PartyGaming announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement to launch an online poker tournament service in Italy for INTRALOT S.A., one of the world’s largest suppliers of integrated gaming and transaction processing systems to state-owned lotteries worldwide.

INTRALOT becomes the first member of PartyGaming’s poker network in Italy. Marketing initiatives in Italy will include promoting INTRALOT’s online poker through its retail network, which includes 600 betting outlets.

Under the terms of the deal, INTRALOT and PartyGaming will also cooperate to explore opportunities for providing online gaming services in specific markets around the world.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of PartyGaming, said:

“Our agreement with INTRALOT represents another significant step for us as we aim to create a strong business-to-business operation. We are excited about exploring opportunities with INTRALOT, a leading global gaming technology and services provider, which has a presence in more than 50 countries worldwide, an extensive business-to-government operation, as well as an established and high growth presence in the Italian market. This is our third business-to-business deal in 2009 and we are confident of continuing to build our portfolio over the coming months.”

INTRALOT’s CEO, Constantinos Antonopoulos, commented:

“We are very excited about our partnership with PartyGaming, one of the world’s leading operators that offers high quality online gaming solutions. We are confident that our first cooperation in Italy will set the basis of a fruitful partnership in various markets globally and will enhance INTRALOT´s own online gaming solutions and services.”