When the Virgin group entered the online gaming business executives hinted at the massive potential of cross-marketing presented by the airline and music companys wide interests, and they proved this with the successful use of a loyalty program for their online casino players.
Virgin Poker has now followed suite and launched a new scheme which brings high-street value to online poker loyalty.
V-points will give Virgin Poker players a chance to earn a range of Virgin rewards including Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles, at a rate far in excess of leading schemes such as Nectar, and matched only by the best UK high-street loyalty programmes such as Boots.
Virgin spokesmen say that V-points are just as attainable for everyday players as they are for middle-limit and high-stakes players. The company said that Virgin Games has already given away 7.2 million Flying Club miles in a similar scheme on Virgin Casino.
Simon Burridge, chief executive of Virgin Games, said: “When we launched Virgin Poker in November 2005, our loyalty scheme was always envisaged as a key differentiator. Poker is now a mass-market leisure activity and Virgin Poker is perfectly placed to draw on the resources of the Virgin Group to offer greater value than high-street loyalty schemes to players of all levels.”
V-points can currently be exchanged for Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles, Virgin Vouchers, donations to the Virgin Unite charity or even cashed in for real money. Over the next few months Virgin Poker will announce further reward options, including Virgin Digital downloads and Virgin Mobile top-ups.
For low-raking players, there will be regular chances to supplement their V-points with special tournaments and promotions – such as the Million Mile Challenge free roll in May, where Virgin Poker will give away the equivalent of 40 flights to Las Vegas.
Burridge continued: “The average player would typically have to put in years of grinding to actually see any tangible benefits from other poker loyalty schemes. With V-points, everyday players can easily accumulate points for Virgin Vouchers or save up their Flying Club miles for a holiday. Meanwhile, players who spend their time on the high stakes tables can expect to earn, for example, a return flight to New York, Vegas or LA every couple of months – a totally unique offer in this market.”