SPO.L Regulatory News (SPO)

21 Mar 2006 07:01

Sportech PLC21 March 2006 SPORTECH PLC ANNOUNCES NEW FOOTBALL POOLS AND GAMING PARTNERSHIP WITH PAYPOINT Sportech plc, "Sportech" or "the Company", owner of Littlewoods Gaming, ispleased to announce that it has secured a distribution partnership forLittlewoods Football Pools and Littlewoods Lotto with PayPoint, one of the UK'sleading retail networks. The new service gives Littlewoods Gaming customers aconvenient and new way to pay, and is complementary to the traditionalLittlewoods door-to-door collectors and online channels. Customers can make a payment at any of the 14,000 PayPoint outlets using asimple swipe card payment scheme which utilises the existing LittlewoodsPoolscard. There are over 550,000 regular weekly players of Litttlewoods Poolsand Lotto, of which up to 300,000 use a Poolscard. Commenting on today's announcement, Gary Speakman, Chief Operating Officer ofSportech, said: "We are delighted to have further strengthened our distribution by securing anagreement with the extensive PayPoint retail network. Our customers will nowhave the opportunity to play Littlewoods Football Pools and Littlewoods Lotto inover 14,000 outlets across their local communities." Ian Penrose, Chief Executive Officer of Sportech, added: "We are committed to our product portfolio and seek to drive new initiatives toconstantly ensure it stays one step ahead of our customers' demands. Ourdistribution partnership with PayPoint will improve not only accessibility toour products but importantly allows our customers a choice of payment options." - ends - Enquiries: Sportech plcIan Penrose, Chief Executive Officer 0151 288 3561 Bell Pottinger Corporate & FinancialDavid Rydell / Zoe Sanders 020 7861 3887 Notes to Editors Sportech PLC Sportech PLC provides a variety of betting and gaming opportunities to over 1.7mcustomers through Littlewoods Gaming, one of the UK's most established brands. Drawing on over 80 years of experience, Littlewoods Gaming has developed awide-ranging product portfolio which includes football pools and football games,sports betting and on-line casino, poker and entertainment games includingbingo. Sportech is continually developing access to its gaming products through anetwork of channels including the internet, mobile phones, telephone, post and aUK network of collectors who visit customers at their homes. Sportech PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SPO). For more information,visit www.sportech-plc.co.uk PayPoint PayPoint is a leading payment collection network of over 14,000 outlets used,primarily, for the cash payment of bills and services and prepayments for mobiletelephones and energy meters. PayPoint began trading in 1996 and initially collected payments through itsnetwork of retail agents for its founder client investors, who included BritishGas, BT, BBC TV Licensing, London Electricity (now part of EDF Energy) and fourwater companies. It now has more than 500 clients including many of the UK and Ireland's majorenergy, cable, mobile and fixed line telephony companies. Its blue chip clientlist also extends to numerous water companies, local authorities and housingassociations and a growing transport and travel base. PayPoint listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange