Wikipedia

bwin

bwin Interactive Entertainment AG,formerly known asBetandwin,is an Austrianonline bettingbrand acquired byEntain PLC.The group operated under international and regional licences in countries like Gibraltar, the Amerindian reserve ofKahnawake (Canada),and Belize; and Germany, Italy, Mexico, Croatia, Austria, France,[2]and the United Kingdom in Europe. Bwin offeredsports betting,poker,casinogames, and soft and skill games, with most revenue coming from poker and sports betting. Bwin had over 20 million registered customers in more than 25 core markets. Competence centres were located inVienna,Stockholm,andGibraltar.[3]

bwin Interactive Entertainment AG
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryGambling,Bookmaking
Founded1997
SuccessorBwin.Party Digital Entertainment
HeadquartersVienna,Austria
Key people
ProductsSports betting,online gambling
Revenue€423.1 million(2009)[1]
€48.9 million(2009)[1]
€46.3 million(2009)[1]
Number of employees
1,570(2009)[1]
ParentEntain
Websitewww.bwinEdit this at Wikidata

The company provides services for its subsidiaries such as marketing, finance, and administration, corporate communications, controlling, and IT services. All operational activities were managed by licensed subsidiaries. It was listed on theVienna Stock Exchangefrom March 2000 until the company's merger withPartyGamingplc in March 2011, formingBwin.Party Digital Entertainment.That company was purchased byGVC Holdingsin February 2016; GVC (rebranded as Entain in 2020) continues to use bwin as a brand.

History

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Beginning with 12 employees in its founding in 1997, bwin was formerly known as "betandwin" until 2006. The company launched its firstonline gamblingsite in 1998, focusing on the growing sports betting market. One of the most important developments in the company's history was the launch of its live betting product, developed in-house, allowing players to place bets on sporting events while the actual event was taking place. The firm'sinitial public offeringat theAustrian Stock Exchangetook place in March 2000.

Betandwin acquired Simon Bold (Gibraltar) in June 2001 and changed its name to bwin International Ltd. This relocation to Gibraltar was done to keep up with the company's main competitors, who had already moved to the British Overseas Territory.

By December 2001, Betandwin was ready to step into theonline casinogaming market and did so by launching its first casino platform. Two years later, in July 2003, Betandwin introduced and launched a soft games platform known as "Balls of Fire."

In November 2004, Betandwin launched multiplayer poker. In June 2005, the group acquired betoto, a company that offers afixed-odds bettingservice to punters around the globe, in an effort to expand its presence in the Greek market.

In December 2005, Betandwin acquired Ongame e-Solutions AB, a move consistent with the group's strategy to expand into the poker market. After the takeover, Ongame e-Solutions changed its name to Bwin Games. In 2005, Betandwin acquired global media rights outside of Germany for theGermany Football League.

In August 2006, Betandwin launched the new bwin brand. This was done after it was found that the Betandwin brand, which was described as "descriptive, high-grade, and functional", was not suited anymore for the wide assortment of entertainment offerings covered by the company, including sports betting, poker, soft games, and casino games.

In 2007, Bwin began to offer live streaming of major sports events.

In September 2009, bwin announced theacquisitionof Italian poker operator Gioco Digitale, marking the company's entry into the Italian online gambling market.[4][5]

Bwin is often confused with BetWinner, but they are different bookmakers, with individual features and advantages.[6]

PartyGaming merger

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On April 1, 2011, bwin and British gaming firmPartyGamingannounced their merger. The new company bwin.party became the world's largest publicly traded online gaming firm, 48.4% of which was owned by existing PartyGaming shareholders and 51.6% by bwin shareholders. The merged company was listed on theLondon Stock Exchange,with joint CEO's Norbert Teufelberger and Jim Ryan.[7]After a takeover of bwin.party by British GVC Group, the brand bwin continues to exist as customer brand in its portfolio.

Products

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The company's subsidiaries and affiliated companies offer sports betting,poker,casino games, and soft games, as well as audio and video streams on sporting events, such as theGerman Bundesliga.These are all provided via theInternet,and many are also available via otherdigital distributionchannels, such asmobile phone.

Sports Betting

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Sports betsare the core business at bwin. Today, the sports betting line-up includes more than 90 different sports; the core area of customer interest issoccer.Other sports include all popular ball-related sports, US sports, as well as all majorwinter sportsandmotorsportsranging fromFormula 1toMotoGP."Exotic" sports such asRoller Hockey,Futsal,andDartsare also included in the daily line-up. Customers can also find odds on a range of events outside the area of sports. These include bets on politics and entertainment, such as theOscars,Talent Shows,theEurovision Song Contest,and"Miss" events.[8]

Poker

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The following types of games are offered at bwinPoker:Texas Hold'em,Omaha,Omaha Hi/Lo,Seven Card Stud,Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, andFive-card draw.In terms of stakes, users can choose between Fixed Limit, Pot Limit, or No Limit tables. A "play money" version of the games is also available for users to try for free. bwin offerspoker tournaments,including Sit & Go, scheduled, andcash games(ring games). Sit & Go tournaments begin as soon as the table is completely occupied. Scheduled tournaments begin at a specified time and allow for a higher numbers of participants and the highest prize pools. In cash games the players can join and leave at-will. bwin Poker can be played using theMac OS XPoker Client, theWindowsPoker Client, theJavaPoker Client, or the Mobile Poker Client. The Mac and Windows versions offer an extensive selection of features such as statistics and a mini-table function. The Java client is platform-agnostic andbrowser-based. The mobile client allows customers to play cash games on their mobile phones.[9]

Casino Games

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bwin offers more than 1000+ games, ranging from classics such asrouletteorblackjacktoslot machinesand casino tournaments. The casino has a longstanding tradition at bwin, but in 2001, it was introduced as a second product, in addition to sports betting.[10]

Soft Games

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bwin offers more than 60 games divided into the categories of Fortune Games, Skill Games, Mini Games and "ParaDice", as well asBackgammon.This is the product group with the biggest potential for innovation and expansion in the market.[11]

bwin Games AB

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bwin Games AB – founded in 1999 and formerly known as Ongame e-solutions AB – became part of the bwin Group following its acquisition, in March 2006, by bwin Interactive Entertainment AG.

Within the bwin Group, bwin Games AB acts as the competence centre for poker and casino games, developing products via digital distribution channels for bwin proprietarily owned brands, such as PokerRoom, HoldemPoker, eCardroom, PokerGaming, Europoker, and the Ongame Network partners.

PokerRoom

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PokerRoom was anonline pokercardroomfounded in 1999. Licensed by theKahnawake Gaming Commission,PokerRoom offered both play and real money formats.Tournamentsandring gameswere available in both web-browser and download client platforms, with support for bothMacintoshandLinux.PokerRoom was one of the first online poker sites to provide multi-language support, and catered to Danish, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, and Swedish speakers. These languages were accessed via "regional sites", many of them showing local sponsorships for the selected region.

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PokerRoom also maintains a play money only site, PokerRoom.tv, that is advertised inCanadaon the boards ofNational Hockey Leaguerinks, as well as on U.S.televisionnetworks likeABC.

Awards

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PokerRoom has won industry awards, such as "Poker Site of the Year" from the UK Gambling Awards in 2006 and "Top Poker Software" from the Online Gambling Magazine Awards in 2005.

Shutdown

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After 10 years of operation, bwin announced the closure of PokerRoom on April 14, 2009. Players with money still left in their accounts were encouraged to transfer their balance and play at bwin.[12]However, PokerRoom players with large "play money" accounts had to abandon those accounts when transferring to bwin.

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As the global legal framework for Internet gambling is a complicated mix of laws and regulations, bwin's situation varies depending on the country concerned. For several years now, the United Kingdom and Italy have been examples of countries that have regulated their online gaming markets to the advantage of allstakeholders.Just recently,Italyextended its online licenses to include poker tournaments, and countries likeFrance,Spain,andDenmarkannounced their intention to permit private operators access to their markets under stringent conditions and controls. Other countries, on the other hand, are still pursuing a policy of maintaining astate monopolyof internet gaming, or even a complete ban.

On 15 September 2006, Norbert Teufelberger and Manfred Bodner were arrested[13]at a press conference inLa Turbie,France,due to offenses against the French gambling laws. After an investigation the judge released them on the evening of September 18, 2006.

Due to the enactment of theSafe Port Act,bwin stopped taking bets from United States-based players in October 2006.[14]The offerings became available again upon regulation of the markets. In the States where regulation is in place, the same product line offered through bwin is available throughBetMGM,the joint venture of bwin's parent companyEntain PLC's withMGM Resorts International.

On 6 March 2007, theEuropean Court of Justicestruck down Italian national gambling restrictions in the Placanica case.[15]

The EFTA Court held hearings in January 2007 to decide on the admissibility of a state monopoly for betting and gaming according to European Law. The decision of the EFTA Court will be made on 14 March 2007.[citation needed]

In February 2021, bwin ended its operations in Russia. An agreement was made withParimatchenabling customers to transfer platforms along with their funds.[16]

Sponsorship

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bwin sponsored football giantReal Madridfrom 2007 to 2013 and they were also a premium partner ofFC Bayern Munich.In October 2010, bwin announced a sponsorship for the upcoming three football seasons in which they would be the title sponsor of thePortuguese League Cup(renamed the "bwin Cup" ).[17]In July 2010, bwin signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Italy's second tier,Serie B.Additionally, bwin cooperates with theInternational Basketball Federation(FIBA) and has been sponsoring the European and World Basketball Championships since 2006. In the area ofmotorsport,the company is one of the main sponsors of theMotoGPseries. In 2010, bwin became the title sponsor of the races inJerezandEstoriland official partner of theGP in Brno,Misano, Mugello. In the past, many other popular events across international and local sports were supported by bwin. bwin also lent its name to thePrimeira Liga(bwinLIGA), sponsored Italian football clubMilanfrom 2006 to 2010, and has also been a partner to popular football clubs, such asReal Madrid,JuventusandWerder Bremen.[18]

In addition, bwin organised numerous online and offline poker events. One of the biggest regular online poker tournaments was the ChampionChip. Special poker tournaments, like the Weekly Country Showdown or the bwin Dailies, offered a huge range of tournaments adjusted to specific country regulations and buy-in levels. Periodically new types and variations of Sit & Go tournaments were launched. Through several online qualifying events, a bwin user could qualify for offline events like theWorld Series of Poker (WSOP),theAussie Millions,and events on theWorld Poker Tour.For "poker newbies", bwin offered a special route - the Rookie Challenge, where a new poker player had the chance to climb up several stages for free to earn real money tickets.

In 2008, bwin provided the luxury villa onbwin PokerIsland[19]as filming location for the music video ofLady Gaga's hitPoker Face.The video featured bwin branded poker equipment through aproduct placementcampaign.[20]

The company faced some opposition in Europe over its sponsorship of sports, especially football. In 2006,Bremenbanned its top football team,Sportverein Werder Bremen,from carrying the bwin logo on its shirts.[21]In November 2009, the city acted further by moving against sport stores which sold shirts from other teams, such as Milan and Real Madrid.[citation needed]

In 2017, bwin signed a three-year partnership with Italian football clubInter Milanbecoming its first official betting partner.[22]

In 2019, bwin becameValencia CF's main global sponsor. The three-year agreement was made official in July 2019.[23]As of 2020 the agreement is in jeopardy with the Spanish government informing allLa Ligaclubs that betting sponsors will be banned from the start of the 2021-22 season.[24]

In 2020, bwin announced a three-year partnership with theBelgian Pro Leaguebecoming the official sports betting partner of Belgium's top tier football division.[25]The deal will also cover theBelgian First Division BandBelgian Super Cup.bwin is able to broadcast live coverage of football matches to customers using both online and mobile platforms as part of the agreement.

In April 2021, bwin signed a five-year partnership withLiga Portugal.As part of the deal, thePrimeira Liga,Portugal's top football division, will be called Liga Portugal Bwin from July 2021 onward.[26]

In August 2021, bwin signed extended deals withGerman Bundesligafootball clubsBorussia Dortmund,Union Berlin,andFC Köln,as well as2. BundesligaclubsFC St. PauliandDynamo Dresden.[27]As part of the deal, bwin will serve as the exclusive sports betting provider for each team. Each of the agreements will run from the 2021-22 season until the end of the 2023-24 season.

In September 2021, bwin signed a partnership withUEFAto become an Official Partner of theUEFA Europa Leagueand theUEFA Europa Conference Leaguefor the 2021–24 seasons.[28]

Responsible Gaming

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A dedicatedCorporate Social Responsibilitydepartment of the company was in charge of social responsibility. Protection ofminors,protection against manipulation of bets, and the prevention ofgaming addictionwere key aspects of the bwinCSRphilosophy.bwin supported research in this field in a joint project withHarvard Medical School.bwin is a co-founder of the EGBA (European Gaming and Betting Association), where it lobbied for fair competition within a regulated online gaming market. As founder and member of the ESSA (European Sports Security Association), bwin campaigned against manipulation andfraudin the fields of sports and betting.[29]

Awards

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At the annual EGR Awards organised byeGaming Reviewmagazine, bwin won the "Operator of the Year 2009" award.[30]

References

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  1. ^abcd"Annual Report 2009"(PDF).bwin. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2013-04-08.Retrieved2010-04-27.
  2. ^Bwin, BetClic, Everest among first French licenseesArchivedSeptember 7, 2011, at theWayback Machine,egrmagazine, 8 June 2010, accessed 11 June 2010.
  3. ^Google Finance: bwin Interactive Entertainment AGArchivedDecember 14, 2008, at theWayback Machine
  4. ^Bwin buys Gioco Digitale for push on new Italy marketArchivedSeptember 7, 2011, at theWayback Machine,egrmagazine, 14 September 2009, accessed 3 December 2009.
  5. ^Bwin History aka BetandwinArchivedMay 6, 2016, at theWayback Machine,accessed 7 April 2010.
  6. ^Betwinner
  7. ^"Gambling firms Partygaming and Bwin reveal merger plan".BBC News. 29 July 2010.Retrieved29 July2010.
  8. ^Factsheet: bwin Sport BetsArchivedMarch 3, 2016, at theWayback Machineaccessed 9 April 2010
  9. ^Factsheet: bwin PokerArchivedMay 21, 2013, at theWayback Machineaccessed 9 April 2010
  10. ^Factsheet: bwin CasinoArchivedMarch 3, 2016, at theWayback Machineaccessed 9 April 2010
  11. ^Factsheet: bwin GamesArchivedMarch 3, 2016, at theWayback Machineaccessed 9 April 2010
  12. ^Bwin Announces PokerRoom ShutdownArchivedApril 19, 2009, at theWayback Machine,4flush, 15 April 2009, accessed 20 April 2009.
  13. ^Online gambling Boss es arrested in France via the Guardian
  14. ^bwin: US SAFE Port Act signed into law by President George W. Bush
  15. ^EU Court Strikes Down Italian Gambling Restriction via Bloomberg
  16. ^"Bwin transfers Russia player base to Parimatch after market exit".EGR.16 February 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-02-16.Retrieved8 June2021.
  17. ^Bwin seal sponsorship of Portuguese Liga CupArchivedMay 14, 2016, at theWayback Machine,accessed 8 November 2010.
  18. ^Factsheet: bwin Sport MarketingArchivedMarch 4, 2016, at theWayback Machine,accessed 10 April 2010.
  19. ^"bwin features in the Lady GaGa hit 'Poker Face'".bwin. March 24, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon July 8, 2011.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
  20. ^"bwin prominently placed in Lady GaGa music videoPoker Face".Aktien-Portal(in German). February 4, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on July 6, 2011.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
  21. ^"Werder Bremen to Appeal Betting Firm Sponsor Ban in Court | Sports | Deutsche Welle | 29.10.2006".Archivedfrom the original on 2009-09-22.Retrieved2015-03-25.Werder Bremen to Appeal Betting Firm Sponsor Ban in Court
  22. ^"Inter Milan take a punt on Bwin sponsorship".SportsPro.30 August 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 2017-11-07.Retrieved28 June2021.
  23. ^"bwin becomes Valencia CF Main Global Partner".Valencia CF.28 June 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-06-03.Retrieved3 June2021.
  24. ^"Betting Sponsors to Be Banned in La Liga From 2021".90min.28 October 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-11-01.Retrieved3 June2021.
  25. ^"Bwin nets sports betting partnership with Belgian Pro League".iGaming Business.4 August 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-06-03.Retrieved3 June2021.
  26. ^"Liga Portugal and Bwin establish a partnership agreement for the next 5 seasons".Liga Portugal.16 April 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-07-09.Retrieved9 July2021.
  27. ^"Bwin scores extensions with German Bundesliga clubs".iGaming Business.10 August 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-08-10.Retrieved13 August2021.
  28. ^"bwin becomes Official Partner of the UEFA Europa League and new UEFA Europa Conference League".UEFA.7 September 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-09-07.Retrieved10 September2021.
  29. ^Factsheet: bwin Corporate Social ResponsibilityArchivedMarch 3, 2016, at theWayback Machine,accessed 10 April 2010.
  30. ^Bwin crowned EGR Operator of the Year 2009ArchivedJuly 10, 2011, at theWayback Machine,egrmagazine, 1 December 2009, accessed 3 December 2009.
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