NetPlay hails ‘breakthrough’ deal with ITV
INTERACTIVE gaming company NetPLayTV hailed a ‘huge breakthrough’ deal as it was made launch partner of a new teleshopping service on ITV1.
The Lancaster-based company will provide interactive bingo and roulette games to The Zone, which is being trialled by ITV1 in a post-midlnight slot for six months.
The deal begins next month.
The bingo-based show will be broadcast for approximately 30 minutes up to six nights per week on ITV1 starting after midnight.
The new format will be backed by a TV advertising campaign, as well as online, and press marketing.
In addition NetPlayTV will also broadcast its existing Roulette Nation interactive gameshow in an additional 30 minute segment. Roulette Nation is currently broadcast on Virgin 1 and STV.
Martin Higginson, chief executive of NetPlayTV, said:”When we established NetPlayTV it was with the dream of creating our own interactive game formats and getting them broadcast on a terrestrial TV channel.
“The agreement with ITV1 allows us to bring together a number of disciplines, from mobile to gaming in the delivery of this exciting new transactional TV bingo show for a trial period.
” A fully approved and regulated product allowing people to safely get involved in transactional TV games.
“This agreement is a huge breakthrough for the company, and whilst the new format has been costly to develop and, is as yet unproven, we believe the potential upside to be significant.
“We believe transactional TV is here to stay, and we have the ability to deliver a format that works.
William van Rest, controller of TV Shopping and Gaming at ITV said: “ITV’s ‘The Zone’ is a six month trial of teleshopping material following the Ofcom rule change last year.
“Soft gaming products such as Bingo are extremely popular amongst our audience and we look forward to introducing NetPlayTV’s range of innovative formats to our audience as part of this trial.”
NetPlay said business development director Guy Templer had been promoted to the plc board as chief operating officer.
