From today, December 21, Bet24 will offer its poker product to millions of smartphone users worldwide. The Android version is available for download at www.bet24.com. The iPhone app can be downloaded in App Store in the United Kingdom and Austria today and will be the first ever real-money poker app launched in Denmark on January 1 2012.

Android and iOS already represent a vast majority of the global market for smartphones, and are projected to sell 450 million devices in 2011.

The mobile poker app comes in a clean design optimized to ensure a fluid player experience, with crisp graphics and intuitive one-button game-play. High resolution photo available upon request to carl.zide@ongame.com.

About Ongame
Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators, and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy.  The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from, every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company.  Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.

About Bet24
Bet24 is a holder of gaming licenses in Malta, a member of the European Union. Bet24 Poker is operated by Nordic Betting Limited and powered by Ongame Network Ltd, which has a network license issued by the Gibraltar Government. Bet24 is owned by Modern Times Group, MTG, and offers odds on sport events, casino, poker and games in 16 different languages on www.bet24.com, and has active clients in more than 70 countries.

For more information, please contact:Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com

Denmark is one of the most mature online poker markets in the world with 33.5% of their total gambling market attributed to online play compared with an average of 11% across Europe. According to H2 Gambling Capital, an independent research firm, this market share is expected to grow to 43% during 2012 in Denmark with online poker revenue predicted to grow more than 60% to €87 million.

About Ongame
Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators, and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy.  The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company.  Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.

About Bet24
Bet24 is a holder of gaming licenses in Malta, a member of the European Union. Bet24 Poker is operated by Nordic Betting Limited and powered by Ongame Network Ltd, which has a network license issued by the Gibraltar Government. Bet24 is owned by Modern Times Group, MTG, and offers odds on sport events, casino, poker and games in 16 different languages on www.bet24.com, and has active clients in more than 70 countries.

About Scandic Bookmakers
Scandic Bookmakers is a Danish company founded 1999 and is one of the largest sports books in Scandinavia. The company is headquartered in Malta and has players from all over Europe. Currently Scandic Bookmakers offers sports betting, poker, casino and live casino. More information can be found on www.scandicbookmakers.com.

For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com

After a brief respite to regroup from the Prague extravaganza and see in the New Year, GSOP Live 2 will climb the Alps to Salzburg, Austria, 1-6 February, 2012. Online finals for GSOP Live Salzburg continue Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays until January 15, 2012 with Super Step Sundays running during the same period.

Salzburg next stop

GSOP Salzburg is the next event, and the last stop before April’s Grand Final in the tropical Dominican Republic. After racking up increasingly large crowds (and big wins) in Manchester, UK (August), Greece (October), and Prague (December), the live poker tour schusses its way through the Alps to its final European destination, Salzburg, in February 2012. From 1-6 February, GSOP Live is going alpine in St Johann im Pongau, which is right at the heart of Austria’s biggest ski area; the Salzburg Sportswelt.

As with all GSOP Live events, all players who qualify through Ongame’s online finals get to bring along a guest for free. All activities are for two (qualifier plus guest). Details of the Winter Wonderland Welcome Party and related Salzburg-centered social events will follow.

Read more about GSOP Live Prague and GSOP Live Salzburg on gsoplive.com.

About GSOP Live

A unique live tournament collaboration between some of the strongest poker brands on the market, the GSOP Live is open to players on all levels with accessible buy-ins and inclusive stops in established and up-and-coming poker hot-spots around Europe with the Grand Final of Season 2 in Dominican Republic.  Dates/Locations of upcoming events:

For more information about GSOP Live visit www.gsoplive.com.

About Ongame

Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy.  The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company.  Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.

For more information, please contact:

Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com

In the party capital of Europe
The setting is the irresistibly elegant Corinthia Hotel, centrally located in the quaint, historic European city of Prague, Czech Republic.

All players who qualify through Ongame’s online finals get to bring along a guest for free. All activities are for two (qualifier plus guest) and include a welcome party at the Corinthia Hotel Prague with surprises, a magical history tour of the capital city, including Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and Old Town and a tour of a major Czech brewery – Not coincidentally, the Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world!.

Bigger and better than ever
As an added bonus, each player qualified through Ongame will get a golden ticket to a free-roll, organized as a coin flip tournament, where they’ll have a chance of winning one of five pairs of tickets (valued at $2,900 each) to GSOP Live in Salzburg, February 1-6, 2012.

About GSOP Live
A unique live tour collaboration between some of the strongest poker brands on the market, the GSOP Live is open to players on all levels with accessible buy-ins and inclusive stops in established and up-and-coming poker hot-spots around Europe with the Grand Final of Season 2 in Dominican Republic. Dates/Locations of remaining Season 2 events:

For more information about GSOP Live visit www.gsoplive.com

About Ongame
Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy.  The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company.

About Bet24
Bet24 is a holder of gaming licenses in Malta, a member of the European Union. Bet24 Poker is operated by Nordic Betting Limited and powered by Ongame Network Ltd, which has a network license issued by the Gibraltar Government. Bet24 is owned by Modern Times Group, MTG, and offers odds on sport events, casino, poker and games in 16 different languages on www.bet24.com and has active clients in more than 70 countries.

For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com

On October 11-15 the Porto Carras resort will play host Ongame’s GSOP Live offering players and also a companion an escape from the daily grind. Online finals for GSOP Live Greece are running every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday till 25 September.

Qualifiers for his latest GSOP Live event can treat a friend to a relaxing vacation, taking in the resort’s gorgeous white sand beaches and the crystalline blue waters of the Aegean. They can also absorb the great poker action to be found at the GSOP Live. All players who qualify through Ongame’s online finals can bring a friend for free to stay with them at the fabulous all-inclusive Porto Carras Hotel and Resort.

Sofia Edbom Poker Manager at Betsafe, a member of the Ongame poker network.

David Pittel, Managing Director of Ongame Network.

After its inaugural season, the second season of GSOP Live has been extended to five stops in as diverse locations as football stadiums, the Alps and beaches, with a Grand Final taking place in Dominican Republic. The first stop of GSOP Live season 2 took place in Manchester United’s ‘Theatre of Dreams’ where players also attended the testimonial match for Paul Scholes, considered by many to be the world’s best midfield player of his generation. Jens Kerper representing bwin, came out victorious, earning himself $81,175 and a seat at the table for the Grand Final in the Dominican Republic.

Ole Remi Hauser, Winner of GSOP LIve Super Pro Package

Gibraltar 29 July 2011 – 23 year old Ole Hausner is staking his claim to become the best Norwegian poker player of all-time after winning the Grand Series of Poker Live Pro package worth $21,000. Ole goes under the alias of DaffyCottage and is a student from Tromsø. In March he won the Norwegian Poker Championship in Pot Limit Omaha.

The GSOP Live Pro package includes flight, hotel and expenses plus buy-ins for all five live poker events within the GSOP Live Tournament. To be able to win the package, players had to qualify by collecting 30,000 points during a 40-day period.

“I am looking forward to meet the European elite in Manchester for the first stop of the GSOP Live Tournament”, says Ole. “This will be the third time I play in the Grand Series of Poker and I will aim to win. Poker is of course about the challenge, the thrill and the skills. But more importantly, poker is a game of fun.”

“The GSOP Live Tournament is a unique concept that suits all our players well”, says Herbert Paradis, Head of Poker at Betsson which is a member of the Ongame poker network. “The GSOP attracts both recreational players and professional players. It is a tournament that combines affordable buy-ins with the luxurious atmosphere of a world-class event.”
 
 
About GSOP Live
Grand Series of Poker Live is a luxurious live poker tournament designed by Ongame with the recreational player in mind. The main part of GSOP Live takes place in Europe – by beaches, in the Alps and in one of the world’s most famous football stadiums, being Manchester United’s Old Trafford – The Theatre of Dreams. The Grand Final will then see the tour go pan-Atlantic to the Caribbean paradise of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
• 2-6 August 2011: Manchester at Manchester United FC’s stadium Old Trafford
• 11-15 October 2011: Greece, Porto Carras, near Thessaloniki
• 8-12 December 2011: Prague
• 1-5 February 2012: Salzburg, in the skiing resort St Johann im Pongau
• 21-28 April 2012: Grand Final in the Dominican Republic

Direct buy-ins are available at www.gsoplive.com.
 
 
About Ongame
Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.
 
 
About Betsson
Betsson AB (Publ) is a listed Swedish holding company that invests in companies which provide gaming service over the internet. The company’s B-shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Mid Cap List. The main focus of the operation is to own and administer internet gambling companies. Betsson AB (Publ) owns Betsson Malta Ltd that manages a broad variety of games through the sites Betsson.com, Betsafe.com, CasinoEuro.com and CherryCasino.com. The company is established at Malta within EU and employees around 500 people.
 
 
For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com
 
 

Starting today, poker players at www.bwin.com can now use their Android phones to play poker. The new Android poker client is based on the same easy to use mobile interface that was first introduced by Ongame with the introduction of the iPhone poker client in January 2011.

“Android was always the next step for us after launching the world’s first real-money poker app for iPhone six months ago” – says Berthold Kao, Product Manager for mobile at bwin.party. “The real-money iPhone app that we developed with Ongame has been a tremendous success, and we also believe that the Android app has significant potential. Building a mobile application is not just about format and technology. Delivering a mobile application that appeals to the mass market requires you to reinvent the whole poker experience.”

Having increased its market share among smartphones in Western Europe from 4% to 36% during 2010, Android is not only the most popular software choice for smartphones, but it is also the fastest growing operating system ever. Android is expected to grow at approximately 37% per annum between 2010 and 2015, according to International Data Corporation, May 2011.

“Mobile is a no longer a nice-to-have feature, it is what the digital consumer expects”, says David Pittel, Managing Director of Ongame Network. “Poker players are an ideal target audience for a mobile app, they are tech-savvy and keen to enjoy games using multiple platforms. The question now is not whether or not they own a smartphone; the question is whether they prefer iOS or Android. We are seeing a huge interest from all the major operators within our poker networks.”

The app is available for free download at www.bwin.com/androidpoker
 
 
About Ongame
Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.
 
 
For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com
 
 

Starting today, Ongame launches cash games in Italy enabling bwin and GDpoker, the dedicated poker website of Gioco Digitale, to generate an exciting new revenue stream from the most popular poker product – this is in addition to tournament poker that was first regulated in Italy in 2008.

“We are excited about the launch of cash game poker in Italy” – says Paolo Di Feo, Southern Regional Director at bwin.party. “Cash game poker requires less effort from the player and is particularly appealing if you just want to play for a limited period of time. We are delighted that Ongame is one of the first-movers into this exciting new segment of the Italian market.”

Cash games typically account for the majority of revenues for online poker operators. According to H2 Gambling Capital in March 2011, across Europe the average number of seated Cash Game players was 32% higher than the average number of seated tournament players.

“We are proud to be among the first operators to launch cash game poker on the Italian market”, says David Pittel, Managing Director of Ongame Network. “Cash games are not only highly popular, cash games are also well-suited to the mobile platform which requires that the user has control when he starts and ends playing. We are also now working to implement cash games for a couple of our other B2C operators that we expect to launch shortly.”
 
 
About Ongame
Ongame is one of the world’s largest B2B poker providers. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of cash games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.
 
 
For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com
 
 

The first stop of GSOP Live season 2 will take place within the walls of Manchester United’s famous Old Trafford stadium – ‘The Theatre of Dreams’. On Friday 5 August, during day 3 of the Grand Series of Poker’s main event, all players who qualified for a full prize package through Ongame’s online finals will be able to watch and enjoy the testimonial match between Manchester United and New York Cosmos for Paul Scholes, who called an end to his wonderful playing career for the recently crowned Premier League champions.

“This is going to be a big night for me and my family but one which I intend to enjoy and I will savour every moment,” says Scholes on Manchester United’s official website. “I have spent my whole footballing life at Manchester United, so this will be an emotional farewell.” And it will also be an emotional night for fans of the Red Devils with one of Man Utd’s most acclaimed and respected players making a return to Old Trafford – now Director of Soccer at the New Your Cosmos, Eric Cantona will be pitched head-to-head against his former manager – Sir Alex Ferguson.

Paul Scholes made nearly 700 appearances for Manchester United, in which he claimed a monumental 24 winners’ medals in 17 seasons. Former France international player Zinedine Zidane says he is “undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation.”

In his last appearance in a Manchester United shirt, Paul Scholes will team up with a side of Manchester United veterans for a final game in his honour.

“To play the first-ever poker tournament within the walls of Old Trafford and enjoy a footballing spectacular for one of the game’s true greats will be an amazing experience for any fan of poker and football,” says David Pittel, Managing Director of Ongame Network. “Having many of the biggest sportsbook brands on our network we’re really excited to offer a poker event with the Champions League finalists and Premier League champions providing the backdrop at the very same time”.

There is no cost for players. All they have to do is qualify through Ongame, and then sign up for the match at the welcome party on 2 August. Direct buy-ins are available at www.gsoplive.com.
 
 
About Ongame
Ongame is the world’s largest B2B poker provider. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of ring games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com.
 
 
About GSOP Live
Grand Series of Poker Live is a luxurious live poker tournament aimed at recreational players. The main part of Ongame’s poker network tour goes down in all new locations in Europe – by beaches, in the Alps and in one of the world’s most famous football stadiums. The Grand Final will then see the tour go pan-Atlantic to the Caribbean paradise of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

• 2-6 August 2011: Manchester at Manchester United FC’s stadium Old Trafford
• 11-15 October 2011: Greece, Porto Carras, near Thessaloniki
• 8-12 December 2011: Prague
• 1-5 February 2012: Salzburg, in the skiing resort St Johann im Pongau
• 21-28 April 2012: Grand Final in the Dominican Republic

Direct buy-ins are now available at www.gsoplive.com.
 
 
For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com

Ongame today announces Grand Series of Poker Live season 2, the second edition of its highly successful tour aimed at recreational poker players. Upping the number of tour stops to five, the main part of Ongame’s poker network tour goes down in all new locations in Europe – by beaches, in the Alps and in one of the world’s most famous football stadiums. The Grand Final will then see the tour go pan-Atlantic to the Caribbean paradise of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Starting with the first-ever poker event at Manchester United’s legendary Old Trafford stadium and overlooking the pitch inside the ‘The Theatre of Dreams’, GSOP Live season 2 will have five exclusive stops including the Grand Final:

•        2-7 August 2011: Manchester at Manchester United FC’s stadium Old Trafford
•        11-15 October 2011: Greece, Porto Carras, near Thessaloniki
•        7-12 December 2011: Prague
•        1-6 February 2012: Salzburg, in the skiing resort St Johann im Pongau
•        21-28 April 2012: Grand Final in the Dominican Republic

“The player response has been very positive throughout the GSOP Live tour, and our players will be happy to hear we’re doing it again. The locations Ongame has secured for the second season will really make GSOP Live 2 something you will not want to miss”, says Heidi Skogster, Poker Manager at Betsson, a member of the Ongame poker network.

David Pittel, Managing Director of Ongame Network, added: “The first season worked out better than we could have ever hoped and confirmed our view that there is clearly demand for a network-sponsored tour. For GSOP Live season 2 we’re promising more in every way – more stops, more exciting venues, and plenty more great poker action.”

GSOP Live 2 will follow the same concept as the inaugural season, giving recreational players the chance to taste the thrill and excitement of competing on an international live event with qualifying events starting as low as $2, affordable buy-ins, a fantastic range of prize packages to win and premium hotels and first-class casinos. Direct buy-ins are now available at www.gsoplive.com.

About Ongame
Ongame is the world’s largest B2B poker provider. The global network includes more than 25 of the e-gaming industry’s strongest brands and operators and has up to 45,000 concurrent players at peak hours. Ongame also operates regional networks in France and Italy. The company offers both operators and their players a wide variety of ring games and tournaments to choose from every hour of every day. Ongame Network Ltd is headquartered in Gibraltar and is a subsidiary of bwin.party digital entertainment plc, the world’s largest listed online gaming company. Further information about Ongame can be found at www.ongame.com

About Betsson
Betsson AB’s Core Business consists of investing and administering shareholding in companies, which through partners or by themselves, offers games to the end users via the internet. Betsson AB owns Betsson Malta which operates games through partnerships and the websites www.betsson.com (http://www.betsson.com), www.casinoeuro.com and www.cherrycasino.com. Betsson Malta offers Poker, Casino, Sports betting, Scratch Cards, Bingo and Games. The customers mainly originate from the Scandinavian countries and other parts of Europe. Betsson AB is listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic Mid Cap List, (BETS).

For more information, please contact:
Carl Zide, Communications Manager at Ongame, +46 701 64 70 13, carl.zide@ongame.com