Sky set for social casino launch
Operator to officially unveil mobile social casino slots games this afternoon
Sky Betting & Gaming is preparing to expand into the social gaming space with the launch of a number of exclusive and partner mobile social slots games, eGaming Review can reveal.
The social slots, which will be made available via an app on iOS and Android, are set to be officially unveiled later today following a nine-month development process.
The games, which will feature 3D effects, quests and social interactions, have been developed alongside an unnamed third-party provider and were tested within selected markets before Christmas.
Speaking to eGR, Sky head of social games Bruce Bale remained tight-lipped on the finer details of the launch but said the firm was hoping to deliver “something new to the market”.
“We believe it’s an interesting opportunity to combine experience from our existing products, such as Sky Vegas and most recently Sky Casino, with the specific features used in social games,” Bale said.
“We also have a strong track record using social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, which are important channels for social casino.
“This will be a gentle launch, where we hope to test and learn, and see how the game performs,” he added.
Sky Betting & Gaming is the latest in a long line of real-money operators to launch social casino and betting products, the majority of which have struggled to cash in on the opportunity.
Both Paddy Power and bwin.party recently pulled their social sportsbook ventures, with the latter expecting its social arm Win to post losses of 7m for 2014.
In addition, 888 is currently in the process of overhauling its “underperforming” social gaming business, which was bolstered by the acquisition of Israeli social gaming studio Mytopia in 2010.
However, PokerStars is set to ramp-up its social presence in the coming months and currently has a social casino active in beta on Facebook. PokerStars’ parent company Amaya Gaming last year highlighted social as being a key driver of future growth.
Last month, broadcasting giant Sky sold an 80% stake in Sky Betting & Gaming to private equity and investment firm CVC Capital Partners for £720m.