Lottomatica is considering an initial public offering (IPO) in the first half of the year depending on market conditions, one of the people and a third source said.

Stormy markets led to a dearth of IPOs last year.

However, sources said last week United Internet's web hosting subsidiary Ionos and Italian industrial group Euro Group were both preparing to test European equity capital markets with new share offerings.

Lottomatica, which according to one of the sources could look to raise at least 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in the offering, declined to comment on the matter.

($1 = 0.9276 euros)

(Reporting by Amy-Jo Crowley in London and Valentina Za and Elisa Anzolin in Milan; editing Federico Maccioni and Tomasz Janowski)