Stan James buys stake in online betting firm
Global online gaming operator Stan James Plc has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Racing2day LLC, presided over by Belfast man Vincent Caldwell.
Racing2day is an online horse racing betting business run by horse racing owners, players, handicappers and fans, licensed by the Oregon Racing Commission and based in the US.
It offers races from more than 350 tracks worldwide.
Mr Caldwell was one of the early pioneers of online betting, starting Betinternet.com in the Isle of Man before going on to found Racing2day.
His father Charles was a well-known businessman in Belfast who owned the Royal Avenue Hotel and numerous pubs and off licences.
He said he was delighted to welcome StanJames.com as shareholders.
"Given their excellent corporate values, operating experience, marketing innovation and passion for horse racing, this is an exciting time for Racing2day," he said.
"StanJames.com's involvement will drive the development of Racing2day in offering a truly unique and independent wagering service to American and international horse racing players."
Denis Kelly, chief executive of StanJames.com, said the move would give customers access to a new and exciting range of products. "StanJames.com invests significantly into UK horse racing, and we are committed to continue our global investment in this exciting sport," he said. "We aim to boost the size of the pools by ultimately driving our European customers to the US Tote.
