888, TV giant Endemol form Italy JV
888 has announced an Italian joint venture (JV) with the local arm of Dutch television production giant Endemol to launch a comprehensive gaming platform leveraging content based on Endemol brands including Big Brother and Deal Or No Deal.
888 has announced an Italian joint venture (JV) with the local arm of Dutch television production giant Endemol to launch a comprehensive gaming platform leveraging content based on Endemol brands including Big Brother and Deal Or No Deal.
The JV with Endemol Italy, Italy’s largest independent TV production company, will target the Italian market on the 888.it domain once the Italian Gaming Authority provides final regulations for casino games in the second half of 2010.
The venture is 888’s first major consumer-facing launch in the Italian market and its second partnership targeting a major regulating European market this week, after on Tuesday 888 announced it is to launch a joint French poker network with Microgaming.
888 chief executive Gigi Levy said the partnership would enable the operator to capitalise on the “enormous” potential of the Italian market, Europe’s largest gambling market by far, projected to account for 22% of gross win in Europe in 2010 (source: H2 Gambling Capital).
Levy said: “Now that online gaming has become an established and hugely popular form of entertainment, strategic partnerships with media companies are critical for growth, especially in newly regulated markets such as Italy”.
In other Italian news this week, the Italian Gaming Authority banned public gaming terminals, or “totems”, on which several leading Italian operators and network providers including poker market leader Microgame base much of their business. offering a potential boost to foreign rivals such as Bwin and PokerStars.
For more on the growth of the Italian market and H2’s data special on the European egaming market, see this month’s eGaming Review. Or for more on 888, read 888 chief executive Gigi Levy’s vision for the company.