
Bwin to launch in Russia via local licensing deal
GVC partners with Russian media giant Rambler&Co. to launch bwin brand under local licence


GVC Holdings has struck a partnership deal with a prominent media group in Russia, enabling the firm’s flagship bwin brand to be offered in the market under a local operating licence.
The operator has teamed up with Rambler&Co., one of the largest online media companies in the country, and local operator Digital Betting, which holds one of the few online betting licences in Russia.
GVC will license the bwin brand to the two companies, along with its platform, support services and betting product, while Rambler and Digital Betting will take care of the advertising and marketing of the product.
“We are delighted to be partnering with one of Russia’s leading online media organisations,” Shay Segev, GVC chief operating officer, said.
“We believe the combination of the bwin brand, GVC’s cutting edge technology and Rambler’s marketing expertise will provide an extremely compelling offering for Russian punters,” he added.
As per local regulations, the deal is for sportsbook only, with Digital Betting a member of the First Self-Regulatory Organization of Russian Bookmakers, a club only available to Russian operators.
Bwin.ru is expected to launch later this year on mobile and desktop and will provide competition to the likes of 1xbet, Fonbet and Liga Stavok ahead of the Russia-hosted 2018 World Cup.
Dmitry Sergeev, Digital Betting CEO, said the country’s online punters had been waiting “for quite a long period of time” for an “innovative” online betting product.
“We are extremely pleased to be offering the internationally admired bwin sports betting brand and product in Russia,” Sergeev said. “We believe this partnership has great potential to capture significant market share in Russia when it launches later this year,” he added.
Rambler is owned by Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut who, according to Forbes, was known as the “Yeltsin family banker” and described by The Telegraph as “the most powerful oligarch you have never heard of”. Mamut also owns British bookstore chain Waterstones.