Oct 10 (Reuters) - William Hill Plc WMH.L
* William hill plc - response to press speculation
* Response to press speculation
* Note recent press speculation and confirm that they are in discussions regarding a potential all share merger of equals
* Over recent months, board of William Hill has been evaluating options to accelerate William Hill's strategy of increasing diversification by growing its digital and international businesses
* Amaya has been undertaking a review of its strategic alternatives since february 2016
* William Hill pl- potential merger would be consistent with strategic objectives of both william hill and amaya and would create a clear international leader across online sports betting, poker and casino
* Discussions are ongoing and there can be no certainty that an agreement will be reached.
* Potential merger would be classified as a reverse takeover under listing rules of financial conduct authority and is not subject to city code on takeovers and mergers Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: WMH.L