High street underwear retailer Ann Summers is launching a new ‘sexy bingo’ site later this month in an attempt to capitalise on the ban on smoking in public spaces.
The move comes in response to predictions that the smoking ban would signal the end for traditional bingo halls.
AnnSummersBingo.com will offer cash prizes as well as giving players the chance to win some of the signature items sold by the brand.
The company developed the site in partnership with St Minver, which has previously worked with Virgin Bingo, Littlewoods Bingo and Yahoo! Games, and currently operates the world’s largest online bingo network.
“Ann Summers’ timing is perfect,” stated St Minver CEO, Jim Ryan, “With the smoking ban set to drive bingo players out of the halls and onto the online sites, it will benefit from the exodus.”
Annsummers.com now counts 1.2m unique users a month. The retailer is hoping to attract customers to the new site, which goes live on 13 July, via a scratch-card giveaway in its 134 nationwide stores offering the chance to win credit to use online.
Ryan added, “Players are drawn to the offerings of brands that they know and trust, plus the player demographics could not be a better fit.’
“We know from our Ann Summers’ Parties that our customers like playing bingo but when they see the fabulous prizes we have on offer and hear our delicious caller, not to mention our outrageous new number nicknames, they’re going to love it,” said Jacqueline Gold, chief executive of Ann Summers.