NEW ITV FIXED ODDS GAMING CHANNEL

30 November 2007

Zone4Play and Two Way TV combine in mobile and internet extension to The Winner Channel


The UK-based interactive TV applications developer, Two Way TV has partnered with Israel- and US-based interactive TV games company, Zone4Play on a new project branded Two Way Gaming to bring The Winner Channel to a wider audience. The two companies are rolling out the ITV fixed-odds gaming channel, which until now has been available only on digital cable in the UK, on mobile phones and the Internet.

The expansion will allow players to use a single account across all three platforms. The two companies have been working together for the past four years and will recruit customers through the TV platform to activate and monetise them through their complementary platforms.

The Winner Channel, which launched on cable last year, offers a range of "instant-win," fixed-odds gaming formats including Slots, Hi-Lo, Keno, Dice, and a poker game called "Face Up Hold'em. These are directly accessed via the red button from Flextech Television channels and when launched was the first interactive TV games service on UK digital cable to feature "instant-win" fixed-odds gaming.

Players can win a jackpot of up to GBP 500 000 which will be the highest headline win offered by a UK fixed-odds mobile service. The expanded channel is offering mobile players GBP 5 in free bets when they join, and a loyalty program that allows players to accumulate points which can be exchanged for cash and other prizes. As of last October, the channel had 15 000 registered users.

Zone4Play serves as the channel's sole technology partner and, under the terms of its deal with Two Way TV, is entitled to 45 percent of the net revenues the channel generates.

According to Two Way TV's commercial director Guy Templer, who will be the MD of Two Way Gaming, the Winner Channel will be expanding its distribution and its content offerings over the coming months: "With mobile and Internet launches, we are taking Winner to the next level," he said in a prepared statement.

"It has always been about fun, entertaining betting propositions, but now we can bring our games to a bigger audience. We are not stopping here though - over the next couple of months, we will be announcing a series of distribution deals with leading media brand owners to distribute our games. There will also be a series of games based on major TV programs."

Two Way Gaming will take over the running all Two Way TV's existing programmes, such as Red Hot Roulette and Face Up Hold’Em and its white label deals with broadcasters Channel Five, Teletext and daily paper The Sun.

Templer commented: “With the collapse of the call TV market and premium rate telephony competitions on television, it has become very clear that there are significant market opportunities in bringing dynamic entertainment gaming products to TV audiences.”

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