Permira, a European private equity company, which advises 18 Permira funds, totaling about 11 billion Euro ($13.5 billion), is reportedly looking into purchasing a 30% stake in Gala, the UK's leading bingo company. Gala Bingo offers bingo in bingo clubs throughout the UK, serving over 5 million members. In addition, Gala offers online bingo.

Gala had been preparing for a float following the successful IPOs of several online gambling companies, but Gala owners Cinven and Candover may choose to keep the bingo company private after the Permira purchase. Cinven and Candover, European buy-out firms, purchased Gala from CSFB in the spring of 2003, and refinanced the company in 2005.