Betfair and Playtech bingo deal

The London-listed online gambling software provider Playtech plc is to supply Internet bingo and casino games to the major international Internet betting exchange Betfair under the terms of an agreement announced by the two companies this week.

According to a statement released Monday, Betfair will "...benefit from a range of software services provided by Playtech, including its leading casino offering and bingo software via the Betfair TV platform - the betting exchange’s Freeview digital channel."

The deal gives Playtech exclusivity in the provision of Betfair's new download casino product, which will expand the gaming options available to Betfair's customers through a solution fully integrated with Betfair's existing betting exchange. However, that exclusivity does not apparently extend to existing arrangements which Betfair has with Chartwell Technology and Cryptologic, both of which supply games to the betting exchange and its reported 2 million registered players.

Playtech CEO Mor Weizer commented: "Betfair's decision to enter into this licence agreement with Playtech is a significant endorsement of Playtech's market leading gaming products, and this partnership exemplifies our strategy of rapidly expanding our licensee base with tier one operators across all markets."

Weizer added that his company was excited to be working with "....such a like-minded business which revolutionised the gaming industry.”

The bingo element in the deal will allow Betfair to introduce this extremely popular game to its television enterprise, where roulette is already offered, and there are plans to introduce blackjack and poker services in the near future. Betfair has clarified that its bingo will not run on the Playtech bingo network, and that its future strategy regarding online poker does not envisage operating on Playtech's iPoker network.

Betfair joins William Hill Online on Playtech's major clients list.

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