Partouche to launch a sports betting website targeted to UK residents

Bearing the name of Partouchegaming.com, this website will be in English and will target residents of the United Kingdom. Lagging far behind other sports betting websites, Partouchegaming.com will shape its promotional campaign around the emblematic figure of Manchester United's star player, Eric Cantona who, ten years after having retired as a professional footballer, remains a living legend of football in Great Britain.

In 2005, Cantona was awarded the title of best player of the English Premier League of all times. He is certainly not the first player to associate himself with an online betting website since, for many years now, Marcel Dessailly has ensured the promotion of Betclic. However, Cantona's notoriety is matchless.

At the technological level, the group's Chairman, Patrick Partouche, has bought the product - as well as the publishing company - developed by livebetting.com. This website was launched by Laurent Tapie who, following the take-over, has joined Partouche Interactive as Managing Director of the Gambling department.

In Journal des Casinos, Patrick Partouche has announced that “before June, Partouche Interactive will be a leading operator on the web after Gibraltar on the UK market”. This website does not target French people. “I will prevent French people from accessing this website”, he says. This is a means to underline the fact that the development of Partouche Interactive starts with the international market and that the French market as such does not play a crucial role. It is also an opportunity to prove that Partouche group abides by the French legislation.

Therefore, the announcement made last January, 22nd regarding the launching of a fee-charging backgammon website by Partouche Interactive is in line with that strategy. Patrick Partouche indicated that he has informed the various official actors in France of his decision to launch this website. According to Mr. Partouche, the gambling authorities consider that backgammon is a game of skill and in that respect, partouchegammon.com is an authorized website.

But still, while waiting for the legislation to be amended with regards to online gambling, Partouche Interactive does not remain inactive.The next step should be the poker game. P.I. has just acquired Red Planet Gaming's software which received the Gaming Award in its category in London at the ICE Trade Fair.

Partouche Interactive should adapt it to the French market, with the ambition of rapidly launching a chargeable version using the same technology as soon as it will be authorized by the Law. In the meantime, since Gibraltar, here again it will be possible to promote the English version of this website.