Ladbrokes Continues European Expansion

Published: Monday, January 22, 2007 Online-Casinos.com

LADBROKES CONTINUES EUROPEAN EXPANSION

Big bet on Nordic market


British gambling group Ladbrokes has continued its European expansion, buying Sponsio - an online gaming firm in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

The British bookmaker already had a partnership deal with the company but said the GBP36 million purchase would bolster its position in the region.

Spending on gambling per capita in the Nordic area is among the highest in Europe, Ladbrokes said.

The bookmaker has targeted the Spanish and Italian markets in the last month.

In Spain it is starting an alliance with Spanish slot machine firm Cirsa Slot, whose machines are found in bars and arcades.

In December, Ladbrokes gained licenses to operate betting outlets in Italy.

Since new laws effectively made online gaming illegal in the US, gambling firms have been looking to snap up other sections of the internet betting market.