Austrian Internet Gambling Giant Bwin Considers a Merger

Despite the fact that the internet gambling industry only launched a decade ago, it is a real presence on today’s market. Europe’s online gambling market is the largest in the world and was judged to be worth a jaw-dropping $8.7 billion in 2009.



The industry is flourishing and seems to only be getting larger from year to year. One of the biggest companies in existence is Bwin, out of Austria. Austrian gambling law is very lax and allows betting in all forms.



Bwin became really popular as an online sportsbook in Austria, but has blossomed to cover all kinds of gambling including an online casino and poker. At this point, the company is discussing a possible merger with another industry leader, PartyGaming.



If the two companies were to follow through with a merger, the resulting company would be worth an estimated $4 billion. In the event that these two companies would merge, internet gambling in Austria would further develop in unison with the industry everywhere else in Europe.



Though the companies show enthusiasm towards these talks, they have made it very clear that this should by no means be taken as an indicator that the two companies will merge. They are just entertaining the idea and measuring how both companies would benefit.



Since knowledge of the talks has hit the news, stock for both companies has been on the move – in a good way. PartyGaming stock has risen a total of 6.2% in London trading. Bwin shares, on the other hand, have advanced 3.2 percent in Vienna.