bwin.party digital entertainment
The bwin.party digital entertainment is a provider of sports betting and online gaming. The Company was formed by the merger of Austria's bwin Interactive Entertainment AG (formerly betandwin ) and PartyGaming plc in March 2011. Group offers sports betting, poker, casino games and soft games.
Corporate Structure
Bwin.party digital entertainment is based in Gibraltar and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Bwin is after the merger with PartyGaming 2011, a brand of the subsidiary Elektra Works and offers daily about 30,000 sports betting in 90 sports.
History
Bwin was founded in December 1997. In August 2001 the company SKP Piribauer Sportwetten GmbH, the more betting terminals in Austria (mainly in catering establishments and gas stations ) operating up to now has been taken over 100%. With the purchase of SKP bwin acquired a hardware and software, which opened a quick introduction to the Internet direct sales.
Since the year 2002, bwin Interactive Entertainment AG has a 50 % atypical silent partner of approved in the state of Saxony betandwin eK based in Neugersdorf, Germany.
In 2006, bwin acquired the Swedish company Ongame e-solutions AB and built by the field of online poker games from. These were drawn or created nearly 600 million euros in new capital through a stock split or on the stock exchange, and the purchase of shares of Ongame shares financed it.
On 13 October 2006, George W. Bush signed a law, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (Section VIII of the SAFE PORT Act ), which prohibits the transfer of a financial institution to an Internet gambling company, with fantasy sports, online lotteries and horse - or dog races were excluded. However, there had been early April 2006 for HR 4777 given to the prohibition of illegal betting a nachlesbare the Internet hearing of the House, and in the American press, including the New York Times, a short time has been advised later that it passed in the summer of 2006 as part of the " American Value Agenda ", a vote on will. Thus, there was at least predictable from 5 April 2006 that this question would be substantial for the further business development of ongames and bwin. As a result, the balance of bwin for the year 2006 to a deficit of more than 500 million euros. Critical to the public were in this respect very highly appearing Executive salaries discussed, among other things, that the two directors of bwin have previously performed considerable share options during the same period, the Manfred Bodner on 7 March 2006 net 13 million euros and Norbert Teufelberger on the same day have provided 8.2 million euros. Criticism was also found that both general manager a week later again each received 650,000 shares at a price of 2 euros, which at that price a market value of 65 million euros corresponded respectively (see Directors' Dealings). Critically was also whether the design of the HR 4777, which was forwarded by Republican Bob Goodlatte on 16 February 2006 the Judiciary Committee, was not already known to the CEOs of bwin, Devil Berger and Bodner at the time of sale of shares, and why this circumstance within the meaning a significant business risk was mentioned neither in the quarterly reports still in an ad hoc announcement. Since May 12, 2006, long before the passing of the UIGEA, the stock fell further and further from its high of 104 euros to new lows, although the end for the poker products in the U.S. was only adopted in October 2006.
On 1 August 2006, the new bwin brand has been introduced.
On 15 September 2006, the two directors Norbert Teufelberger and Manfred Bodner were arrested surprising at a press conference in Monaco for offenses against the French gambling law. According to a survey by a coroner, the two boards were released on the evening of 18 September 2006 on bail from prison. A procedure was not initiated according to bwin. For quick release from prison of two board members was also of Austrian ( ex-) politicians, including the then Justice Minister Karin Gastinger, intervenes in France. Gastinger to having received a consulting contract from betting companies after their retirement from politics. Against Devil Berger and Bodner proceedings in France in 2013 was in this thing started. Both defendants did not appear for the hearing in Nanterre, on 19 September 2013., The presiding judge adjourned the proceedings on April 3, 2014.
Since the 2007/ 08 season, bwin has been a sponsor in football, such as the shirt sponsor of Real Madrid. The contract with the team ran three years initially, but was extended until 2012/2013. From 2010-2013 bwin also acquired the naming rights to the Portuguese League Cup.
On September 7, 2009, the Executive Board of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG confirmed takeover negotiations with Gioco Digitale SpA to lead, to acquire 100% of Gioco Digitale.
Bwin and PartyGaming completed on 31 March 2011 the announced 26 August 2010 merger of the two companies. The brands remained intact and are digitally continued entertainment of various subsidiaries of the resulting holding company bwin.party. The bwin brand is operated by Electra Works Limited based in Gibraltar.
Beginning of 2012 had the Belgian Gaming Commission ( BGC) bwin.party, with other providers, put on a blacklist that had to be blocked by the four largest Internet providers in the country. A relevant action bwin.party against the Belgian Gaming Commission was dismissed in June 2012. In November 2012, the nunmehrige bwin.party CEO Norbert Teufelberger was arrested in Belgium during a conference, because the company had its gambling continue to be offered despite the ban under other Internet addresses Belgian customers. To get a license for Belgium, went bwin.party mid December 2012 a partnership with the Belcasinos, a subsidiary of the Partouche Group, a. The criminal case against the devil Berger has been set.
Special position Germany
The German sports betting portal bwin.de was until August 24, 2009, the company betandwin eK (from August 2006: bwin eK ) operated as a sole proprietorship by Steffen Pfennigwerth with a silent participation of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG. Pfennigwerth had a permit from the trade office Lobau received on April 11, 1990 due to the Small Business Act ( GEWG ) of the GDR of 6 March 1990 to open a betting shop for sports betting on 1 May 1990 in Neugersdorf.
A ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court of 28 March 2006, the state monopoly on sports betting in his former form with the Basic Law was not compatible, and the relevant laws and regulations were to recast December 31, 2007. For permitted the maintenance of the monopoly on sports betting was declared only on condition that it is consistently geared to combating the dangers of addiction and serves no fiscal interests of the state. Since the judge 's view, the former offer of oddset not sufficiently oriented to this goal, strict regimes relating to the advertising of its services and the Youth and player protection were made up to be new legislation for oddset.
At the same time, the Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that the police authorities to be new legislation to proceed on the basis of the current gambling law against all illegal gambling operators and can prohibit its activities. This affected was - at least where it comes to betting services to residents of the old federal states - including bwin, because the was in the GDR concession granted by the Federal Administrative Court finds that at best for the new federal states.
Bwin held the decisions of the German courts preclude the provision of sports betting in the EU licensed bookmaker under existing EU law and the case law of the ECJ ( Lindman, Gambelli and soon Placanica ) is admissible, are by no means called " illegal" could. It follows, according to bwin that the state run in a crackdown on EU bookmakers and their agents in Germany in danger of making himself liable to pay compensation under the State liability because the EU law takes precedence over German law. However, this is contrary to the statement of the Federal Constitutional Court which has expressed in its judgment also to Community law component. Accordingly, the requirements of German constitutional law run parallel to the requirements of Community law made by the European Court of Justice. After its case law, the elimination of switching to other Member States with Community law is only compatible if a state monopoly really serves the purpose of reducing opportunities for gambling, and financing of social activities through a levy on the proceeds of authorized games only incidental beneficial consequence and not the real justification for the restrictive policy. The requirements of Community law thus correspond to the Federal Constitutional Court which, according to the Basic Law.
The EU Commission has early April 2006 and Others v. Germany launched an infringement procedure in which the contradictory and inconsistent treatment of sports betting and lotteries and other forms of gambling should be explained.
On 10 August 2006, the Free State of Saxony bwin withdrew the concession. However, the company announced at the outset to try to exhaust all appeals against this decision, coupled with a damages claim up to 500 million euros. On 13 December 2007 the Higher Administrative Court (OVG ) Bautzen confirmed the validity of the license granted in 1990 in the GDR. bwin e.K. may therefore offer sports betting over the internet and apply nationwide, according to the requirements applicable up to 31 December 2007 the legal situation in Saxony. As support the OVG indicates to provide the offers with a corresponding notice that people who are staying in the old federal states may not participate.
On 31 January 2008 the European Commission launched against the Federal Republic of Germany an infringement procedure because of which came into force on 1 January 2008 Gambling Treaty of countries, as this is contrary to the European establishment and freedom to provide services.
The Federal Constitutional Court confirmed by order of 14 October 2008, the constitutionality of the provisions in force in Germany after the State Treaty on Gambling Internet ban on sports betting and sports betting advertising.
On 22 July 2009 confirmed the Bavarian Administrative Court prohibition notices by the government of Middle Franconia, is prohibited by the bwin offer sports betting in Bavaria over the Internet or to advertise for sports betting. Then put bwin eK 25 August 2009 be a range of sports betting. The international side www.bwin.com, which is operated by a Gibraltar bwin company is to achieve in Germany yet. Here, the player may not stop at a participation in the states of Saxony, Baden- Württemberg or Hesse but according to terms of bwin.com.
By judgment of 8 September 2009, the European Court of Justice ruled in the Portuguese Liga Portuguesa proceedings against bwin and declared bans on Internet sports betting for conformity with European law. On 4 March 2010, the Advocates-General at the European Court published its opinion in the German method. They saw it as the State Treaty on gaming as European law.