| | |  | Last Updated: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 |  | | | Television Predicted to Influence Future Gambling
- Thursday, 16 Mar 2006
“A powerful force in the future” is what James Murdoch, the new chief executive of PBL and satellite TV firm BSkyB, has called the relationship between gambling and television. While a guest speaker at a recent Bookies Banquet, Murdoch predicted that the arrival of gambling on interactive TV is just a taste of things to come. In particular, Murdoch opined that the new medium of interactive television will greatly affect the way gambling fans approach casino games in the future.
Murdoch referred to the success of Sky Vegas Live as an example. The new gambling channel specializing in virtual racing and keno programming was introduced by Murdoch’s satellite TV firm BSkyB in 2005. The company was surprised by the enthusiastic response the channel received after it first went to air. Today a hardcore audience of approximately 10,000 gambling fans regularly tunes in for gambling action. BSkyB’s managing director Nick Rust has echoed his chief executive’s statements by adding that interactive television as a medium is only just starting to attract the interests of major business players. Due to increased ratings, several prominent advertisers have started to market their products and services on Sky Vegas Live.
Rust also predicts that impending UK regulations will open up interactive television for gambling, and will change the way many traditional gambling fans bet on their favorite sports and games. Among the new services that Rust says will emerge is a fully interactive poker channel. Currently eleven separate poker-related channels operate in the UK showing various levels of poker content.
| |
| |
|
