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UK
Casino Times
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News
24 May 2005
US Poker Operators UltimateBet
And Absolute Poker Plot UK Launch Blitz
Two
of the biggest US online gaming operators are planning
multimillion-pound assaults on the nascent UK poker
market.
UltimateBet is launching
UltimatePoker in the UK this week, backed by a £4.2m
campaign. It has hired FCB London and Tonic to handle the
brief, following a competitive pitch handled by the AAR late
last year.
Absolute Poker, the
world's fifth-biggest online poker brand, also has ambitious
UK plans, and has hired Cheetham Bell JWT to handle brand
development and launch activity. Budgets have not been
disclosed, but Absolute Poker is a multimillion-dollar
advertiser in the US, and is understood to be planning a
heavyweight UK campaign this summer.
Both launches aim to cash
in on the growing interest in poker in the UK, which has
been fuelled by a number of live TV poker
tournaments.
UltimatePoker's launch
activity will include the sponsorship of nearly 3,000 London
taxis, a consumer press and online campaign, and sponsorship
of several horse racing events.
The advertising will
portray different animals to support the strapline 'What
kind of poker animal are you?' In addition, UltimatePoker is
in negotiations with an unnamed UK broadcaster about
developing a poker series for television, to be screened
this summer.
Last month the House of
Lords passed updated UK gaming laws, enabling casino and
poker operators to advertise on TV. However, industry
experts believe this will not happen until 2006 at the
earliest.
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