Casino-on-Net 888 to Launch UK Television Ad Campaign

Casino-on-Net 888 is gearing up to launch a £6 million UK advertising campaign. CHI and Partners were awarded the lucrative contract but the task of competing with the incoming flood of online gambling advertisements will be challenging.

After recent changes in UK gambling legislation, online gambling is now legalized and regulated in the United Kingdom. "White-list" licensed online casinos can now advertise their services across the UK, including on television, but under the watchful eye of the UK Broadcasting Commission, which is concerned about the possible negative impacts of online gambling on problem and underage gamblers.

Ladbrokes were the first major company to launch their TV ad campaigns, but their marketing focused mainly on sports betting. 888 Holdings, parent company of Casino-on-Net and Pacific Poker, will be launched a multi-format marketing campaign with the theme that "life is one big game".

The campaign will feature outdoor banners giving users an interactive traveling experience. One banner might say: "We've put another poster down the road. Red or Black?" and taxi ads will carry stickers like: "Next taxi you see? Light on or off?"

TV commercials will show giant pieces of toast falling from the sky with jam on one side and chocolate spread on the other. Viewers who guess the right side the toast will land on can go online and win bonus dollars.

"Our marketing refocus in the first half of 2007 was invaluable in our efforts to turn the company around, based on our focus of delivering state-of-the-art integrated marketing," said CEO Gigi Levy in the company's latest interim report. "We have activated more marketing campaigns outside the US than ever before, with a strategic focus on key local target markets."

Levy said 888 would continue to sponsor Sevilla FC as well as the World Snooker Championships: "The success of these sponsorship activities is demonstrated in a recent survey showing 888.com with the highest level of brand awareness of any gaming and betting Web sites in the UK, which continues to be the industry's most important market."

Speaking at the EiG Congress in Barcelona last week, Levy also urged the online gambling industry to realise "…that there are two battles out there. One for money, but another battle which is bigger and that is for players' time. Time is a premium and we need to make sure we are a better entertainment service."

Editor's note: Don't worry about causing crashes on London streets or worrying about falling toast - you can get up to a $200 bonus at Casino-on-Net just for opening an account and depositing!

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