- Zynga has announced that it will launch real-money online poker and casino games in the UK on Wednesday.
- ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino—operated in conjunction with bwin.party—will be available to customers via a downloadable client and a web-based application.
- Facebook and mobile users in the UK can expect to be able to access Zynga real-money games later in 2013.
Zynga has announced that it will launch real-money online poker and casino games in the UK on Wednesday.
ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino—operated on the bwin.party platform—will be available to customers via a downloadable client and a web-based application.
“Our long term vision is to offer our players the next generation of real money games on multiple platforms in regulated markets worldwide,” Zynga’s Chief Revenue Officer Barry Cottle posted on the company blog today.
Facebook and mobile users in the UK can expect to be able to access Zynga real-money games later in 2013.
The social gaming giant renegotiated its deal with Facebook in November 2012 clearing the way for real-money gaming to be offered on other platforms. Once the ties with Facebook were loosened, Zynga was free to leverage its existing partnership with bwin.party.
Facebook already allows real-money games in the UK market. “Bingo & Slots Friendzy” launched a real-money gambling component to its Facebook game back in August, the first of its kind.
The poker client will feature both cash games and tournaments, and shares the same player pool as international dot-com PartyGaming network on which PartyPoker, bwin, GameBookers, WPT Poker and other skins reside.
The Casino game will offer Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Video Poker and, for the first time, FarmVille themed slots.
Real-money gaming was first announced to have been in development during an earnings call following a disastrous Q2 earnings report in 2012.
Zynga confirmed its aspirations to introduce real-money gaming to its customers in the US when it initiated the pre-license application process required to offer online poker in the state of Nevada late last year.
Customers will be treated to a variety of “welcome packages including real money bonuses and free cash on deposit.”
