Ladbrokes, William Hill win licences in Italy
LONDON (Reuters) - Ladbrokes and William Hill were among bookmakers awarded licences for sports and horse betting over the Internet and the phone in Italy, state betting agency AAMS said on Thursday.
Both companies also won new licences for horseracing and sports betting at betting centres throughout the country as well as at franchises in venues such as bars, cafes and newsagents, the AAMS said on its Web site.
Ladbrokes said the company would continue to acquire new licences in Italy. "Ladbrokes' strategy is to establish an Italian retail estate through both new licences awarded in the tender process and acquisition of existing centres," the company said.
Ladbrokes' licenses include 33 for horseracing, 58 for sports betting at betting centres and 51 for franchises.
Austria's bwin.com said it had not sought licences in this tender as it already owned a licence for online sports betting in Italy and was not looking for licences for betting centres.
However, bwin said it would be interested in winning an Italian licence for online poker and casino gambling.
(Additional reporting by Boris Groendahl in Vienna and Gavin Jones in Rome)
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