Ryanair said on Wednesday it had formed a gaming partnership with Internet bingo group Jackpotjoy, adding another new revenue stream as it seeks to boost cash flow from areas other than ticket sales.

Ryanair said in a statement the deal would allow passengers to play bingo while booking their flights, car hire, and hotels on its web site.

The airline did not disclose the financial terms of the deal or say what impact it was likely to have on its overall business.

In-flight sales and services such as hotel bookings and car hire are a key driver of growth for the group, which believes ancillary revenues will one day form such a big part of the business that passengers will effectively fly for free.

Such businesses generated EUR259.2 million euros (USD$330 million) in turnover in the year to the end of March 2006, which was 15.3 percent of Ryanair's total revenues of EUR1.69 billion (USD$2.16 billion).

The airline said in June it expected ancillary revenues to grow at a faster rate than ticket sales in the current business year and that it was close to finalizing agreements to offer customers online gambling and in-flight mobile phone services.

In August the firm struck a deal with communications joint venture OnAir to fit aircraft with technology to allow passengers to use their mobile phones onboard. Users will be charged by mobile service providers on their monthly bills and Ryanair will receive a commission from OnAir.