William Hill prepares to enter Italian online gaming market

Sports betting and gaming provider William Hill has confirmed its plan to enter the Italian online market.

The firm's new website, www.williamhill.it, which will be launched later this month, is one of the first platforms to be awarded an AAMS online gaming licence from the Italian authorities.

William Hill will initially launch its casino site, followed shortly after by its bingo, poker and sportsbook sites. The Italian launch will be supported by an imaginative marketing campaign, developed to maximise awareness of the William Hill brand in Italy.

Hills have spent over a year developing the new website, with the aim of competing with its domestic and international rivals for a large slice of the estimated €6bn Italian online betting and gaming market.

Henry Birch, CEO of William Hill Online, commented: "We are really excited about our Italian venture. The combination of a high passion for sports and gaming makes Italy one of the most important markets in our international expansion plans.

"We have spent a lot of time developing the site and ensuring it conforms to the AAMS regulatory requirements. We are delighted with the outcome of the site and we believe it will be a big hit with Italian players."