Playtech to power La Gazzetta dello Sport betting site
Five-year agreement will see software supplier launch an Italy-facing La Gazzetta dello Sport-branded online sportsbook and casino
Playtech has signed a five-year deal to launch an online sportsbook and casino for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy’s largest daily newspaper, eGaming Review understands.
An exclusive deal has been agreed between the software supplier and RCS Media, the international publishing group behind Gazzetta, which will see Playtech provide a sportsbook and casino platform for the Italy-facing website Gazzabet.it.
As well as a desktop offering, Playtech will develop mobile apps for the newspaper while marketing services are also included under the terms of the deal. The products are expected to be launched later this week ahead of the weekend’s football fixtures.
RCS will be able to leverage its substantial marketing assets and social media platforms to drive traffic to the site, with Gazzetta possessing an average daily readership of around four million and more than one million followers on Twitter.
Playtech CEO Mor Weizer first hinted at the Gazzetta tie-up in the company’s H1 results late last month when he revealed terms had been signed with an unnamed Italian media brand.
The partnership is the latest between Playtech and an international publishing group with the supplier having signed a bingo contract with Daily Mirror publisher Trinity Mirror Group in June and forms part of the software supplier’s strategy to place greater focus on the media sector.
“I will say broadly the Trinity Mirror and Italian media brand [deals] are not one-offs,” Weizer told eGR following the publication of its results. “This is part of our strategy and definitely something that’s in line with what we’ve communicated,” he added.
According to Weizer, media companies have the potential to deliver a greater upside compared to traditional gaming operators, particularly during a period of increased regulation and tighter margins.