By Padraic Halpin
DUBLIN, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Flutter said on Friday it is seeing no sign of cash-strapped customers betting less and gave another positive update on its rapidly growing U.S. business, sending its shares sharply higher following an expected dip in first-half earnings.
The Paddy Power, Betfair and Fanduel owner was the top gainer on the blue-chip FTSE 100 index, up 11% at 0830 GMT.
The world's largest
online betting firm said further U.S.
investment, tighter gambling regulations elsewhere and
Online Betting greater spending on initiatives to curb gambling
addiction accounted for a 20% fall in earnings to the end of June.
However, unlike Ladbrokes-owner Entain, which last month lowered its revenue forecast due to punters spending less money on gambling, Flutter said it is seeing no "discernible signs" of a slow down from a cost-of-living squeeze.