German TV station Premiere has launched a betting TV channel, with Austrian sportsbook BetandWin as its official betting partner.
Premiere Win will start broadcasting on 1 August, just in time for the start of the new soccer season, and will allow subscribers to place bets on sports events.
BetandWin currently operates a service where viewers on Premiere in Austria can place bets on live games using mobile phones.
But the new channel should allow it to tap into the massive German recreational betting market.
UK-based Skybet has seen huge growth in its sportsbook after offering live betting options on its Skysports channels.
And Premiere is in a similar position to Skybet as it is the only German TV channel to show every game in the Bundesliga.
Crucially it is also well-positioned to capitalise on the 2006 World Cup, which many European operators predict will be the biggest betting event, with coverage of every game live.
Georg Kofler, chief executive of Premiere, said the firm saw “optimal conditions” to enter the betting market due to the 5,000 hours of live sports coverage it broadcasts.
Premiere said it will also work with Canadian horse-racetrack operator Magna Entertainment to provide live horseracing content.
