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Potential Merging Discussions Over

The Austria based Bwin and UK based SportingBet have announced that they are no longer considering a merger between the two companies. The online casino gambling and internet betting industries are highly competitive, and the merger would have meant that the two companies were no longer competitors in the European betting markets. It seemed the companies were seriously considering the merger, but the statements filed with the London Stock Exchange indicate a clear end to the possibility. And though the statement only stated that the discussions “have now been mutually and amicably discontinued,” many are speculating that SportingBet’s involvement in the U.S. online casino gambling industry is a contributing factor in the decision.

Now that the U.S. has begun to prosecute companies that continued to operate online casino gambling services after the UIGEA, a few potential mergers have stopped short of completion. Specifically, many are speculating that SportingBet could be targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice in the near future for violation of online casinos law violation, and obviously Bwin would be cautious about merging with the company right before possible major legal action. Similar speculation points to the same situation with the previous merger talks between 888.com and Ladbrokes.

So for now, it seems that the two online casino betting companies are competing in the exact same market with the exception of the German internet gambling industry. Germany has passed laws banning forms of online casino gambling and as a result, Bwin stepped out of that market months ago. SportingBet on the other hand still offers betting and gambling services to German citizens. And though the EU Commission is pressuring Germany to lift the gambling ban, that situation is also thought to be a contributing factor in the end of the merger discussions between the two companies.