Facebook's official gambling push begins with Bingo Friendzy in the UK

Zynga being keen on it is one thing, but Facebook outright allowing it is another thing entirely. We're talking about real-money gambling on Facebook, and it has officially begun with the launch of JackpotJoy's Bingo Friendzy on the network. Unfortunately for those just itching to throw their hard-earned cash to the winds, Bingo Friendzy is only available in the UK at the moment.

Actually, it will probably be that way for some time, given online gambling is only legal in a handful of states in the U.S. at the moment. But in the UK, it's another story. "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 head of gaming for Europe, Middle East and Africa Julien Codorniou told The Financial Times, according to The Telegraph.

The Telegraph reports that more gambling Facebook games will release in the coming months for players in the region, with slots games up next. We imagine that this is exactly where Zynga's upcoming gambling games will launch next year, as promised. This could mean a much-needed revenue boost for Facebook (and its game makers), but at what cost? We'll find out soon enough.

[Via Gizmodo]

Are you excited for or dreading the onset of real-money gambling in Facebook games? What will this mean for the genre? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.