Swedish investment firm Maria Invest AB has announced the sale of its online gambling interests in Malta-registered Maria Holdings Ltd to Internet gambling group Unibet for approximately $109 million.

Maria Holdings owns domain names MariaBingo, MariaCasino, CarlosPoker, CarlosPlace and Bingo and Unibet stated that the acquisition was part of a strategy to broaden its demographic coverage.

‘With this acquisition we will strengthen our position in the Nordic region as well as within the fast growing online bingo market," said Petter Nylander, London-based Chief Executive Officer for Unibet.

"Unibet is today the leading private gaming company among men and with this acquisition we will also be leading among women."

Unibet is licensed in Malta and is one of the largest privately owned gambling operators in Europe. It provides services in 20 languages and is listed on Stockholm's OMX Nordic Exchange.