12/06/2006 LADBROKES GIVES FREE SHARES TO 12,000 EMPLOYEES

Ladbrokes plc is to offer free shares to all employees with over one year’s service to recognise the contribution of its staff to the company’s success. The share scheme called Freeshare will immediately apply to 85% of Ladbrokes’ 14,000 staff today, and will extend to any remaining staff as they complete one year’s service with the company.

All qualifying Ladbrokes employees in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Jerseyand Gibraltar working over 30 hours per week will receive £250 worth of free shares in Ladbrokes plc, with staff working 20-30 hours receiving £200 and those working under 20 hours getting £150 worth of shares. The shares are a gift to employees who in the UK simply need to make a telephone call or sign a form to take up the offer. Dividends on the free shares will be accumulated and used to buy more shares.

Ladbrokes is working to ensure that the maximum 12,000 employees with one year’s service all take up the offer by briefing staff and writing to each of them individually as well as producing a leaflet explaining Freeshare.

Christopher Bell Ladbrokes plc Chief Executive Officer commented:

“As soon as we became a PLC we began working on a scheme to recognise the contribution made by all our staff to the success of the company. We are delighted to announce that we are giving all staff with over a year’s service free shares in Ladbrokes plc.

This gift of shares not only recognises the contribution they’ve made it also gives them a stake in the future of their company. We already have a tremendously loyal staff and we hope this provides a further incentive to them to continue to offer the best levels of service in the industry.”

While UK employees can sell their shares after 3 years, the full tax benefits are felt after five years when all the shares can be sold tax-free

Ladbrokes plc employs 14,000 people in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Jersey and Gibraltar. The company is comprised of Ladbrokes, the world’s biggest bookmaker and operator of one of Europe’s leading telephone betting operations; Ladbrokes.com the leading betting and gaming website; Vernons, the football pools company and Ladbrokes Casinos which is opening the Ladbrokes Casino and Sports Bar in Paddington later this year.

For further information contact:

Alex Pagett
Corporate Affairs Director
+44 (0) 7974 229 888

Ciaran O’Brien
Head of Public Relations
+44 (0) 7976 180 173

Paul Bagstaff
Investor Relations Analyst
+44 (0) 7976 348 922