake in BetMGM, a significant US betting participant.

Entain has endured a torrid interval as activists have constructed an more and more distinguished place on its share register.

The firm has seen its shares droop by greater than 40% over the past 12 months amid a deluge of regulatory issues.

It is presently being run by interim chief government Stella David, having parted firm with Jette Nygaard-Andersen late final 12 months.

Shares in Entain have been buying and selling at round 739p on Tuesday morning, giving the corporate a market capitalisation of simply over £4.5bn.

Entain and Oakvale each declined to remark.