BIG MOVES FOR BODOG
US advertising pulled, and a new Antigua head office
Gambling media in the United States will be counting the probably substantial cost of a Bodog.com Entertainment advertising cut this week after the company revealed a plan to pull all its U.S.-facing gaming-related advertising, mostly for its free-play and educational site, Bodog.net.
The advertising pullback, which company spokesmen describe as "quite extensive", includes television, radio, magazine and newspapers in the U.S. market as the online gaming giant focuses instead on its gaming and educational site advertising initiatives in the European and Asian markets. Spokesmen described the move as "...a strategic decision based on long-term business objectives."
The digital entertainment powerhouse, which has become as well known for its television production, music distribution and other digital entertainment properties as it has for its gaming enterprise, will continue to advertise its other digital entertainment products, including television, music and publishing, in North America and markets around the world. This suggests that pulling the gambling adspend is directly related to the recently enacted Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the USA.
Bodog.com founder Calvin Ayre, confirmed this, citing current uncertainties in the U.S. market and the recent legislation passed by Congress as the reason behind the decision.
"Though the online gaming environment in the U.S. seems to be headed down a path toward eventual regulation, the current climate calls for even more focus of our gaming-related advertising dollars into markets that face Europe and Asia," says Bodog's billionaire founder. "We couldn't be better positioned to build upon our current success and growth and to continue our aggressive push toward international expansion into markets such as Europe and Asia."
It's a busy time for Bodog; the company is currently completing the relocation of its global head office and gaming operations from Costa Rica to Antigua, a move that was initiated when Bodog.com acquired Betcorp's international infrastructure in mid-November.
Bodog.com Entertainment will maintain offices in Costa Rica for some data entry and charity foundation activities, together with part of its television production division, which is working on or already producing four annual reality TV series for distribution to millions of viewers around the world.
"This is another step aimed toward strengthening our business model," Ayre says. "This accords our gaming division a license in a safe, reliable and well-regulated jurisdiction and Antigua is also the right jurisdiction from which to run our European expansion."
US advertising pulled, and a new Antigua head office
Gambling media in the United States will be counting the probably substantial cost of a Bodog.com Entertainment advertising cut this week after the company revealed a plan to pull all its U.S.-facing gaming-related advertising, mostly for its free-play and educational site, Bodog.net.
The advertising pullback, which company spokesmen describe as "quite extensive", includes television, radio, magazine and newspapers in the U.S. market as the online gaming giant focuses instead on its gaming and educational site advertising initiatives in the European and Asian markets. Spokesmen described the move as "...a strategic decision based on long-term business objectives."
The digital entertainment powerhouse, which has become as well known for its television production, music distribution and other digital entertainment properties as it has for its gaming enterprise, will continue to advertise its other digital entertainment products, including television, music and publishing, in North America and markets around the world. This suggests that pulling the gambling adspend is directly related to the recently enacted Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the USA.
Bodog.com founder Calvin Ayre, confirmed this, citing current uncertainties in the U.S. market and the recent legislation passed by Congress as the reason behind the decision.
"Though the online gaming environment in the U.S. seems to be headed down a path toward eventual regulation, the current climate calls for even more focus of our gaming-related advertising dollars into markets that face Europe and Asia," says Bodog's billionaire founder. "We couldn't be better positioned to build upon our current success and growth and to continue our aggressive push toward international expansion into markets such as Europe and Asia."
It's a busy time for Bodog; the company is currently completing the relocation of its global head office and gaming operations from Costa Rica to Antigua, a move that was initiated when Bodog.com acquired Betcorp's international infrastructure in mid-November.
Bodog.com Entertainment will maintain offices in Costa Rica for some data entry and charity foundation activities, together with part of its television production division, which is working on or already producing four annual reality TV series for distribution to millions of viewers around the world.
"This is another step aimed toward strengthening our business model," Ayre says. "This accords our gaming division a license in a safe, reliable and well-regulated jurisdiction and Antigua is also the right jurisdiction from which to run our European expansion."
