- Zynga launched Zynga Plus Poker and Zynga Plus Casino, a real-money poker client on the PartyPoker network, in April 2013 for UK customers only.
- The move was expected since a new deal between Zynga and Facebook inked in November 2012 required real-money games launched by Zynga to be also be available through the Facebook platform.
- There are no details yet on when the product is slated to launch.
Zynga is to demo its real-money poker and casino software for Facebook at the World GES conference this week, VentureBeat reports.
Zynga launched Zynga Plus Poker , a real-money poker client on the PartyPoker network, in April 2013 for UK customers only. The poker room is a simple skin of the Party client, and shares the same player pool liquidity. It also launched Zynga Plus Casino using bwin.party’s software in tandem.
Expanding to Facebook and mobile is a natural progression for Zynga’s real-money gaming (RMG) aspirations. The move was expected following a new deal between Zynga and Facebook inked in November 2012, which required Zynga to make its real-money games available on the Facebook platform.
VentureBeat reported on Wednesday that the new platform would be demoed at the World Gaming Executive Summit, which runs through July 11. The invite-only event brings together more than 300 delegates from the world of gaming, including regulators and online gaming operators.
Sean Ryan, the head of game partnerships at Facebook, will be showing off both ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino on Facebook and mobile, VentureBeat reports. There are no details yet on when either product will launch.
The launch of Zynga has so far provided a negligible effect on PartyPoker’s declining traffic numbers, though the real test will come following a Facebook launch and tighter integration with its social product, Texas Hold’em Poker.
Zynga has suffered declining revenues and was forced to lay off almost a fifth of its workforce last month in a cost-cutting measure. Investors are increasingly looking to RMG to provide Zynga with a much-needed revenue stream. Zynga itself has reportedly downplayed RMG, calling the latest additions “experiments.”
Facebook opened up RMG apps last year, and the first to debut was a bingo app for UK customers, Bingo & Slots Friendzy, in August 2012.
Zynga and bwin.party formed an agreement in October 2012 following over a year of speculation that Zynga would enter the RMG space. bwin.party is the worldest largest publicly traded online gaming company. Along with the PartyPoker poker room and network, it also offers sports betting, casino and bingo under Party, bwin, World Poker Tour and other brands in many European regulated markets.