Online Provider’s Takeover Rumours 

According to numerous reports out this week, Playtech is close to sealing a deal that will see it purchase UK online bingo provider Virtue Fusion.

Although spokesmen from both companies have refused to comment and it is not known how much this deal could be worth, these rumours follow a statement from online software provider Playtech last week that it was to pursue an aggressive acquisition strategy.

Virtue Fusion provides the back-end for Rank's Mecca online bingo operation along with William Hill and Bet365 and any deal would see its products conflict with the bingo product Playtech already offers in tandem with its poker, casino, mobile and live-dealer products.

Playtech’s last major online acquisition was the takeover of Tribeca Tables, which brought a significant number of online poker sites into its fold following the passage of America’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in late 2006. This deal was worth $75,000 and included the transition of poker operations for sites such as Paddy Power Poker, VC Poker and Blue Square’s poker operation to the iPoker network.