Turkish Privatisation Agency will hold an auction for a license to run sports-betting games in the country on August 12. Turkish media conglomerate Dogan Yayin and Italian gaming operator Lottomatica have formed a joint venture to bid for the license, sources said.

Greek gaming operator Intralot, which currently runs sport betting in the country in a joint venture with local Turkcell, will also participate in the tender. Earlier this year, Turkey’s parliament passed a law providing for the 10-year tender agreement for the sports-betting firm.

Lottomatica, 56% controlled by Italian publishing group De Agostini, took over rival GTech in 2006 in a USD 4.7 billion deal that created the world’s biggest lottery group with operations in 50 countries. Dogan Yayin is the printing and publishing arm of one of Turkey’s biggest firms, Dogan Holding.

The tender was originally scheduled for July 21.