Facebook launches first real money gambling game.
Facebook has joined the realms of the latest online bingo gambling phenomenon but with “real money” stakes. Facebook’s launch of Bingo Friendzy allows players to risk thousands to win huge jackpots of upto 50k.
Bingo Friendzy is available at present only in the United Kingdom due to it’s more relaxed gambling laws. Players must stake a minimum of £10 to play the ‘real money’ game which uses cartoon character images based on the Moshi Monsters widely recognized by youngsters. Is this what Facebook intended by the creation and use of these graphics? Will youngsters be compelled to join in this game?
When questioned, both Facebook and Gamesys insist that its strict controls will prevent under 18′s from playing this, but with recent information publicized regarding the use of fake Facebook accounts for gaming purposes, this is by no means a certainty.
The newly released game poses a real gambling concern as it is with new players placing a £10 stake being offered a £5,000 win at bingo and a £52k jackpot on the slot machines. Did Facebook really need to go down the route of encouraging gambling on this level? Or even at all? Are they really guilty of trying to entice younger members to get caught up in the trap?
What do you think? Will the popular cartoon characters depicted in this game entice youngsters into the gambling trap? If so, is it what the developers planned do you think? Should Facebook have allowed a “real money” gambling game at all? We would like to hear your thoughts on this. Please share them in the comments box below.
