As reported by: eGaming Review
Sportingbet has confirmed it has put in a US$1.4bn bid for listed egaming firm Empire Online, following widespread press speculation in the UK.

Empire Online, the owner of poker site Empire Poker, said on Friday it had begun talks with an unnamed firm over merger talks.

Initial speculation suggested the firm in question was PartyGaming, but media reports in the UK claimed it was Sportingbet.

And the widespread speculation led this morning to a statement from Sportingbet.

"Sportingbet announces that it is in discussions with Empire, which may or may not lead to an offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Empire," the Sportingbet statement said.

"These discussions are at a very preliminary stage, and there can be no certainty whatsoever that agreement will be reached and an offer will be forthcoming," it added.

The deal would be the largest in egaming history, and would far exceed Sportingbet's US$300m acquisition of Paradise Poker last November.

And it has surprised many within the egaming industry, with Sportingbet only recently completing the integration of its US sportsbook brands with the Paradise Poker network.


Article By: eGaming Review