The second royal baby is on its way, and thousands of punters have already rushed to the bookies to place wagers on its name.

This week started off with great news for fans of the Royal Family, as a statement from Clarence House announced Prince George is going to be a big brother. As Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their second child, online gambling news sites predict a new betting bonanza.

When Kate and William got married in April 2011, 24.5 million watched their wedding on TV. Soon after the news got out that the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant, bookmakers started offering odds on the royal baby’s name, hair color and even his future job, with bettors placing over $2.4 million in wagers.

Betting companies are expecting even bigger profits this time around, as the second royal baby has started to draw new clients just after the announcement was made. Next to the usual sports scores listed at bookmakers, players can already place wagers on the name, weight and hair color of the new royal baby.

The Wire: People Are Already Betting on the Royal Baby

British newspapers have announced the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a second child. Kate will not be accompanying Prince William on a previous engagement in Oxford, as she is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum – a severe form of morning sickness – and is under medical observation.

Meanwhile, punters are already placing bets on the baby’s name, hair color, weight, and even whether Kate is having twins or triplets. Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has released a statement saying players have already spent more than GBP10,000 by Monday midnight.

“If there’s one thing that baby George taught us it’s that the British public love a punt on a Royal offspring and we’re bracing ourselves for another baby betting bonanza. Money is already pouring in by the pramload and we expect this to be the biggest novelty betting market of the year,” Paddy Power said in a statement.

According to the company’s latest odds, the safest bet is on Kate and William having a brown-haired baby at birth. Odds on hair color are: brown (6/4), blonde (5/2), red (3/1) and black (5/1). Odds for multiple birth are 33/1 for twins and 250/1 for triplets. As for the weight of the baby, Paddy Power is going with 5/1 for less than 6lbs, 6lbs to 6lbs 15oz, or 9lbs to 9lbs 15oz; 11/8 for 7lbs to 7lbs 15oz; 11/8 for 8lbs to 8lbs 15oz; and 8/1 for the baby weighing 10lbs or more.

As far as names go, Elizabeth, Henry and Victoria are top favorites with odds of 10/1, followed by Charlotte, Arthur, William, Alice, Philip, Alexandra, Catherine or Kate, and Charles, all given 12/1 odds; James, Mary and Frances are at 16/1, while Albert, Alex/Alexander, Diana and Spencer are at 20/1. The last option – Macbeth – is a long-shot with odds of 500/1.

E! News: Royal Baby No. 2 Names and Gender Already Sparking Major Betting Frenzy — Check Out the Odds!

Merely hours after Clarence House revealed the good news that Kate Middleton and Prince William are expecting their second child, bookmakers have started taking wagers on the baby’s gender and name.

“The royal baby betting frenzy is back in full swing. With one correct gamble already in the bag, punters are quickly reinvesting their winnings on the couple having a second son called James,” Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes told E! News.

James, the duchess’ brother’s name, is at the top of the list with 6:1 odds, followed by Elizabeth, Arthur and Victoria at 8:1. Ladbrokes has posted 4:5 odds that the duke and duchess will have another boy, and it seems highly unlikely that Kate is carrying more than one child, with odds being at 20:1 for twins and 100:1 for triplets.

Either way, punters will have to wait until next spring to meet the second royal baby and find out if they won.

People: Royal Baby’s Name and Sex: Bookmakers Taking Bets

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that Kate is expecting their second child and all bets are on, as bookmakers are already taking wagers on the baby’s name and sex.

“The Royal Baby betting frenzy is back in full swing,” Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes told reporters. “With one correct gamble already in the bag, punters are quickly reinvesting their winnings on the couple having a second son called James,” she added.

Ladbrokes is offering 4:5 odds on the new child being a boy, and James (Kate’s brother’s name) is the top favorite for a first name, with odds at 6:1.

NBC News: Royal Baby Boom a Bonanza for British Economy

The British economy is getting a boost from the second royal baby. Money has already started pouring into the betting industry, and economy experts are expecting tourism and souvenir sales to increase.

When Prince George was born last July, it was predicted that the food, drink, tourism and media industry would make an extra $400 million in sales. The birth of the second baby is expected to reach the same level, but economist Howard Archer warns: “There may be a small feel-good factor when it is born and some buying of souvenirs but that is as far as it will go.”

Gamblers have already started to place wagers on the baby’s name, gender and weight, which can only mean good news for the betting industry.

CNN: Betting gets a bump from Royal Baby #2

Gambling companies are preparing for another betting bonanza. Paddy Power said it was expecting this to be the biggest novelty betting market of the year, and Ladbrokes has also announced it was taking bets on the new baby’s name, with James being favorite at odds of 6:1. Betfair is going with Victoria as top choice for the second child’s name.

Players from all over the world have placed more than GBP1.5 million ($2.4 million) in wagers on the birth of the first royal baby, trying to guess its name, hair color and future career. Bets started pouring after the palace announced that Kate had gone into labor.

Wagers on a sibling for Prince George have been open for some time, and betting companies said hundreds of people have already won thousands of pounds.

“587 people have correctly predicted that the couple would announce they are expecting a second child in 2014, all of those punters have now collected [their] winnings,” Ladbrokes announced.

The second royal baby is on its way, and thousands of punters have already rushed to the bookies to place wagers on its name.

This week started off with great news for fans of the Royal Family, as a statement from Clarence House announced Prince George is going to be a big brother. As Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their second child, online gambling news sites predict a new betting bonanza.

When Kate and William got married in April 2011, 24.5 million watched their wedding on TV. Soon after the news got out that the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant, bookmakers started offering odds on the royal baby’s name, hair color and even his future job, with bettors placing over $2.4 million in wagers.

Betting companies are expecting even bigger profits this time around, as the second royal baby has started to draw new clients just after the announcement was made. Next to the usual sports scores listed at bookmakers, players can already place wagers on the name, weight and hair color of the new royal baby.

The Wire: People Are Already Betting on the Royal Baby

British newspapers have announced the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a second child. Kate will not be accompanying Prince William on a previous engagement in Oxford, as she is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum – a severe form of morning sickness – and is under medical observation.

Meanwhile, punters are already placing bets on the baby’s name, hair color, weight, and even whether Kate is having twins or triplets. Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has released a statement saying players have already spent more than GBP10,000 by Monday midnight.

“If there’s one thing that baby George taught us it’s that the British public love a punt on a Royal offspring and we’re bracing ourselves for another baby betting bonanza. Money is already pouring in by the pramload and we expect this to be the biggest novelty betting market of the year,” Paddy Power said in a statement.

According to the company’s latest odds, the safest bet is on Kate and William having a brown-haired baby at birth. Odds on hair color are: brown (6/4), blonde (5/2), red (3/1) and black (5/1). Odds for multiple birth are 33/1 for twins and 250/1 for triplets. As for the weight of the baby, Paddy Power is going with 5/1 for less than 6lbs, 6lbs to 6lbs 15oz, or 9lbs to 9lbs 15oz; 11/8 for 7lbs to 7lbs 15oz; 11/8 for 8lbs to 8lbs 15oz; and 8/1 for the baby weighing 10lbs or more.

As far as names go, Elizabeth, Henry and Victoria are top favorites with odds of 10/1, followed by Charlotte, Arthur, William, Alice, Philip, Alexandra, Catherine or Kate, and Charles, all given 12/1 odds; James, Mary and Frances are at 16/1, while Albert, Alex/Alexander, Diana and Spencer are at 20/1. The last option – Macbeth – is a long-shot with odds of 500/1.

E! News: Royal Baby No. 2 Names and Gender Already Sparking Major Betting Frenzy — Check Out the Odds!

Merely hours after Clarence House revealed the good news that Kate Middleton and Prince William are expecting their second child, bookmakers have started taking wagers on the baby’s gender and name.

“The royal baby betting frenzy is back in full swing. With one correct gamble already in the bag, punters are quickly reinvesting their winnings on the couple having a second son called James,” Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes told E! News.

James, the duchess’ brother’s name, is at the top of the list with 6:1 odds, followed by Elizabeth, Arthur and Victoria at 8:1. Ladbrokes has posted 4:5 odds that the duke and duchess will have another boy, and it seems highly unlikely that Kate is carrying more than one child, with odds being at 20:1 for twins and 100:1 for triplets.

Either way, punters will have to wait until next spring to meet the second royal baby and find out if they won.

People: Royal Baby’s Name and Sex: Bookmakers Taking Bets

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that Kate is expecting their second child and all bets are on, as bookmakers are already taking wagers on the baby’s name and sex.

“The Royal Baby betting frenzy is back in full swing,” Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes told reporters. “With one correct gamble already in the bag, punters are quickly reinvesting their winnings on the couple having a second son called James,” she added.

Ladbrokes is offering 4:5 odds on the new child being a boy, and James (Kate’s brother’s name) is the top favorite for a first name, with odds at 6:1.

NBC News: Royal Baby Boom a Bonanza for British Economy

The British economy is getting a boost from the second royal baby. Money has already started pouring into the betting industry, and economy experts are expecting tourism and souvenir sales to increase.

When Prince George was born last July, it was predicted that the food, drink, tourism and media industry would make an extra $400 million in sales. The birth of the second baby is expected to reach the same level, but economist Howard Archer warns: “There may be a small feel-good factor when it is born and some buying of souvenirs but that is as far as it will go.”

Gamblers have already started to place wagers on the baby’s name, gender and weight, which can only mean good news for the betting industry.

CNN: Betting gets a bump from Royal Baby #2

Gambling companies are preparing for another betting bonanza. Paddy Power said it was expecting this to be the biggest novelty betting market of the year, and Ladbrokes has also announced it was taking bets on the new baby’s name, with James being favorite at odds of 6:1. Betfair is going with Victoria as top choice for the second child’s name.

Players from all over the world have placed more than GBP1.5 million ($2.4 million) in wagers on the birth of the first royal baby, trying to guess its name, hair color and future career. Bets started pouring after the palace announced that Kate had gone into labor.

Wagers on a sibling for Prince George have been open for some time, and betting companies said hundreds of people have already won thousands of pounds.

“587 people have correctly predicted that the couple would announce they are expecting a second child in 2014, all of those punters have now collected [their] winnings,” Ladbrokes announced.

A 37 year old Danish poker player, Mr. Gus Hansen, has been on an incredible winning streak playing online poker at the Full Tilt Poker, winning $999,480 this week alone at ‘heads-up’ matches, bringing his five month online total to $5,000,000 won. Just in the first 54 days of 2011, Mr. Hansen, also known as The Great Dane, won $3 million playing Pot Limit Omaha and Draw Poker. He is currently in first place in overall winnings in online poker cash games in 2011, with his closest competitor, Mr. Patrik Antonius far behind, yet still a winner of more than a million dollars since the start of the year.

During the last week, Mr. Hansen played over 2,500 hands of draw poker against some of the most aggressive whales of the online poker rooms, including Mr. Tom Dwan and Mr, Phil Galfond, and still walked away with a cool million.

Not too long ago, things were not so rosy for Mr. Hansen , who almost permanently quit playing poker last year after losing $5.55 million by early fall, and finishing the year with an overall loss of $1.3 million. That was the beginning of the lucky streak which he’s been on for the past five months, eventually leading to this week’s amazing weekly win, playing thousands of pots larger than most people’s yearly income.

Gus Hanses was one of the founding partners of PokerChamps online poker room, which was sold 20 months later to Betfair for $15 million dollars.

Mr. Hansen has been a gambler all his life, first becoming a world ranked backgammon player and then discovering poker to eventually win the European World Series of Poker bracelet in the ‘No Limit Hold’em High Roller Heads-Up’ $15,000 buy-in tournament. Over his lifetime, Mr. Gus Hansen won over 9 million dollars in live tournaments and is a regular player in the biggest poker cash games in Las Vegas and online.

A 37 year old Danish poker player, Mr. Gus Hansen, has been on an incredible winning streak playing online poker at the Full Tilt Poker, winning $999,480 this week alone at ‘heads-up’ matches, bringing his five month online total to $5,000,000 won. Just in the first 54 days of 2011, Mr. Hansen, also known as The Great Dane, won $3 million playing Pot Limit Omaha and Draw Poker. He is currently in first place in overall winnings in online poker cash games in 2011, with his closest competitor, Mr. Patrik Antonius far behind, yet still a winner of more than a million dollars since the start of the year.

During the last week, Mr. Hansen played over 2,500 hands of draw poker against some of the most aggressive whales of the online poker rooms, including Mr. Tom Dwan and Mr, Phil Galfond, and still walked away with a cool million.

Not too long ago, things were not so rosy for Mr. Hansen , who almost permanently quit playing poker last year after losing $5.55 million by early fall, and finishing the year with an overall loss of $1.3 million. That was the beginning of the lucky streak which he’s been on for the past five months, eventually leading to this week’s amazing weekly win, playing thousands of pots larger than most people’s yearly income.

Gus Hanses was one of the founding partners of PokerChamps online poker room, which was sold 20 months later to Betfair for $15 million dollars.

Mr. Hansen has been a gambler all his life, first becoming a world ranked backgammon player and then discovering poker to eventually win the European World Series of Poker bracelet in the ‘No Limit Hold’em High Roller Heads-Up’ $15,000 buy-in tournament. Over his lifetime, Mr. Gus Hansen won over 9 million dollars in live tournaments and is a regular player in the biggest poker cash games in Las Vegas and online.

Would you believe that, with the 2010 World Cup, Wimbledon and Major League Baseball all in full swing, one of the most popular wagers on the Internet was on a grass-court tennis tournament in Rhode Island?

Neither does the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), an independent investigative body, which has ordered an investigation into a match between Richard Bloomfield of Britain and Belgium’s Chistophe Rochus in which $1.5 million was wagered on Bloomfield at Betfair online sportsbook. Betfair reported the irregular activity to the TIU and is expected to hand over information on the specific bets made on Bloomfield.

Bloomfield began the Newport Hall of Fame grass-court tournament ranked no. 552 in the world, while Rochus was at no. 160. Bloomfield was getting odds of 1:1 to win the best-of-three set match the day before, but just hours before first serve, those odds had shrunk to 1:4. After taking the first set and live odds betting continuing to roll in, Bloomfield had odds of 1:8 on him.

Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin later explained to Associated Press reporters that “If people are willing to risk £4 pounds to win £1, that is indicative of a substantial gamble.”

No official word has been released on how much the “lucky” punters who backed Bloomfield won from Betfair, but estimates say it’s $600,000 minimum.

Bloomfield won the contest in two sets and is not suspected of any wrongdoing, despite a 2006 investigation in a similar situation – he won that match, too. “I don’t know what to say,” said Bloomfield. “I know England’s a big betting nation. It seems like every time I win a decent match, [controversy] comes up.”

Would you believe that, with the 2010 World Cup, Wimbledon and Major League Baseball all in full swing, one of the most popular wagers on the Internet was on a grass-court tennis tournament in Rhode Island?

Neither does the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), an independent investigative body, which has ordered an investigation into a match between Richard Bloomfield of Britain and Belgium’s Chistophe Rochus in which $1.5 million was wagered on Bloomfield at Betfair online sportsbook. Betfair reported the irregular activity to the TIU and is expected to hand over information on the specific bets made on Bloomfield.

Bloomfield began the Newport Hall of Fame grass-court tournament ranked no. 552 in the world, while Rochus was at no. 160. Bloomfield was getting odds of 1:1 to win the best-of-three set match the day before, but just hours before first serve, those odds had shrunk to 1:4. After taking the first set and live odds betting continuing to roll in, Bloomfield had odds of 1:8 on him.

Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin later explained to Associated Press reporters that “If people are willing to risk £4 pounds to win £1, that is indicative of a substantial gamble.”

No official word has been released on how much the “lucky” punters who backed Bloomfield won from Betfair, but estimates say it’s $600,000 minimum.

Bloomfield won the contest in two sets and is not suspected of any wrongdoing, despite a 2006 investigation in a similar situation – he won that match, too. “I don’t know what to say,” said Bloomfield. “I know England’s a big betting nation. It seems like every time I win a decent match, [controversy] comes up.”

In a surprise move, Betfair has just added a sports betting app to Apple’s iPhone store, breaking down Apple’s anti-gambling policy. The new app uses geolocation and age verification to ensure only players who are allowed to bet on sports are able to do so. Apple has yet to offer an official statement, so it is possible that the app just slipped under the radar.

Geek.com: Did Apple just greenlight online gambling on the App Store?

You can’t have sex or nudity at the Apple App Store, but now you can bet on sports using your iPhone. Either this app submission slipped under the Apple censors’ radar, or they have relaxed their policies in order to make more types of software available.

Whichever the case may be, Betfair has just become the first gambling group to have its betting software (called Betfair Client) available at the store. According to EGR Mag, this development ushers in a new era for iPhone users:

Betfair’s mobile chief claims that Apple imposed “no terms and conditions” to regulate gambling applications. Despite this, the app only works in the UK and Ireland.

Apple has been very restrictive lately about what apps it allows, especially when they show skin or offer adult themes. They even removed apps provided by underwear sellers because they included images of scantily-clothed men and women in their shopping apps.

eGamingReview: Betfair gambling app marks Apple turnaround

Betfair recently became the first major online betting company to offer a gambling application through Apple’s iPhone App Store, marking a new stance on gambling apps from Apple.

The downloadable app, which Betfair’s exchange product, marks a change in Apple’s policies regarding gambling apps, which have not been allowed in the past.

Charles Palmer, head of Betfair mobile said: “There were no terms and conditions about gambling. We approached Apple with the proposal and our app, showing it does the normal KYC and age verification.”

The app is only available to customers in the UK and Ireland, and uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS to make sure bets are only placed from these areas.

“We have also added the ability to locate where the customer is. It can tell if you are in the UK or Ireland, and if you’re not, it won’t function. We put that in there as an extra precaution – they didn’t request that,” he said.

Computer Weekly: BetFair puts iPhone gaming app into Apple App Store

BetFair, one of the world’s biggest online sports betting operators, just launched an iPhone app that allows punters to bet on sports while on the move.

The launch is part of an attempt by BetFair to “mobilise” its business. The company already supports browser-based apps on Symbian, Blackberry, and Android, and they are working on spreading out even more.

The new app gives the company fine control over authentication and verification of bettors, making it almost impossible for under-age people to place bets. It also uses the iPhone’s GPS locator to only allow bets to be placed from authorized jurisdictions.

According to BetFair, mobile customers are up 40% from last year, with revenues from mobile customers up a full 50%.

In a surprise move, Betfair has just added a sports betting app to Apple’s iPhone store, breaking down Apple’s anti-gambling policy. The new app uses geolocation and age verification to ensure only players who are allowed to bet on sports are able to do so. Apple has yet to offer an official statement, so it is possible that the app just slipped under the radar.

Geek.com: Did Apple just greenlight online gambling on the App Store?

You can’t have sex or nudity at the Apple App Store, but now you can bet on sports using your iPhone. Either this app submission slipped under the Apple censors’ radar, or they have relaxed their policies in order to make more types of software available.

Whichever the case may be, Betfair has just become the first gambling group to have its betting software (called Betfair Client) available at the store. According to EGR Mag, this development ushers in a new era for iPhone users:

Betfair’s mobile chief claims that Apple imposed “no terms and conditions” to regulate gambling applications. Despite this, the app only works in the UK and Ireland.

Apple has been very restrictive lately about what apps it allows, especially when they show skin or offer adult themes. They even removed apps provided by underwear sellers because they included images of scantily-clothed men and women in their shopping apps.

eGamingReview: Betfair gambling app marks Apple turnaround

Betfair recently became the first major online betting company to offer a gambling application through Apple’s iPhone App Store, marking a new stance on gambling apps from Apple.

The downloadable app, which Betfair’s exchange product, marks a change in Apple’s policies regarding gambling apps, which have not been allowed in the past.

Charles Palmer, head of Betfair mobile said: “There were no terms and conditions about gambling. We approached Apple with the proposal and our app, showing it does the normal KYC and age verification.”

The app is only available to customers in the UK and Ireland, and uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS to make sure bets are only placed from these areas.

“We have also added the ability to locate where the customer is. It can tell if you are in the UK or Ireland, and if you’re not, it won’t function. We put that in there as an extra precaution – they didn’t request that,” he said.

Computer Weekly: BetFair puts iPhone gaming app into Apple App Store

BetFair, one of the world’s biggest online sports betting operators, just launched an iPhone app that allows punters to bet on sports while on the move.

The launch is part of an attempt by BetFair to “mobilise” its business. The company already supports browser-based apps on Symbian, Blackberry, and Android, and they are working on spreading out even more.

The new app gives the company fine control over authentication and verification of bettors, making it almost impossible for under-age people to place bets. It also uses the iPhone’s GPS locator to only allow bets to be placed from authorized jurisdictions.

According to BetFair, mobile customers are up 40% from last year, with revenues from mobile customers up a full 50%.

UK bookmaker and online gambling operator William Hill made a $130 million takeover offer to Centrebet, one of the first licensed sportsbooks in Australia. Both parties insist that talks are preliminary, though it has been said that William Hill executives are now in Australia looking over Centrebet’s operation. The move seems to be part of William Hill’s recent globalization strategy.

The Australian: UK group William Hill to bid $130m for Centrebet

UK online sportsbook William Hill is poised to offer £80m ($132m) for online gambling operator Centrebet International.

William Hill’s executives are said to be in Australia examining Centrebet’s operations. It is understood that the groups are still in discussions, with final offers not yet regarded as imminent. Other major sportsbooks like Ladbrokes are still in the running.

William Hill has said it is interested in expanding its operations offshore by increasing its online presence instead of going for land-based betting shops. Australia is seen as fertile territory for bookmakers looking to expand.

“William Hill, Ladbrokes and (British group) Coral are companies I would expect, whether it’s through acquisitions or starting up themselves, to look at entering the Australian market at some point in the next year or so,” says Betfair Australia chief executive Andrew Twaits.

Sky News Australia: William Hill to make offer for Centrebet

UK sportsbook operator William Hilll has offered to pay $132 million for Centrebet.

Australian newspaper The Sunday Times reports that William Hill executives are in currently Australia, examining Centrebet’s books as part of an ongoing negotiation.

In March, Centrebet announced that it had received a number of acquisition proposals and was considering them all.

It is believed that there are other gambling groups interested in acquiring Centrebet, including William Hill’s UK rival Ladbrokes and Austria’s BWin.

The draft recommendation to liberalise Australia’s gambling laws recently published by the Productivity Commission has boosted overseas interest in internet gambling in Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald: Centrebet continues consolidation talks

The internet gambling and betting group Centrebet International Ltd is still in talks with other operators over consolidation opportunities.

“Whilst parties have expressed interest in exploring a variety of transaction structures, no terms, including as to price, have been agreed,” Centrebet said in a statement on Monday.

“Centrebet anticipates that these discussions may continue for some time.” The group also admitted that the talks are preliminary, and may not result in any formal proposal being made.

Centrebet revealed back in March that it had received takeover proposals in February, and that the proposals were confidential and non-binding. At the time, it was speculated that Ladbrokes, William Hill and Sportingbet were all in talks with Centrebet.

UK bookmaker and online gambling operator William Hill made a $130 million takeover offer to Centrebet, one of the first licensed sportsbooks in Australia. Both parties insist that talks are preliminary, though it has been said that William Hill executives are now in Australia looking over Centrebet’s operation. The move seems to be part of William Hill’s recent globalization strategy.

The Australian: UK group William Hill to bid $130m for Centrebet

UK online sportsbook William Hill is poised to offer £80m ($132m) for online gambling operator Centrebet International.

William Hill’s executives are said to be in Australia examining Centrebet’s operations. It is understood that the groups are still in discussions, with final offers not yet regarded as imminent. Other major sportsbooks like Ladbrokes are still in the running.

William Hill has said it is interested in expanding its operations offshore by increasing its online presence instead of going for land-based betting shops. Australia is seen as fertile territory for bookmakers looking to expand.

“William Hill, Ladbrokes and (British group) Coral are companies I would expect, whether it’s through acquisitions or starting up themselves, to look at entering the Australian market at some point in the next year or so,” says Betfair Australia chief executive Andrew Twaits.

Sky News Australia: William Hill to make offer for Centrebet

UK sportsbook operator William Hilll has offered to pay $132 million for Centrebet.

Australian newspaper The Sunday Times reports that William Hill executives are in currently Australia, examining Centrebet’s books as part of an ongoing negotiation.

In March, Centrebet announced that it had received a number of acquisition proposals and was considering them all.

It is believed that there are other gambling groups interested in acquiring Centrebet, including William Hill’s UK rival Ladbrokes and Austria’s BWin.

The draft recommendation to liberalise Australia’s gambling laws recently published by the Productivity Commission has boosted overseas interest in internet gambling in Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald: Centrebet continues consolidation talks

The internet gambling and betting group Centrebet International Ltd is still in talks with other operators over consolidation opportunities.

“Whilst parties have expressed interest in exploring a variety of transaction structures, no terms, including as to price, have been agreed,” Centrebet said in a statement on Monday.

“Centrebet anticipates that these discussions may continue for some time.” The group also admitted that the talks are preliminary, and may not result in any formal proposal being made.

Centrebet revealed back in March that it had received takeover proposals in February, and that the proposals were confidential and non-binding. At the time, it was speculated that Ladbrokes, William Hill and Sportingbet were all in talks with Centrebet.