Bwin Interactive Entertainment to buy Gioco Digitale

News emerged this week that Austrian bwin Interactive Entertainment is set to buy one of Italy’s most powerful online poker operators in a multi million Euro deal. Bwin is gearing up to purchase Gioco Digitale S.p.A, the largest Italian gaming provider for an estimated sum of 115 million Euros. The deal will see bwin take over the celebrated provider of giocodigitale.it, an acclaimed site loved by poker and casino players throughout Italy and across the globe.

The deal marks a significant and potentially lucrative move for the Austrian company who are set to make a handsome profit from the bold undertaking. Gioco Digitale represents the largest and most comprehensive of Italy’s online gaming operators and boasts the country’s largest poker and gaming website. Recently published figures suggest that the company’s earnings have seen a sharp rise this year with an estimated sum of 13.7 million Euros in early 2008 compared with 20.1 million Euros in the opening half of 2009.

The deal is currently moving towards its final stages and is expected to achieve full confirmation by October of this year. The deal will see bwin offer a cash sum of 50 million Euros in addition to 2.3 million Euros worth of its shares. Gioco Digitale is currently being headed by Carlo Gualandri together with co-CEOs Manfred Bodner and Norbert Teufelberger. It is expected that the senior management team of the firm will remain intact once the deal has been finalised. Fans of the Italian site, together with all members of the casino industry, will certainly be watching as this multi million Euro deal reaches a head in the weeks to come.