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William Hill to Launch iTV Channel

Bookmaking giants to hit the digital airwaves

Friday 21st May 2004

Bookmaker William Hill has announced it is to launch an interactive TV channel on the Sky Digital platform at the end of this year. Following agreement with Digital Interactive Television Group Limited (DITG), the channel promises a mix of editorial programming covering worldwide sporting events, simple random number generated betting opportunities and an interactive betting service. Hills is also looking into the possibility of covering live sporting events.

David Harding, Chief Executive of William Hill, said: 'This initiative places William Hill at the forefront of the UK betting industry in exploiting interactive television, which is gaining growing acceptance as a transactional platform.

'Our well known and trusted brand, ability to cross-promote the service to customers in other parts of our business, and choice of partner in DITG, a proven operator in this field, should provide us with significant advantages in pursuing this new profit stream.'

DITG was launched in 2001 by Freeserve founder Peter Wilkinson and John Swingewood, ex-head of new media at BskyB, and has developed iTV platforms for the BBC, Channel 4, MTV, CNN, Disney and the Discovery Channel.

Damian Cope, managing director of DITG’s gaming division said 'DITG has already shown it can service traditional broadcasters – this partnership shows us doing the same in the gambling arena with the UK’s biggest bookmaker.'




Source: OnlineCasinoNews