More Dollars In Online Gambling Ad Work

Published: Friday, June 10, 2005 Online-Casinos.com

MORE MILLIONS IN AD WORK OFFERED

888.com has $30 million to spend on offline work in the US

Recent Online-Casinos.com & InfoPowa stories have highlighted the multi-million dollar advertising budgets being placed in the United States by leading online casino groups, and this week a report in Adweek revealed another major account on the market.

Online gambling group 888 Casino has launched a review for creative work on its $30 million offline ad account.

Jason Gasaway, U.S. marketing manager for London-based 888 Casino, said he is seeking a small, creatively-driven agency to craft "brand response ads." The work would offer a brand message and drive measurable customer response.

Gasaway said the site had been in talks with two shops, but is now opening the field to new contenders in the hope that it will have the work placed by August this year.

He also conceded that more than a few shops had declined his invitation, "...because they won't work with our (online gambling) category."

As previously reported by InfoPowa, both MDC Partners and Omnicom Group have forbidden their agencies from pursuing online gambling business. The justification for the ban is apparently that the U.S. Department of Justice claims that gambling online, as well as accepting advertising for such sites, is illegal under the 1961 Wire Act.

Among the agencies currently pursuing online gambling client Belle Rock Gaming are IPG's Avrett Free Ginsberg and Havas' Euro RSCG in New York. Independent Eisner Communications in Baltimore won the review for Fortune Lounge Group's $20 million ad account in April.