William Hill is set to launch a branded television channel in the United Kingdom on the Sky Digital platform that will focus on betting. Initially, the channel will use Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT), and viewers will be able to place bets and to play games interactively via their TV sets.

The channel is scheduled to launch in late 2004, with the involvement of the Digital Interactive Television Group (DITG). David Harding, CEO at William Hill, said, “This initiative places William Hill at the forefront of the U.K. betting industry in exploiting interactive television, which is gaining growing acceptance as a transactional platform.”