New Media Age
23.08.07

Ladbrokes in major mobile push
BY ALEX FARBER

Ladbrokes is to launch a major push of its mobile service due to the relaxation of rules surrounding advertising gambling on TV.

The bookmaking giant, which is relaunching its mobile portal, believes that mobile services will benefit heavily from TV ads because punters will respond to mobile calls to action when watching TV.

The advertising will make its TV debut after the Gambling Act, which permits gambling ads on TV, becomes law next month.

Ladbrokes is determined to take advantages of a platform that will be worth $16.6bn (£8.97bn) by 2011, according to Juniper research.

"TV ads for mobile services will make a big difference" said Carolina Gasparini, mobile product developer for Ladbrokes. "The chances of people going to their computer to log on aren't as good as getting them to respond to an SMS."

Ladbrokes has asked mFuse, which currently manages its mobile application, to update the bookmaker's WAP offering to bring it in line with its richer Java application.

MFuse, which works on mobile services for Blue Square, Mecca, Paddy Power, Sporting Bet and Victor Chandler, agreed that TV ads offer the opportunity to reach a wider audience.

"Previously our clients couldn't advertise their mobile services. The best medium to be on would be TV." said Rick Brownlow, director of product development at mFuse. "Now they have mass market access."

Ladbrokes is to enable on-device registration for the first time. Gamblers can create a mobile account without having to use a PC, reducing the number if barriers to use.