Betsson: First Onliner in Peru?

Stockholm-listed operator Betsson has entered the Peruvian market, offering online poker, online casino, sports betting and scratch-card services.

"We examined several markets in South America and decided on Peru," said Betsson Chief Executive Thomas Kalita in a prepared statement.

Kalita said that Internet penetration has grown at a "dizzying rate" in the country, and that the "relatively high" number of Internet users in tandem with a "developed gaming culture" were decisive factors in its decision to launch.

According to the report, carried by English-language news aggregation site LivinginPeru.com, Betsson is the first online gambling company to launch in Peru.

"We've compared Peru's economic and infrastructural growth over the past years with other countries in the region, this has also influenced our decision", Kalita said.

According to Betsson's Web site, it entered Peru in January of this year.

IGN is awaiting word from Kalita -- more on this to come.