Probably before the end of October 2010, Betfair exchange will list its shares on the London Stock Exchange. The Betfair group is valued at £1.5bn. Founders Edward Wray and Andrew Black plus twelve other investors hold around 75% of the company.

The long-awaited move is intended to help Betfair expand internationally, with Europe and Australia being key growth markets, and also in the US, India and China.

Edward Wray, chairman of Betfair, released a statement on what he called a “a landmark” in Betfair’s history: “Becoming a publicly listed company will provide Betfair with the heightened profile and enhanced transparency that will help us cement our long-term relationships with customers, regulators and business partners around the world.”

At the moment "the world's biggest betting community," as Betfair calls itself, unites more than 3 million registered customers.