888 dives into the European sports betting market

888 Holdings continues to make its mark in the world of sports betting as it officially launched www.888sport.com (888sport) on Thursday. The new pan-European sports betting offering was developed with Blue Square, the interactive gaming and betting division of Rank Group.

The two companies announced the agreement back in November and, as promised, introduced the new offering this week in the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Austria. 888sport is now part of 888's unified entertainment offering of casino, poker, bingo and backgammon.

"We are delighted to offer our customers an international betting experience with endless options to take part in sports events," said Senior VP and Head of Offering for 888, Gabi Campos. "Our international launch reinforces 888's strategy of creating a large community of people consuming entertainment content online. The complementary skills and work cultures of the 888 and Blue Square teams mean we are confident of completing a global rollout by the end of 2008."

888sport will be offered in five languages: English, Spanish, German, Swedish and Danish and will include editorial content and sports and betting selections, each tailored and localized per country. 888sport will also feature live in-running betting and will cover many sports fields including U.K. and Irish horse racing, U.K., European and international football, greyhound racing, golf, cricket, rugby, tennis and other novelty events such as Big Brother.

"The launch of a multi-lingual sportsbook is part of our strategy to access a broader customer base by developing and marketing gaming and sports betting products for the international marketplace," said Martin Belsham, the managing director of Blue Square. "Blue Square has earned a strong reputation in the U.K. for innovation in interactive betting and gaming. Today marks the company's first move overseas, bringing together Blue Square's market-leading sports betting products with 888's international brand strength."