The latest trend among online gaming developers is to explore the gambling market. Zynga has spent the last few months preparing for its entry into the online gambling world, and Facebook has already made a great deal of progress.
After launching the wildly successful Bingo Friendzy application, the social networking site has announced a new deal that will see online casino operator 888 provide real-money online gambling on Facebook in the App Market.
While this presents Facebook with some lucrative opportunities, the gaming world is not entirely sure that the social networking website is headed in the right direction.
Social Gambling: An Oxymoron?
Whether gambling online or in person, the activity is known to be quite solitary. When you play table games, you’re focused on the dealer. When you play slots, you’re focused on the machine. Bingo and poker seem to be the only exception. So, does offering casino games on a social networking site seem out of place or revolutionary?
Companies like Zynga want to redefine ‘online gambling’ by making it a more social activity – but will this work?
We’re not entirely sure that the majority of gamblers will want to share their progress on their Facebook timelines or invite their closest friends to watch them play blackjack online.
Exposing Children to Gambling?
Executives assure critics that children are not able to access real-money gambling on Facebook. Using strict identity verification procedures only individuals that are of the legal gambling age can access the casino applications. The app content that users can share on the timelines is also not viewable by underage individuals.
However, there is one drawback. Play-money gambling applications are available to individuals of all ages. In a gaming marketplace where apps like Farmville and Zombie Run exist, we’re certain that children won’t opt to play slots instead.
However, children are curious, and they could develop a taste for gambling early on in life simply by accessing play-money slots on social networking sites.
"Research has shown again and again that one of the biggest factors in developing problem gambling is playing free games online first,” says Mark Griffiths, a gambling studies professor at Nottingham Trent University. “These children and teenagers today are the problem gamblers of tomorrow."
Caution Advised for App Designers
The key to attracting players to Facebook apps is using bright bold colours and fun characters. Unfortunately, this may not be the best course of action for Facebook casino designers.
Bingo Friendzy has already come under fire for its game design, using cute and cuddly characters that could potentially attract younger players.
