Italian firm gets stake in NLCB

GTech is the NLCB’s technological provider for all of its online games. The European Union (EU) yesterday allowed Lottomatica to purchase GTech, a US provider of technology for the gaming industry, following an antitrust investigation of the gaming and betting markets in Italy where Lottomatica operates the state-run “lotto,” sports events and betting services.

In a statement, the EU said it gave the green light to Lottomatica after determining that the US company “has only a limited presence in gambling and betting in Italy.”

Lee Sing told Newsday Lottomatica’s acquisition was good news and he does not foresee any fallout from it.

In fact, Lee Sing said NLCB could only grow from strength to strength through its new partnership with Lottomatica, because of the Italian corporate group’s track record in the global gaming industry.

Since 1993, Lottomatica has held the exclusive concession for the single major online lottery in the world, the Italian “Lotto.”

Owned by the De Agostine group, Lottomatica currently distributes games and services through an extensive real-time, on-line network in Europe with approximately 80,000 terminals in over 50,000 points of sales. Lottomatica recorded sales of US$748.2 million in 2004.

Lee Sing said Gtech remains the service provider for NLCB and all initiatives being undertaken by the US company to improve the NLCB’s services remain ontrack and are progressing smoothly at this time.