LONDON, June 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Gamebookers, the global online betting and casino company has restated its offer of 30,000 pounds Sterling to the eventual winner of the Wimbledon's women's singles competition in response to Wimbledon organisers defiance in awarding equal prize money to men and women.

The 30,000 pounds Sterling has been set aside by Gamebookers and will make up the shortfall to take women's prize money to 655,000 pounds Sterling, equal to that of the men's competition.

The issue has raised its head now that Wimbledon is upon us and a number of women's tennis stars are voicing their opinions. Venus Williams feels, "Wimbledon's stance devalues the principle of meritocracy(i)."

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell added her views by stating she would like to join the chorus of voices across tennis urging the Wimbledon organizers to consign the inequality to the past and bring the prize structure in line with the rest of world tennis.

She wrote:

"I am deeply concerned at the ongoing disparity between the money paid to male and female players. Women's tennis has made giant strides in recent years, becoming both highly competitive and extremely entertaining. Coupled with that, the media attention and levels of gobal sponsorship are now on a par with the men's game."

Luke Brill Global Marketing Director said, "We were amazed that Wimbledon should take such an outdated view on equal prize money. There is little we can do to influence policy decisions of the organisers, however if we can redress the prize money balance, maintain the profile of the issue, and help to keep the women's competition truly competitive, then we shall have achieved some good."

In response to the announcement by Gamebookers, Don Foster, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, commented: "Gamebooker's offer is generous. It doesn't rectify Wimbledon's decision to place the women's game on the side-line and the men's game centre-court. Wimbledon is now the only major tournament to offer the ladies' champion less than the men's. Wimbledon is the least fair of all four major Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S. Open has been giving fair prizes for over 30 years."

Gamebookers is one of Europe's leading online gaming portals offering both sport betting and casino games. In a recent analysis of its customer base, tennis was the second most popular sport for gambling behind football.

(i) As reported in "The Times," Monday, June 26.

About Gamebookers

Gamebookers.com is an international betting group licensed in the UK, Austria and Antigua & Barbuda. Gamebookers is owned by Trident Gaming Plc. The group company has more than 240,000 customers worldwide, handles over 30m bets per year and paid out in 2005 alone over EUR 167m to its customers. The Gamebookers family of betting Web sites represent a "one stop shop" for bettors, covering a huge range of both fixed odds, live-betting, and P2P bets on every major sporting event combined with casino games and many unique content and entertainment features. Betting services are provided in 27 currencies and 12 languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Turkish, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Russian Polish, Hebrew and Swedish. All companies belonging to the Gamebookers betting group are wholly owned subsidiaries of Gamebookers Group Ltd., London, which is in turn owned by Trident Gaming Plc, Isle of Man.

Web site: http://www.gamebookers.com

Billy Cook of Gamebookers.com, +44-207-537-9998, or Billy.cook@gamebookers.com