Ryanair to launch online gambling (...again)
Budget airline Ryanair has resurrected plans for an in-flight egaming system.
Budget airline Ryanair has resurrected plans for an in-flight online gambling system.
Announcing the new plans this week, a Ryanair spokesman told the Wall Street Journal: “Ryanair’s onboard gaming systems are still in the development-and-research phase with the focus on launching the service in three to five years.”
The budget airline first announced plans for an onboard gambling system back in 2005, when Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said he believed revenue from gaming and gambling could eventually do away with the need for air fares, although the scheme never transpired.
In the event of the system being implemented, all gambling activity on Ryanair planes would need to take place in international airspace, as the UK Gambling Commission does not issue premises licences for aircraft. This would make any gambling activity on Ryanair planes within the UK an offence under the UK Gambling Act 2005.
However O’Leary said he did not anticipate any licensing problems.
As reported on EGRmagazine.com at the time of its signing in 2006, Ryanair has an egaming deal with Jackpot Joy which allow users of Ryanair.com to gamble while booking flights, car hire or hotels.