Social network giant Facebook has this week announced its plans to expand its online gambling operations. Facebook currently offer a range of virtual betting and gambling game apps, which they use to advertise real money gambling. They now look set to offer betting and gambling direct from their own platform.
Facebook currently offer a range of virtual betting and gambling game apps, which they use to advertise real money gambling. They now look set to offer betting and gambling direct from their own platform. It was announced last night that Facebook have entered into a partnership with leading bookmaker Paddy Power. Real money gaming is a popular and well-regulated activity in the UK and we are allowing a partner to offer their games to adult users on the Facebook platform in a safe and controlled manner.”. Real Money Gambling on Facebook. Game developer Zynga announced plans to bring online gambling franchises to Facebook in the United Kingdom. What could this mean for online bingo players and gamblers in the US? Many think Zynga's move could clear the way for legalized online gambling in the United States.
It was announced last night that Facebook have entered into a partnership with leading bookmaker Paddy Power. This agreement will see a new Facebook app launched that allows for real money wagering on football matches , horse racing and other sporting events. It is due to be rolled in the UK within a matter of days, although it is not clear when or if it will be available in other countries.
The online betting market in the UK is estimated to be worth around £2 billion a year, and Facebook is clearly after a slice of that. They will no doubt come in for some criticism as they’re already concerns that this latest move could encourage under age gambling. However, both Paddy Power and Facebook have made it very clear that advertisements for this new app will not be visible to users under the age of 18, and that there will be rigorous safeguards in place to ensure only those of a legal age can use the app.
This news follows recent reports that social gaming company Zynga is getting ready to launch real money poker and casino games on Facebook. This is likely to happen soon, and will also be targeted towards users in the United Kingdom.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Online poker players, don’t get excited just yet. Don’t start running around the neighborhood yelling about how your “One time” has finally come in.
Ok, fine, get a little excited.
For the first time, Facebook is offering a game in which players can wager real money, not simply things like in-game currency or Facebook credits. The game is Bingo Friendzy, created by London-based Gamesys. It’s not poker, so that time has not come yet, but it is still a game in which users can gamble real money on the outcome. Right now, it is only available to residents of the United Kingdom who are over 18-years of age. In fact, Facebook users in other countries will not even be able to see the application.
Bingo Friendzy is the creation solely of Gamesys, maker of the popular Jackpotjoy Slots and Jackpotjoy Casino apps on Facebook, amongst others. Facebook is only the vehicle for offering the game to the public; the social networking behemoth was not involved in the development of the game.
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A game like bingo makes sense as the starting point for real-money gaming on Facebook, largely because it is about as simple and casual a form of gambling as there is. After all, the stereotype of a bingo player is a senior citizen in a retirement village or a parishioner at the local church.
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“Bingo is at the softer end of the gambling spectrum and online bingo often has chat forums alongside, so it’s an obvious match for Facebook,” Remote Gambling Association chief executive Clive Hawkswood told the Financial Times. “A lot of people have said why haven’t they done it before because there’s a difficulty in monetising what they have – this is one way of bringing in revenues.”
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In the same article, Julien Codorniou, Facebook’s head of gaming for Europe, Middle East and Africa, added, “Gambling is very popular and well regulated in the UK . . . for millions of bingo users it’s already a social experience [so] it makes sense [for us] to offer that as well.”
A number of protections for users will be in place on Bingo Friendzy. According to TechCrunch, users will be required to verify their identities to prove that they are of age and located in the United Kingdom. Facebook also has what is called “age-gating” technology which prevents underage Facebook users from seeing the Bingo Friendzy activity of their friends. Thus, even if, say, a 30-year old Facebook user broadcasts every single game-related achievement to all his friends, none of his Bingo Friendzy activity will be visible to his 16-year old cousin.
A Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch, “Facebook is a place that allows people to connect and share. Real money gaming is a popular and well-regulated activity in the UK and we are allowing a partner to offer their games to adult users on the Facebook platform in a safe and controlled manner.”
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Should this venture succeed, it could open the door to further real-money gaming on Facebook. In July, social gaming giant Zynga opened a tender for real-money poker with developers such as Microgaming, GTECH G2, Playtech, and Intralot. Zynga’s current play-money offering, Zynga Poker, is one of the most popular games on Facebook, drawing well over 100,000 play-money users per day, according to PokerScout.com.