Gambling a Profitable Business

Casino sites that have recorded millions in profit in the last three years, along with sports betting firms, which are enjoying higher profits as a result of relaxed gambling legislation in the UK and higher levels of computer awareness amongst sports fans. And while Party Gaming was predictably mentioned as one of the largest and most successful operators, smaller operators were also named among the leading profit makers.

The Observer revealed that one of the most lucrative deals between operators in 2005 was the sale of Coral Eurobet to Gala Casinos. The firm is Britain's third largest bookmaker, which was valued at 378 million pounds sterling three years ago. Today the firm is owned by Gala and valued at 2.1 billion pounds. The company is expected to float publicly this year with industry insiders predicting that its IPO may well exceed over 4 billion pounds. Sporting Bet and 888 Holdings also received a mention in the Observer, with the most interesting floatation on the London Stock Exchange being awarded to software firm Playtech.

Strong growth is predicted for the industry with the poker bubble showing no sign of bursting. The European and Scandinavian markets are proving especially lucrative for those operators seeking to distance themselves from the US and its anti-gambling policy.