There have been many rumors circulating over the past few months of a merger between PartyGaming and Bwin and it has now, at long last, been officially announced that the UK’s PartyGaming and its biggest rival, the Austrian-based Bwin will be merging. In fact, a merger implementation agreement was signed on 29th July 2010 between Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming PLC. 
Bwin has introduced an exciting promotion together with Italian football team AC Milan. This promotion presents the opportunity for 22 lucky winners to experience a day in the life of an AC Milan football player.
This campaign will take place both online and offline. Players may first of all become a part of a virtual AC Milan squad by inserting name and a picture at the bwin site. The player will then become part of an online video and through the use of the picture provided, will then appear with the other players in the dressing room and on the pitch. The reproduction of the new AC Milan player on screen will then score the final goal.
It has been reported on Bloomberg news that Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG, the Austrian online bookmaker and PartyGaming Plc are talking about a possible merger and forming one huge online casino, poker and sportsbetting operator with a value of over $4 billion.
Amongst the 13 UK gambling operators moving for licenses in the jurisdiction of India with its estimated GBP 37 billion betting market are Betfair, Bwin and William Hill.
The province of Sikkim will be the first area to offer online gambling licenses but will only be granting licenses to three of the 13 companies competing.
The trend in Europe in the online gambling industry at the moment is that the bigger companies are in the process of buying quite a few of the smaller companies.
In response to PartyGaming’s purchase of two renowned operators in the World Poker Tour and Cashcade, Bwin has revealed that they have agreed to buy the first independant Italian online poker giant Gioco Digitale. Between the cash it will pay and the shares it will buy the purchase will cost Bwin 115 million euros.
In times of economic recession, many online gamblers turn to simpler games as a means of wanting to control their fortunes more. There has already been a massive increase in online bingo and online backgammon players over the past 6 months and this number is set to grow well into the next year.
It looks as though the online casino industry is entering a new era with regards to legislation. The USA has been in the news recently with whispers of a relaxation of the strict UIGEA laws. Estonia and Denmark have also recently moved their gambling laws in line to be friendlier to foreign investment.
