eGaming Review June 2012 | Page 26

A LY S I S AN NEWS * * Scandinavian consolidation A year has passed since Betsson completed its acquisition of fellow Nordic operator Betsafe, and the signs are that it was the ?rst of many acquisitions only accelerated by the opening of the Danish market in January. Tom Victor examines whether this trend is set to continue A NA LY S IS W hen Denmark announced it would be issuing egaming licences on 1 January this year, one of the areas of concern was whether or not there would be room within a relatively small jurisdiction for all those who hoped to be involved. Allowances were made for some 68 licences, with 38 awarded in advance of the market opening – arguably unsustainable in a country of just over 5.5 million people. It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that the months since have seen increased consolidation activity among some larger Scandinavian-facing operators, as they look to compete with the notable monopoly presence in Denmark, as well as comparable situations in Sweden and Finland. Consolidation has thus far been limited to sportsled ope ????????? ?????e??????????????????????A???]?????????????????????????????????????????????q???????????????????U???????????????????????$???????????????????????????????????????????????t?]??????????????????q%????e????????????????????????????????$??????m??????????????????t????????????????????????????????????????????t??qA?????????????????????????????A????M????????????????????????????M?????L????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????t?????]????????????????????((?(+? ???4((?()Q???????? ???????????????????9??????????????()???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!??????????????q ?????????????????????L?$??????????????????????????????????????????????$????????e??????????????????????%?e????????????????????????????????$????????e??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????t?9???? ????????????????A????!????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????q]???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Q??????????????????????????????t?Q????????????????????????????????????????????????U?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????%?????????????????????????????????????????L???????? ??????M???????L??????????????????????????????????????e????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I)0???????????????U???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????? ?????????????????????????????!?????Q????????e??????????????????q ????????????????????????t???????????Q?????????????????????????????????U?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????((??()???????????????((0