London (May 18, 2005) – pokerzone is the UK’s new poker and casino lifestyle entertainment channel available on SKY Channel 226 and global broadband. It is expected to captivate a new audience of UK poker enthusiasts whose interest in the game has been piqued by the omnipresent online poker room advertising throughout the UK.
Online poker rooms are competing feverishly for UK consumer mindshare and view the UK as the second major growth market following the United States. From billboards to buses, from television to magazines, online poker rooms are willing to pay top shelf prices to advertise to the British public.
Televised poker is also a catalyst in the new nationwide interest in poker, creating star players through televised tournaments, interviews and instructional programs featuring the best-televised players in the world. British poker personalities like The Hendon Mob and Dave ‘The Devilfish’ Ulliot are becoming household names and A-list celebrities both in the UK and abroad.
Everyday in Britain an estimated $7 million is spent in online card rooms alone. This, along with the advancements in interactive television proves perfect ground for interactive poker programming.
The rapidly growing popularity in the game of poker worldwide has given pokerzone the opportunity to branch out further and they are already setting their sights and are set to expand into Europe.
UK Gaming Reform is one of the drivers behind the growth of online poker, and when the gaming bill takes effect, UK online poker rooms will be able to receive gaming licenses in Great Britain. This will assist them in offering and advertising their products across Europe and will in turn raise the pan-European awareness of poker creating new markets for pokerzone.
‘Interactive poker has shown very popular amongst our viewers’ said Jim Sibcy, Managing Director of pokerzone. ‘We are providing a service through one of our shows, ‘Poker Night Live’ that aids the poker boom and gives us a distinct advantage ahead of our competition. Poker is becoming increasingly available across a spectrum of UK channels but I can guarantee that pokerzone, on Sky Channel 226, will provide the most exciting and up to date coverage available.’
pokerzone officially launches on both SKY and global broadband on Wednesday, May 18th. Regular programming includes exclusive tournaments, movie nights, brand new documentaries, classic entertainment series and interactive gaming options.
About pokerzone
pokerzone, Sky Channel 226, is a brand new poker and casino lifestyle channel dedicated to providing the highest quality poker and entertainment programming to UK Sky viewers and offers a well-informed and highly charged alternative to all existing entertainment channels on the SKY platform.
pokerzone programming features include; exclusive tournaments, movie nights, never-before seen documentaries, classic entertainment series and interactive gaming.