Dragonfish signs deal with MTV

Dragonfish, the B2B division of 888, has signed a deal with MTV Networks UK & Ireland to provide a bingo product.

The launch of the bingo offering, which will initially be a skin on the Dragonfish network, will be MTV Networks’ first step into online gaming.

The new brand, Up Your Bingo, will receive exposure across the existing MTV and VIVA network, both through the television channels and online. The offering will go live this month to include instant liquidity, customised design, hosting capabilities, and a network management service.

Philip Bourchier O’Ferrall, senior vice president, Digital Media, MTV Networks International, UK & Ireland, said: “At a time when the market for online games and virtual worlds is continuing to grow, collaborations such as this one provide responsible and enjoyable gaming opportunities for our audience.”

Acting managing director of Dragonfish and 888 chief executive Gigi Levy, said: [W]e wish to form partnerships with market leaders from other business sectors seeking to monetise their assets. MTV Networks is an internationally renowned brand, and we are proud to launch their first entry into online gaming."

It follows Dragonfish’s extension of its deals with Costa Bingo and PartyGaming-owned Cashcade, the operator of Foxy Bingo.

PartyGaming's Cashcade gives Dragonfish bingo deal 2-year boost

Foxy Bingo owner Cashcade has signed a two-year extension to its contract with 888 business-to-business arm Dragonfish to keep its bingo brands on the Dragonfish platform.

The deal, which ties revenue streams from Cashcade brands including Foxy, Think and Cheeky into the Dragonfish platform until May 2014, follows the widespread mooting of a possible move off the network by 888 rival PartyGaming following PartyGaming’s buy of Cashcade in July 2009.

Dragonfish managing director Gabi Campos said PartyGaming's decision to keep Cashcade on Dragonfish, which also avoids the disruptive effect of moving the bingo operator's players to another platform, reflected the strength of the Dragonfish bingo software and back-end.

Campos said: “Major standalone networks require software with sufficient flexibility to allow a variety of marketing campaigns that can be integrated into the back office, and Dragonfish can provide this.”

Cashcade is the largest bingo operator in the UK, and owns standalone networks Foxy Bingo, Cheeky Bingo, Think Bingo, Little Big Bingo, Bingo Scotland and Foxy Zero, which are all powered by Dragonfish. PartyGaming also recently relaunched its ITV Bingo website via Cashcade.

Dragonfish-owner 888 tied Wink and Posh Bingo into the Dragonfish network by acquiring the rooms from owners Daub for £60m in December 2009.