Cashcade enlists Russell Grant for new bingo game

CashcadeCashcade has signed up astrologer Russell Grant as the face of a new game for its online Foxy Bingo brand – Russell’s Lucky Stars! – which will launch in the next two weeks.

The game is a cross between bingo and a lottery where players back numbers from 80 balls. Players can place money on 12 balls, and the amount won depends on the number of matches players have from the 20 balls drawn. There is a maximum prize of £50,000.

Grant will read a monthly horoscope linked to “a lucky number”, and will also give regular interviews on Foxy Bingo’s online radio.

The launch is Cashcade’s latest investment in its bingo brand. It is in response to an anticipated increase in competition from betting firms, which are now able to advertise on television, following the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005 on September 1. 

Cashcade says it will quadruple the advertising for Foxy Bingo in 2008, and a TV ad is about to go into production. It uses Jordan to front the brand online and it is in negotiations with the glamour model to appear in the ad.

Cashcade commercial director Simon Collins says: “We anticipate a good deal of activity from other advertisers between September and December, and we are planning to start with the new creative work for Foxy Bingo from January 2008.”

Collins adds that its Getminted.com casino brand will not be renewing its sponsorship of Shark on Five. The budget is likely to be diverted to TV advertising.