One form of entertainment technology that has not really managed to take off is the interactive television model.  Interactive television is wear the television meets the internet.  Online casinos never miss an opportunity to expand to new audiences, but that has not been very successful as of yet on interactive tv.  You need only ask Sky Betting and Gaming.

Because online casinos were still so controversial, Sky Betting and Gaming decided to focus their energy on providing interactive television gambling.  However, according to managing director Richard Flint, the technology may not yet be available necessary to make interactive television gambling more successful than online casinos.  Now Sky Betting and Gaming is considering refocusing their attention to online casinos.

The numbers simply show that gamblers much prefer online casinos to interactive television.  Sky Betting and Gaming have a number of online offers in the form of SkyPoker, SkyBingo, SkyBet, and SkyVegas.  For these sites combined user numbers grew by roughly 80,000 per week in 2009.  These sites would gain 60,000 new player each week back in 2008.

On the other hand the interactive television gamblers were disappearing every week.  In 2009 Sky Betting and Gaming lost 5,000 interactive television users every week and 7,500 players each week in 2008.

“Looking back our focus was on interactive TV, but as technology hasn’t moved as quickly as we would have liked, we have changed our focus to be an online company instead of a TV company,” said Flint.  

Interactive television gambling just does not seem to be where it is at.