Online betting site Paddy Power are trialing an app on social media platform Facebook, which will allow users there to bet on sports with real money.
The Paddy Power In-Play! app is being trialed on Facebook now, and it is the first ever product to allow sports betting on the social networking site to be done with real money. This will be a major breakthrough for both parties, and it will also open doors for other business to make money through the social networking platform, as well as increasing revenue for Facebook as well.
This is being trialed in the UK, where online gambling laws are more relaxed than what they are in the US, and the Paddy Power In-Play! app will allow Facebook users to bet on sports such as horse racing and football matches. This is a major coup for Paddy Power as it will increase their social media branding, and it will give them the ability to reach a whole new audience.
Online betting site Paddy Power have a heavy presence on social media as it, as they do interact heavily with their customers on Twitter and Facebook as it is. Their Twitter account profile reads ‘Betting news and banter served with a side of mischief’.
But the betting site have come under some scrutiny already for products launched on the social media platform. Paddy Power produced casino games which are played with virtual money, and young children are free to use them. Children over 13 can sign up to these casino games, but not until they turn 18 will they receive gambling advertisements.
The Paddy Power In-Play! app will be different on Facebook, with only people 18 years or older being able to see the application. No-one under 18 will be able to view it and strict age verification protocols will be in place.
Peter O’Donovan, managing director of Paddy Power Online said: “The launch of the first real money sports betting product on Facebook is testament to Paddy Power’s e-commerce and technology capabilities.
“We are pleased to partner with Facebook on this pioneering work.”
Will Collins, Head of Social Casino partnerships at Facebook said: “Given the popularity of sports betting in the UK, we’re delighted to be welcoming Paddy Power onto the Facebook gaming platform with an innovative gaming experience.”
A Facebook spokesman said: “Online betting is a popular and well-regulated pastime in the UK. Our carefully chosen partners work within stringent regulatory guidelines to ensure their products and services are used safely and responsibly by adults. These products will be invisible and inaccessible to people aged under 18 on Facebook.”
