English bookmaker William Hill Limited and Cryptologic subsidiary Intertainet Overseas Licensing Limited have signed a heads of agreement for the creation of a William Hill branded online casino using software designed by Cryptologic. Details should be finalized by the end of October.
William Hill is one of the top UK sportsbook operators with an estimated 42 percent market share. The company is based in London, but its website is based in Isle of Man, where the company has been granted a bookmaker's permit from the Gaming Commissioners. Isle of Man sits in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Great Britain. Businesses located there enjoy a tax-free status.
While there has been no indication where the new online casino will call home, a government spokesperson in Isle of Man has indicated that there is no legislation for the regulation of Internet gaming in that jurisdiction. To date, the are no licensed online casinos based in Europe.
Spokespersons for both William Hill and Cryptologic gave no indication where it would be located, but said that an announcement will be made by the end of October.