Bwin make MMOG push with UnitedGames majority stake
BWIN HAS acquired a majority shareholding in UnitedGames, the European massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) publisher and developer, marking the Austrian bookmaker's entry into the MMOG market and its second major purchase in as many days.
BWIN HAS acquired a majority shareholding in UnitedGames, the European massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) publisher and developer.
The deal, which follows just a day after Bwin acquired Italian poker operator Gioco Digitale, is Bwin’s first entry into the MMOG market, and gives access to UnitedGames’ player database of 17 million players in over 178 countries.
Bwin co-chief executive Manfred Bodner said: “UnitedGames brings a lot of interesting technology and know-how to the relationship and we look forward to taking online gaming to the next stage of evolution.”
Netherlands-based UnitedGames was founded in 2007, and provides localisation for its games including marketing, translations and community support.
UnitedGames chief executive Marijn Harinck said: “Bwin and UnitedGames are extraordinary partners and this combination will have a huge impact on the online gaming market.”
In other Bwin news, the European Court of Justice last week ruled against Bwin in the latest round of the Austrian bookmaker’s landmark legal case at against Portugese state monopoly La Santa Casa Da Misericordia de Lisboa.
Commenting on the deal, Simon Holliday of consultancy H2 Gambling Capital said: “Bwin have always been an innovative company and have a track record of not being afraid to do innovative deals, but we have long predicted that there would be convergence between the egaming and MMOG spaces.”