The mega-merger deal between Paddy Power owner Flutter and the Stars Group, which owns PokerStars, is still up in the air as annual results are expected to be released later this week.

The Competition and Markets Authority opened a probe into the huge link-up earlier this month.

Britain’s competition regulator has until the end of March to either clear the deal or launch an in-depth investigation.

The Australian regulator approved the merger last week. The £10 billion merger would almost certainly mean the creation of the world’s biggest betting firm.

This promises to be a busy week for gambling giants. Both the Canada-based Stars Group and Flutter Entertainment plc are expected to announce annual results on Thursday. And big rival William Hill presents its annual results on Wednesday.

The financial results from the Stars Group are expected to show results from the fourth quarter and the full year ended December 31,2019.

Many eyes in the Isle of Man are likely to be looking to see how PokerStars is faring.

Last November the third quarter financial performance figures revealed that revenue plunged by more than 96% in the island.

It appeared the island has lost out to the rival offshore gaming jurisdiction of Malta.

While group revenue as a whole increased 8.8% to $622.4 million (nearly £500m) there was a huge fall in the island where PokerStars has a base at King Edward Road, Onchan Head, and a smaller office in Douglas.

According to the statistics, Isle of Man revenue in the three months to the end of September was $3.4 million (£2.7m) compared to $93.5 million (£73.2m) in the same period last year. That’s a fall of more than 96%.

The Stars Group three month figures also revealed that poker revenues were down while gaming and betting revenues had risen.

The Isle of Man lost Paddy Power’s online gaming business when the Irish betting giant moved it to Malta a few years ago.

A Stars Group spokesman said at the time that the financial statement regarding the Isle of Man ’reflects the revenue attributable to each gaming licence or approval, as opposed to the jurisdiction where the customer was located’.

He added: ’The Isle of Man office will remain an important operational hub for The Stars Group’s central and shared services teams.’