Spreading The Luck Of The Irish
Published: Thursday, October 26, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
SPREADING THE LUCK OF THE IRISH
Paddy Power has European expansion in mind
The Irish-based gambling group Paddy Power is investigating the launch of a new land casino in Ireland as well as the introduction of gaming websites in Italy, Spain and Poland, the company revealed this week.
The move into continental Europe comes as European governments come under pressure from the European Commission to open their gambling industries to other EU countries.
Paddy Power, which has hitherto operated mainly in Ireland and the UK, is seeking potential new markets after starting a successful German-language website in April, chief executive officer Patrick Kennedy revealed. "We are looking at the possibility of introducing other European-language websites," Kennedy said. "The ones we've looked at in the last three or six months have been Spain and Poland."
The company is also considering moving into Italy, which is to regulate online gambling from next year and may have a presence there within three years, he said.
Paddy Power's plans will depend on the type of licenses available in each country, Kennedy said. "Obviously in an ideal world we would love to offer poker games, casino, bingo and the sports book in as many of those geographies as we could."
Competition for European business is likely to be intense as online gambling companies such as 888 Holdings plc and PartyGaming plc expand in Europe after laws were passed in the US this month aimed at shutting down internet gaming in the region.
Operating a land casino in Ireland may also be part the Paddy Poker plan. The bookmaker is considering opening its own casinos after the Irish government in July said it would regulate the industry. "I would be reasonably certain that we would try and get a license, that we would be trying to get involved in some way," Kennedy said. Paddy Power would consider submitting a bid on its own or as part of a joint venture, he said.
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