The company derives about 20 percent of its gross win from e-commerce, but Chief Executive Ralph Topping told reporters he aims to increase that to about 25-30 percent when the platform, designed by software provider Orbis, is launched on November 27.

“That kind of growth is there for us to aim for but we'll set formal targets early next year,” Topping said on Tuesday in a presentation to journalists and sector analysts.

William Hill's online “sportsbook” has struggled over the last year from intensifying competition and technology problems. The company had attempted to implement a major upgrade of its internet betting operations in-house but was forced to scrap the project, writing down 22 million pounds in the process, after it became apparent that it would require greater investment and take longer than originally envisaged. It then turned to Orbis, which is highly regarded in the industry and serves clients including Ladbrokes and Paddy Power , to get the upgrade back on track.

Topping, who was previously the company's Internet director but took up the position of chief executive in February, was at pains to emphasise his commitment to expanding the online business, which he feels was neglected in the past. William Hill had already successfully halted the decline in growth at its sportsbook and was now achieving double digit percentage growth, thanks partly to the introduction of 30 new games, backed by a new advertising campaign, Topping said.

“There is a new sense of direction. For too long, we regarded ourselves as bookmakers with a bolt-on activity called gaming. There is a substantial opportunity for growth on the Internet,” he said.

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It said net gaming revenue, a key performance indicator, rose to $64 million from $47 million in the same period of 2007 and was up 3 percent on the previous quarter. Last month, Chief Executive Gigi Levy said he hoped the company would achieve 30% revenue growth for the full year, helped by its new sports betting and bingo sites.

“Our various business initiatives are progressing well and we are therefore confident in delivering future growth during 2008,” Levy said in a trading statement on Wednesday. Total operating income rose 41% to $66 million from $47 million a year earlier.

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Playtech, whose poker and casino software is used by sites like Bet365 and Blue Square, has rapidly rebuilt its business with European and Asian online betting sites after the U.S. government effectively banned online gaming in October 2006. Revenues from its core casino games software grew to $22.9 million in the three months to end December and revenue from its fast-growing online poker software rose to $9.4 million.

Shares in the firm, which have risen around 20 percent in the last three weeks, fell 3.8 percent in early trading to 378 pence, valuing the business at around 820 million pounds.

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The official added that the Las-Vegas-style casino resort MGM Grand Macao, opened on Dec. 18, recorded gross receipts of 51.5 million patacas (USD 6.6 million) in its first two days of operations. The opening of MGM Grand has added to the number of casinos in Macao to 28, including the Macao Palace floating casino that is currently closed for renovation works.

Official statistics released previously also showed that the gaming taxes collected in the first 11 months of 2007 exceeded those for the whole of last year by 34.9%, and direct gaming taxes accounted for 71.4% of the government's total revenue in this period. Macao, an hour by high-speed ferry west of Hong Kong, beat the Las Vegas Strip last year in gaming revenue.

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