Why Zynga Shares Soared

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of social gamer Zynga have soared by as much as 17% after the company launched its first real-money gambling titles in the U.K.

So what: ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino launched today in the U.K. for players ages 18 and over. The company has partnered with bwin.party to power the games. Between both titles, Zynga is now offering poker and other popular table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and video poker. The company is also offering a FarmVille-themed slots game.

Now what: Zynga had previously outlined its plans to launch real-money gambling in the first half of 2013, starting in international markets, so the company has fulfilled its promise. The company says it intends to continue rolling out real-money games on numerous platforms in other regulated markets. Real-money gaming has been considered a major catalyst for Zynga, as a new way to monetize its large user base.

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Zynga's post-IPO performance has been dreadful, and investors are beginning to wonder if it's "game over" for this newly public company. Being so closely tied to the world's largest social network can be a blessing and a curse. You can learn everything you need to know about Zynga and whether it's a buy or a sell in our new premium research report. Don't even think about picking up shares before you read what our top analysts have to say about Zynga. Click here to access your copy.

The article Why Zynga Shares Soared originally appeared on Fool.com.

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