NetImperative reports that the recently launched Le Croupier.com, a French land casino company Lucien Barriere’s new 3D online casino is backed by a seven figure marketing budget. This highly interactive and customized online casino is inspired by Lucien Barrière’s own bricks and mortar casinos across France. It is exactly like a virtual replica of the group’s world-famous casino in Deauville. It employs a proprietary software developed by Barrière Interactive Gaming and will be market as an extension of the Lucien Barrière brand.
It is part of their marketing plan to promote the casino through banners on the site and via links on various sites owned by the group, as UK as the initial main target. There’s no difficulty with the budget, as the company generously budget a seven-figure sum to be spent on marketing, public relations and advertising. Skywrite Communications was hired by the company to advise, co-ordinate and implement the online and offline communications strategy.

This month of March is the launching of print, online and outdoor activity campaign with the message “Is it real or virtual? Both, actually.” An image of “real” person will be featured in the virtual LeCroupier.com world. This gives you an illusion that the online experience at LeCroupier.com is so real that you almost feel like being there physically in the Lucien Barrière casino in Deauville. There will also be a transvission outdoor campaign of the same 20-second version of the main LeCroupier.com that is available online. These print campaigns will run in the The Metro, national and lifestyle media such as Esquire, GQ, OK and Heat and gambling titles. While, their outdoor campaigns will run for two weeks, which will go live starting on April 6, 2009. You will see these ads in 16 train stations across the UK, including London Victoria, Birmingham New Street and Glasgow Central.

Jon Strock, Chief Operating Officer for LeCroupier.com stated during the launch announcement, “With our 47-year heritage in managing 40 land-based casinos, LeCroupier.com is uniquely positioned to provide the best online casino in the market. With the first truly 3D online casino, featuring life-like avatars and the possibility to interact with other players, we are confident that LeCroupier.com will be the next generation in online casinos. Anyone entering LeCroupier.com will be able to immerse themselves in the same fun and sophisticated environment they would enjoy in the real-life Lucien Barrière casino in Deauville.”
With UK’s clear legislation, regulation and authorization of online gambling, LeCroupier.com decided to initially launch to UK market. But Lucien Barriere has plan of expanding it with further offerings going forward, including poker, betting and a mobile version.