04/07/2006 - www.yogonet.com
NDS launch first Italian TV betting platform
(Italy).- NDS is to launch Italy’s first interactive television betting platform in partnership with SKY Italia, allowing customers to place bets through bookmakers Snai and Italbet on their television set.

The direct TV technology solutions provider has developed a technology infrastructure and tools for the project which links the system’s platform directly to each bookmaker’s back-end system.

Jesper Knutsson, VP Interactive TV of NDS commented, "We are very pleased to be partnering with SKY Italia on an industry first in Italy. Our middleware provides a very intuitive and attractive user experience, giving SKY Italia’s customers a full range of sports bets that are normally only available through a betting shop or online. This should open the market to more casual betters, who may not otherwise have participated in these activities. In addition to the ease of use, the strong encryption and parental control features make it a very safe offering for consumers."

Ivano Airoldi, Director Business and Interactive of SKY Italia said, “This is a fantastic product and we are very grateful to be working with NDS, an established leader in the field. Our customers will now be able to enjoy the convenience of placing bets on sporting events through the comfort of their own home. This makes the entire process easier and attracts an entirely different type of audience to the market, something which our bookmaking partners will find very compelling. Utilizing NDS’s encryption technology and expertise in designing advanced middleware solutions, we have delivered a very attractive offering which we will continue to develop moving forward.”