William Hill Acquires Brandywine Bookmaking

Popular online gaming site William Hill has picked a different approach compared with other overseas online gaming groups when it comes to expanding their presence in the online gaming market in the US. While other gaming organizations have started to collaborate with US gambling groups, William Hill has decided to acquire land-based casino gaming operations in the US. Just last month, the UK-based bookmaker announced that they have acquired two Nevada-based sports books. On May 3rd, 2011, the group announced that they would be acquiring Brandywine Bookmaking, a gaming group that manages 16 sports books in the state of Nevada. The decision is a clear evidence that the online company is trying to improve their presence in the gambling market in the US. Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz said on May 3rd, 2011 that these foreign gaming groups have waited for quite some time until they are certain that the online gaming laws in the US will be modified. Schwartz said that with the change in gaming laws appearing to be a possibility, gaming companies in the United Kingdom are hoping to expand in the US in the hopes of acquiring a gaming license if the laws are modified. There are a lot of legislators in the state of Washington that are in favor of allowing online gaming in the state. Representative John Campbell has sponsored a bill that would cancel the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) of 2006 and established a regulated online gaming framework in the US. Gambling operators in the country that collaborated with Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars in the past few months were affected by the indictment that were filed against top officials of the online gaming sites in the US and the UK. Steve Wynn collaborated with PokerStars while Station Casinos collaborated with Full Tilt Poker. Both collaborations were cancelled after the indictment. Gaming analysts said that they fully understand why gaming operators are expanding at the present. Gaming groups like William Hill have excellent reputation in the countries that they are regulated and in acquiring gambling companies in the US, they can begin creating a solid reputation in the country, enhancing the possibility that they will receive a license if the gaming laws in the US are modified in the near future.

Ann Pettersson
07/31/2011 11:24 PM