Russian banks offer bonuses, cashback for Pokemon Go players

MOSCOW, Jul 18 (PRIME) -- Russian banks have offered a range of bonuses, cashbacks and free insurance for players of popular scavenger hunt mobile game Pokemon Go, which will be shortly launched on the local market, PRIME reported Monday.

Sberbank, the country’s biggest bank, equipped its branches in 16 cities with special modules attracting the game’s characters, pokemons – a word originating from “pocket monsters” – which are shown on smartphones’ screens within the application’s augmented reality platform.

The bank also offered an insurance program for Pokemon Go’s players. “If a gamer gets carried away when playing and is hurt, the insurance company will pay compensation. Insurance certificates will be free for all players of Pokemon Go,” Sberbank said.

Big bank VTB 24 will give the game’s players a double cashback in August for a photo of pokemons with the bank’s logo.

Tinkoff Bank also promises bonuses. “We have a special card for gamers, Tinkoff Google Play, on which we will reward special bonuses. Those who will open a cobranded card Tinkoff Google Play until the end of July will get 2,000 rubles, which the client could spend on purchases in Pokemon Go. We will pay 10% in cashback bonuses for any purchase inside the game,” the bank said.

The mobile game, which marries the reality with images on the smartphone’s screen, has already provoked a number of incidents as players concentrate on phones instead of surroundings.

Russian Railways, a national carrier, has already warned gamers of danger when playing at platforms and railway passages.

(63.1697 rubles – U.S. $1)

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