AUTHOR: Jerry "Jet" Whittaker TITLE: Sky Bet Launches Poker Utilising The OpenBetT Platform DATE: 10:15 AM ----- BODY: Orbis, the world's leading provider of interactive gaming and betting
solutions, recently released its Texas Hold'em poker solution as part of the
OpenBet Rake Games module. The Sky Poker launch includes a web-based portal,
as well as a dedicated Sky channel 846. This live channel features televised
tournaments combining Internet players with those accessing interactively
through their remote control, to create a unique and highly entertaining
poker experience. Having developed a tailored product for Sky Bet, Orbis has
provided the enabling technology for this revolutionary fully integrated
poker solution. Offering a non-download Flash-based web solution, OpenBet
Poker features cutting edge graphics and animations with a sophisticated
player interface, real and demo play modes, as well as seamless customer log
in across multiple platforms. Through OpenBet's 'One Account, One Wallet'
solution, Sky Bet customers will have the unique opportunity to be able to
play tournaments online and via iTV. OpenBet Poker directs both Internet and
iTV players into one poker environment, which includes chat facilities, a
'Hotometer' indicating players' strength of hands and percentages and
various tournament options such as 'sit and go' or 'scheduled'. Attention
has been given to usability and ease of play to ensure it appeals to both
the novice and expert players. David Loveday, Managing Director of Orbis,
said: "We are very pleased and proud to launch our OpenBet Poker and feel we
have a truly unique product with dual platforms feeding one poker
environment. Having worked closely with Sky Bet to incorporate several
exclusive features, we have developed a powerful product that reflects their
vision for the future of online poker." Richard Flint, Managing Director of
Sky Bet, said "We chose to work with Orbis because they were able to offer
us a poker solution that was flexible and adaptable enough to work across
all technology platforms, initially Internet, iTV and live broadcast TV.
Orbis also offered us an easy way for customers to transfer money into and
out of the poker room from the sportsbook, as well as a single database view
for customer analysis. We also felt confident that Orbis could meet the high
regulatory and compliance standards that Sky requires. We have been
extremely pleased with the growth in liquidity in our poker room in the
weeks since launch." --------