TV Commerce Launches Mobile Phone Casino

TV Commerce soared today after the psychic television channel operator announced the launch of the UK's first mobile phone casino and slots games to be branded and promoted by a television broadcaster.

Starting today, Sky TV subscribers will be able to download and play free versions of the games directly to their mobile phones.

The games all carry the station branding and related content, such as programme schedules and promotions.

Customers can opt to play the games for real money once they have downloaded the free version to their handsets and passed an age verification test.

The group's Your Destiny psychic television channel has been selected as the first station to run the service, with games such as 'Fortune Teller', a mobile phone fruit machine which also provides players with a daily horoscope.

The service has been developed and is managed by 'white label' mobile casino and slots outfit Probability Games Corporation.

TV Commerce said it has an initial budget of up to £100,000 to market the new games using television, database marketing, press and TV arrangements with other media owners.

A major marketing campaign will start in September and speed up into the Christmas period.

The company said, "TV Commerce envisages that the mobile casino venture will make a significant contribution to revenues toward the end of 2005 and beyond."