Facebook Will Offer Real Money Gambling

This story was published more than 11 years ago.

Online gambling has taken a significant step on Tuesday as social media giant Facebook is reportedly set to offer real money gambling, albeit only in the UK for the moment.

Punters in the UK aged 18 or older will be offered the opportunity to play bingo for cash prizes. Online slot games are set to be added in the next few weeks as well, a report in the Financial Mail claims.

Commenting on the development, Facebook Head of Gaming for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa Julien Codorniou told the Financial Times that: “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.”

Facebook will launch the games through an app called Bingo Frenzy, which is a joint venture between Facebook and Gamesys, a large UK online operator of casino games.

“We are a distribution platform for Gamesys – they have the games and we bring the audience,” said Codorniou.

Facebook is not alone in terms of social media companies looking to offer real money betting either, as fellow social media giant Zynga is looking to launch real money versions of its popular free casino games next year.

Gambling trade body the Remote Gaming Association also commented on the situation with RGA CEO Clive Hawkswood saying: “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. A lot of people have said why haven’t they done it before because there’s a difficulty in monetizing what they have – this is one way of bringing in revenues.”

2 replies • Last post

Comments

usbarbadosslim93
Forum AngelForum Angel
barbadosslim93's picture
Location: Michigan
Joined: 28 Jan 2011
Posts: 15152
Thanks given: 849
Thanks received: 2155
7 August 2012 - 3:47pm
#1

Its happening now. I wonder if this will take off and become the new way that people shift their online gambling to.

ushope777
Forum AngelForum Angel
hope777's picture
Location: Minnesota USA
Joined: 1 Jan 2011
Posts: 12667
Thanks given: 1393
Thanks received: 1043
7 August 2012 - 4:44pm
#2

I am sorry, but even THAT will NOT get me to go back to Face Book. I will stick to the tried and true casinos. lol