Search engines play a major role within the online gaming sector, as the industry’s primary marketing tool. A ranking on Google, for instance, could literally make or break an online gaming business.

Now talks circulate that Yahoo and Microsoft will merge much of their Internet search platform.

According to sources, Yahoo.com and Bing.com will maintain their own separate brands but search results on Yahoo.com will read "powered by Bing." Yahoo, in turn, will be responsible for obtaining in valuable advertisers.

The ten year deal was established by the two companies last July to help Microsoft and Yahoo combat against Google, which has nearly 90% market share in the UK alone.

The European Union has already approved the deal and it is now being reviewed by the US Department of Justice, with a decision expected by June.

If approved, for the first five years Yahoo will receive 88% of the revenue from all search ad sales and will be given the opportunity to sell ads on selected Microsoft sites. For the remaining five years Yahoo will keep 93% of revenue earned.

Miss B says: A Yahoo/Bing merge would be very beneficial to the online gaming industry. This is defiantly a story to follow. I’ll be sure to keep you all posted on any updates.