ITV's Stuart Prebble: "Universal appeal"

Sportech could also incorporate its network of 13,000 pools coupon collectors into the operation.

The deal will last for five years, with an option to extend for a further two-year period.

Both companies are hoping to expect to benefit from the anticipated growth in interactive TV gaming and betting - a market which accountants KPMG predict will be worth �2.8bn per year by 2006.

Colin McGill, Sportech's managing director, said: "Whether it is fun, gaming or betting the viewer will benefit from this exciting partnership."

But an ITV spokeswoman told BBC News Online that the prospect of betting of soap operas was still some way off.

'Ideas'

"The vast majority of possibilities we're looking at are gaming and betting opportunities around sporting events."

The spokeswoman said that other gaming proposals were "just ideas at the moment" but added: "We'll look at every idea in detail."

ITV's chief executive, Stuart Prebble, described the interactive deal as offering viewers "a proposition with universal appeal which offers something distinct from our commercial competitors".

ITV stands to earn a share of the turnover of Sportech's betting activity - but the network has so far declined to say what proportion of turnover would be returned to ITV under the revenue-sharing agreement.