Update: Will Hill Online Dismisses Several Staff Members

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The Israeli saga continues

This week’s news about the crisis at William Hill Online involve reports that seven senior managers and several junior staff have been fired from its online betting joint-venture in Israel.

Reportedly, the company opted for this move after it discovered an alleged plan to set up a rival business to the online gambling venture which is 79 percent-owned by the UK bookmaker and 21 percent by Playtech plc.

It has also been specified that the situation became suspicious to Ralph Topping, the group's chief executive who has spent the past four days restoring order at the Tel Aviv office of William Hill Online, after the Tel Aviv office denied the bookie access to its computer systems.

In order to reveal more, Topping engaged former Israeli intelligence officers, and discovered that a rabbi, a fish feeder and a hairdresser were on the books which also contained payments for table-tennis coaching.

The only comment made by Topping was: "I'm absolutely furious but cannot comment further."