iGaming Business – French online betting and gaming operator PMU has reported that despite a year-on-year drop in sales during the first quarter of 2014, its activity in the period was “in line with expectations”. The operator reported total sales of €2.6 billion ($3.6 billion) for Q1 of 2014, a decrease of 3.4% on the previous year. PMU’s horseracing business suffered the most with an overall drop of 4.5% in sales to €2.4 billion. French horseracing sales fell 7.4% to €2.2 billion in the quarter but this was slightly offset by a 45.6% jump to €192.1 million in international sales….

The betting monopoly OPAP has struck a deal with iGaming firm GTECH to provide Greek online betting services its customers. OPAP officials awarded the contract to GTECH after vetting four other firms. It will help their much-needed expansion into the online betting market, which has become increasingly important in anticipation for the 2014 Football World Cup. GTECH is an industry leader in developing and providing iGaming software. Their offering includes everything from online blackjack and slots to lotteries and sportsbetting. It provides games for online casinos and betting sites across Europe and North America. The formerly state-owned company was privatized…

From iGaming Business Activity and gross gaming revenues in France’s online gaming and betting market have switched around dramatically in the past few months, Jean-Francois Vilotte, president of the French regulatory authority ARJEL, has revealed in an interview with the French newspaper Les Echos. Vilotte explained that the market’s structure had changed substantially, with gross profits for online poker cash games down 14% to €61.2m for the 12-month period to May and tournament fees stable at €41m. Gross gaming revenues for online sports betting of €63.4m meant a rise of 20% on 2012 figures. Football played a large part in…