Following the launch of the industry’s first 3D horseracing display at the Piccadilly Circus in mid-March, Entain continues its efforts to engage more customers by launching a revolutionary experience. The global gaming, sports betting, and interactive entertainment group has partnered with JockeyCam to create a fully immersive virtual reality experience for racegoers through its sports betting brand Coral.
Bettors Will Go Head-to-Head with Other Jockeys
The new virtual reality experience is the first of its kind in the industry and will enable horse racing bettors and racegoers to gain more insight into the world of jump jockey. The experience will provide users with an entirely realistic, first-hand jump jockey competition with other jockeys. The experience will use 360-degree high-definition cameras that will be mounted on jockeys’ helmets. The jockeys will race over two miles at the Chepstow Racecourse, facing 11 fences. Racegoers will ride as one of the jockeys.
JockeyCam will handle the staging and recording of the horseraces, while the racehorses will be supplied by trainer Tim Vaughan. The race will receive commentary from Stewart Machin. The new technology that is expected to take the horse racing world in the United Kingdom by the storm will be available at a number of events sponsored by the Coral brand.
The product will tour around the country for the rest of the year, reaching the Newcastle Races on April 15 next.
The group’s deputy managing director of digital Dominic Grounsell believes the successful engagement in UK’s sports brands is proof of how successful the mix between immersive experiences and customer offers can truly be. He added the new virtual reality experience will give Entain the chance to do “something different” while reaching brand new and current customers and engaging them in fresh and captivating ways.
Entain Is Sending the Sports Betting Industry Straight Into the Future
The group’s decision to heavily invest in fresh products, immersive experiences and highly interactive content for its customers via esports, VR, or social gaming experiences on mobile have already generated excellent results for its Coral and Ladbrokes brands that have returned to Oddschecker last December.
Ladbrokes launched Ladbrokes Amplify, a customer initiative that allows football fans in the UK to stream their favorite music content and get exclusive access to sporting events and gigs. Europe’s bwin brand will allow customers to use Fans Final and engage in the UEFA Europa League final pitch gameplay on May 19. In Australia, Neds and Ladbrokes generated more than 170 content pieces, while fresh advertisements are expected to launch in the near future.