Social Gambling: Exploring the Potential

It was a case of the booming 1990s for any company that ventured into the cool waters of the online gambling business. The ability to play their favourite casino games, online, attracted people like sharks to chum. It simply boils down to convenience. Why would people leave the safety and warmth of their homes if they don’t have to?

So video slot machines sparkled and the best table games in the worlds illuminated. People were happy with their lot. Then came online poker. A game where the house didn’t own the edge but instead the player did. It was a game played between two people and the online casino was the mere host. In the offline world, this offering has disastrous consequences as it takes money away from the casino, but you only have to look at the Rational Group to see how successful online poker rooms can become.

Now let’s take the evolution one step further. Human beings love to play games as a form of entertainment, but they also have the need to compete hardwired into their psyche. This is particularly true of males, who are the dominant player in the online world of gambling.

So what if the social games that are attracting multi-million eyeballs started to offer real money alternatives. What if you could play Farmville for money? Let’s take that one step further. What if companies like EA Sports started to host real money games for the like of FIFA Soccer?

There is a market for sure. Now let’s see who taps into it first.