The British bookmaker William Hill has increased its presence on the European markets by merging with Playtech, the leading supplier of casino and poker software programs.

This merger will have a significant impact with the creation of a new giant in the gaming world. William Hill, the famous sports betting website, has just entered into a joint venture with Playtech. The new entity - William Hill Online - promises to become one of the biggest players in the industry in Europe.

Playtech will firstly spend 250 million dollars on purchasing numerous casino and poker sites, including CD Poker and Joyland from the CPays and Webroute Affiliates networks. The agreement, signed with William Hill for a total of 328 million dollars, will last for 5 years and takes effect in January 2009.

William Hill, which previously specialised in sports betting, is now active in the fields of poker and casino gaming. As the sponsor of the English football team Hull City, the bookmaker’s business is booming, thanks to the club’s excellent results in the Premier League (3rd in the table).