The brand Glu Mobile is known as one of the most popular social gaming developers. Creating arcade games for the Facebook Games platform and mobile devices, the company has made a name for itself by offering up a selection of fun and frivolous titles for players to enjoy while on the go. Now, the Glu Mobile is going to get a little more serious, entering into the mobile gambling world, where real money is at stake.
Glu Mobile has recently announced its move into the real-money gambling market. It will do so with the help of Probability PLC, a UK-based gambling operator that works with a number of real-money casino operators. Together, the two companies will create a number of mobile slots games based on Glu Mobile’s most popular brands and characters.
"We view real-money mobile gaming as an opportunity to extend the reach of our successful original IP to new demographics, as well as deepen engagement and rewards for our players," says Niccolo de Masi, CEO of Glu Mobile. This is certainly not the first time that a social games developer has mentioned entering the world of mobile gambling – but it is the most successful venture thus far.
Zynga has recently issued statements about its interest in the real-money gambling market. It has been quite some time since the company first expressed its interest, and the gambling market is still waiting for Zynga to make its move. In the meantime, Glu Mobile has already pushed forward with its plans. This is yet another sign of the convergence between social gaming and online gambling.
Real-money gambling developers like PlayTech and IGT have already entered into the social gaming market on Facebook, and now social games operators are taking the same step. Both real money online gambling and social gaming are incredible profitable and valuable markets.
Even though they are quite similar, they offer distinctly different benefits for their operators, making it ideal for an online gambling operator to get involved in social gaming – and vice versa