Bwin.party digital entertainment has finally received the news its been waiting for in the form of a licence to operate in Schleswig-Holstein. The release explains that it’s effective immediately and will last for six years. Norbert Teufelberger, bwin.party’s Co-CEO, added: “Schleswig-Holstein’s regulatory regime represents an important step in building a vibrant and competitive German online gaming market. This EU-compliant regime is a fundamentally important step to protect consumers and keep out black market operators in Germany.” They become the fourth company to get a licence after Betfair, JAXX SE and Die NordwestLotto were awarded them at the beginning of the month.
Groupe Partouche has reiterated that it has nothing to hide following allegations of tax evasion from the French government. A La Tribune article quoted by eGR reports that Partouche CEO Frédéric Payre said in an email: “The tax office seems to have been convinced [that online activities in Gibraltar are consistent with company financials], as no action has since been taken following this ‘investigation’. Groupe Partouche had and has nothing to hide.”
The proof is in the pudding as La Tribune report the subsidiary involved, Partouche Interactive Gibraltar, recorded revenue of €4 million in 2009 and 2010 before it dropped to just €35,000 in 2011. It also showed their new subsidiary, Partouche Gaming France, had revenues of €840,000 from when the market opened in 2010 and then €3.4 million in 2011. The authorities argue they didn’t immediately produce “evidence of the presence of human and material resources” on Gibraltar when asked.
Partouche Interactive has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Worldlink Group under which it will become the firm’s gaming partner. The Groupe Partouche subsidiary announced the agreement and it will see the French company’s poker and casino platform offered alongside Worldlink’s odds comparison betting service. It follows Worldlink announcing a partnership with Napdaq just last week.
