INTERACTIVE TV's big earners will be games and gambling, notching up a market that will be worth around 2.25 billion [pounds sterling] in four years.

Last year, the Western European iTV games and gambling markets together pulled in less than $300 million (around 187.5m [pounds sterling]) but they will grow rapidly to generate $3.6bn in 2007, predicted researcher Datamonitor.

In its report, iTV games and gambling in Europe: Service and business model development to 2007, Datamonitor said that while the majority of iTV games are locked into specialist games channels, that will not be the case in future.

"These specialist games channels will encounter growing competition as broadcasters realise the potential of iTV games to enhance their programmes and so drive viewing share and advertising revenues."

Datamonitor also predicted that interactive TV gambling would be increasingly linked with live programming.

COPYRIGHT 2003 DMG World Media Ltd.
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