This one hit the markets running today. Despite negative publicity it was well supported so I jumped in for a small holding--anyone else joining in?? I am hoping for a good run up before the shorters get going.

Rather uncomplementary views written by two funds manager in the Sunday Times judgement day article

I am a hungarian in Hungary. Cant read Sunday Times.

cinedog

can read it anywhere in the world on the net if you can read english

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2769-1827335,00.html

Thank you!
I still hold a long from 1.28pounds

I have been stopped out of PRTY in Isa. at 88.36 and 89.08. The SP has dropped but the B/S 12/5 on large volumes.

Has there been a large undisclosed sell.

Anybody know does Level 2 show any reasons.

Bloody annoying, MMS has had some of my previous profit.

Empire under pressure as PartyGaming buys partners

Nils Pratley
Saturday November 12, 2005
The Guardian

PartyGaming yesterday put the penultimate touch to the overhaul of its relationships with so-called "skin" operators, buying two of its partners and severing its links with a third.
The deals were seen as a further alarming development for Empire Online, the fourth and largest skin operator. PartyGaming made a bid approach for Empire a week ago, but the potential target's share price has fallen 20% since then, reducing the company's market value to 260m. Analysts calculate that Empire's negotiating power in the talks is being eroded by the break-up of PartyGaming's skin network.

Skin operators work by recruiting online gamblers and directing them to the websites of actual operators, such as PartyGaming, owner of Party Poker, the world's biggest poker site. In exchange, the skins collect a slice of the profits generated by the online players.
However, PartyGaming undermined the economics of skin operators' businesses in September by switching its own directly recruited players to a superior operating platform. The skin players were left to play among themselves on an inferior version of the Party Poker site. Many are thought simply to have re-registered directly with Party Poker's new platform, thereby removing the commissions they were generating for the skins.

PartyGaming is buying MultiPoker, which has 255,000 registered players, mainly in Scandinavia, for $14.5m (8.3m) in cash. It will also pay about $4m for another privately owned skin, Intertops Poker, though its owners may continue to recruit players for Party Poker by working as commission-based affiliates.

Coral Eurobet, which is owned by casino group Gala, has decided to end its relationship with PartyGaming. It was Party Poker's second largest skin operator and clearly feels there is no future in trying to work within the new structure.

Yesterday's move leaves only the relationship with Empire Online, the largest skin contributor to Party Poker, to be resolved.

Robin Chhabra, of Evolution Securities, argued that yesterday's deals only strengthened PartyGaming's hand in the takeover negotiations.

"PartyGaming is using this to further squeeze down the price it pays for Empire - that's if it bothers at all," he said. "They're just deciding now if they're going to squeeze it and then buy it, or just kill it."

PartyGaming said its analysis of Empire's business would be thorough. "We are dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's and we will look under the floorboards to see if there is any dry rot there," its spokesman said.

dog eat dog I suppose but this leaves a bit of a bad taste-not sure I want to hold PRTY long term now.

1+ bid coming soon for empire online by partygaming and it should be a very good offer looking at the news below could be a deal this week according to the press

a lot of percentage profit to be had in empire online to reach a quid could be a fair bit more though


From ADVFN


Online-Casinos.com, Denmark - 1 hour ago

BETTER NEWS FOR EMPIRE POKER

Daily live stats show that this online poker room skin is still alive and kicking

After the pessimistic speculation on Empire Poker Online from industry analysts recently, owner Noam Lanir will have been pleased with information from Which Poker this week, indicating that his poker "skin" was still pulling the players in.

Despite persistent media reports on a looming takeover by PartyGaming, the break-up of the Party Poker skins, a failed deal with Sportingbet and its own profit warnings, Empire Poker is still proving popular amongst the players says Which in a press release.

The monitoring site measured a peak of 5,212 active real money players on Empire Poker, the site operated by Empire Online. Whichpoker.com uses advanced statistical software to generate live figures updated every ten minutes throughout the day.

Empire Poker managed an average 1,701 active real-money ring-game players during the entire week from October 30. The average number of tournament players online at any given time was 817, making the average total of active real money players 2,518

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also ....

Empire Online; Renewed 100P/Share Bid Talk

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:38:47 AM ET
Dow Jones Newswires


1512 GMT [Dow Jones] Empire Online (EOL.LN) eyed on talk that a 100p/share bid will be tabled by Partygaming (PRTY.LN), according to traders. Earlier, the stock dipped on talk the bid had been abandoned, although a person close to the situation said Partygaming was still conducting due diligence. Partygaming spokesman declines to comment. Partygaming +0.8% at 94.25p, Empire Online unchanged at 74.5p, off earlier lows. (SMT)

Took profits on this today but I intend to buy back hopefully when it drops back the future looks promising for this one-anyone else interested?

what a good day was! 136.25p!!!

And 138 after 141 on Friday.

I'm back in this one for 2006-I'm hoping the results will be good even if the management is a bit naive. that trading statement they made was clumsy -hopefully they've learnt the lesson.

looks like next stop is 160 now. its in an upward trend lots of buys going through, trading update in 27th jan. expected to be good. good luck to all

JUST CURIOUS ANYONE READING THIS?

Me and I hope you're right

hope so too since i have a lot to lose or gain on this one. heard a rumour (news unconfirmed) that there is a good writing about it in the times. if I find will post it here. suggesting that the results on 27th are expected to be spectacular and that would probably explain the large volume trades. also have a felling that the huge sells shown on moneyam were actually buys will wait and see.

well looks like that was true after all has been gaining steady, will hit 160 before you can blink and expected to goto 2 after the news based on our research. have a big exposure on this one so am really pleased so far.

BUY

why 2 is that an analyst forecast? I'd be very pleased if it did and I'm prepared to hold after buying back in--I'm hoping this one will perform like Sportingbet can't see any reason why not.

I'm in as well bought 700 at 142.00 two weeks ago... bad timing though