In a new and exciting betting tax regime that gives British bookmakers the opportunity to become the centre of international sports wagering, WILSONBET is a fresh name for a trusted bookmaking service that has operated in the UK since 1974.

It takes its name from the founder, Mervyn Wilson, who started that year to build up a chain that grew to 126 betting shops. The company then embarked on a series of profitable disposals to the major UK bookmakers, and after the last of these in 1987 he retained the shop, telephone betting centre and head office in Hersham.

From here, Mervyn started to build a new chain, and in 1989 these operations were merged with other leisure interests into the Surrey Group plc, where he served as the Group’s Chief Executive. The expertise shown by Surrey as one of the foremost sports betting operators was recognised when the company was acquired by British Sky Broadcasting to form the backbone of the new digital interactive betting service offered on Sky TV.

Again the head office was retained by Mervyn and WILSONBET started trading from there in July 2000, operating a small chain of betting shops in the South-East. Associated companies ran international telephone betting services in Cyprus, where the group is also building a prestigious 200 bed hotel/casino.

With the new opportunity in 2001 to base tax free international telephone betting in the UK WILSONBET will offer the existing Cyprus-based customers a British service as well as building up the existing international client base.

Future plans include the expansion of the UK shops in the new tax environment, and internationally the extension of the multi-lingual telephone betting operation based in Cyprus and a live on-line casino networked from the Colony Casino in Kyrenia.