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Zynga's real money casino games double down in UK
UK residents over the age of 18 can now gamble at Zynga's real-money destinations ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino. The games are powered by bwin.party, which Zynga calls "one of the largest and most reputable real money gaming operators worldwide." The company plans to bring its virtual casino to Facebook and mobile in the UK this year."Our long term vision is to offer our players the next generation of real money games on multiple platforms in regulated markets worldwide," wrote Zynga Chief Revenue Officer Barry Cottle on the company's blog. "This is just the beginning for us and we're looking forward to seeing what our UK players think about ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino, and creating the most valuable casino games and social experiences for them."ZyngaPlusPoker is an online poker room with multiple levels of tournament buy-ins. ZyngaPlusCasino features over 160 slots, including the FarmVille slot machine, along with blackjack, roulette, baccarat and video poker. Both versions share a single wallet. And, not as a joke, we're going to slide this Gamblers Anonymous link here just in case.
Zynga betting on real money-based gambling in games, starting in 2013
Zynga's getting into real money gambling in the first half of 2013, says CEO Mark Pincus. The company head announced as much during an investor call yesterday; he wasn't able to nail down where the service will launch first, as it'll need to pass various online gambling reviews before being allowed to go live. One thing's for sure: it's unlikely to launch in the US, as gambling is only allowed in a handful of US States.It stands to reason that the service will be implemented through games like, say, Zynga Poker, though Pincus wasn't saying anything concrete. Though "the first real-money gambling products are ready," it's unclear what they'll entail. Pincus called mobile games "a big opportunity," so we may see Zynga move on that first.And no, we refuse to entertain the idea that real money will be used to gamble on things like FarmVille. That is not a reality we are okay with.
Zynga Platform launches in open beta
Well, that was fast. Just days after announcing its Zynga Platform, the casual and social games giant has revealed Zynga Platform is now available in open beta form. Like, you can go to Zynga.com right now and play some games. As of writing this post, 1.6 million people are currently doing just that.Some functionality isn't live right now, but if you're a seasoned player, you'll find your progress there waiting for you on Zynga Platform. You can set up a Zynga profile, add some zFriends (ugh) and chat, and play any of the five games available: CastleVille, Words with Friends, CityVille, Hidden Chronicles and Zynga Poker.
Zynga considering online gambling; puts $1 billion on Red 14
Zynga let it all ride with its IPO late last year and its stock has fluctuated ever since, with some analysts suggesting the social-games market has capped out its user base, that it doesn't generate enough consumer spending, and that Zynga just isn't worth very much as a company. Perhaps in answer to these claims, Zynga is flirting with the idea of online gambling -- the kind with real money.Zynga is talking with several potential partners about the foray, a spokesperson told All Things D, along with the following statement: "Zynga Poker is the world's largest online poker game with more than 7 million people playing every day and over 30 million each month. We know from listening to our players that there's an interest in the real-money gambling market. We're in active conversations with potential partners to better understand and explore this new opportunity."Entering the online-gambling industry would help Zynga end its piggyback dependence on Facebook, which may quell some investors' concerns about its future as an independent company. And it may stop Zynga from making more games like Farmville.
Zynga Poker hacker sentenced to two years after stealing $11 million
29-year old Devon, England citizen Ashley Mitchell -- who we'll be referring to as "Cyber Danny Ocean" for the remainder of this article -- has been sentenced to two years in prison plus a 30-week suspended sentence for stealing £7 million ($11.4 million) in virtual currency for Zynga Poker. The methods Cyber Danny Ocean used were far less exciting and sophisticated than his cinematic counterpart: He hijacked the accounts of two Zynga employees, added the funds to his account, and re-sold them for a cool £53,612. How did C.D.O. get caught? He performed said heist while using his neighbor's unsecured Wi-Fi connection. That seems like a pretty obvious slip-up -- we think he did it on purpose, to spare the rest of his crew from ending up in the slammer. We bet that when he gets out, Cyber Brad Pitt is going to be waiting to pick him up, waiting with a pithy remark about his suit. Who's that in the car? Oh, it's Cyber Julia Roberts -- and she's still in love with him! Credits.
