There just might be one. Granted it is on Facebook which means that there is no real money involved but it is a push on the infamous, widely used online social networking site. But it appears that ever so slowly Double Down Interactive LLC is looking to make their app the first social online casino on the site.
Double Down started out offering a Facebook app for blackjack lovers to play on for free while still interacting with their friends—be they real friends in real life or friends acquired in the site. Then game online slots games and then online roulette. Now Double Down has added video poker to their lineup.
All they are missing is some online craps, online poker and perhaps some online keno and they could be all set. Although given last week’s ‘Black Friday’ for the online casino industry I doubt that Double Down will be assertive enough to throw even play-for-fun online poker up on their site.
The interesting thing about Double Down, if they pull this off over time, is that this would give Facebook users a place to play in a casino online without the worry about legality because there is no way that Mark Zuckerberg would allow something like online gambling on his site. Privacy violations, sure. But not direct online gambling. But apparently for-fun online gambling is acceptable.
The addition of video poker to Double Down’s Facebook app line up consists of three games, which fans of the app have apparently been requesting. Greg Enell, who is the co-founder and CEO of Double Down, said, “Our users have been asking for video poker at the Double Down. To meet the demand, we have responded with three entertaining new video poker games, including Double Down Bonus, Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild.”
So now the Facebook app is one step closer to being a play-for-fun casino. For the most part no one is willing to think that there is anything off with this. After all it is for real money and Zuckerberg is okay will allowing it on his site. And if Zuckerberg says it is okay, it must be so. But what a lot of people are missing is while chips are given every day for free, players can purchase chips. Granted they cannot cash them in for real money, but real money is being invested, and that means that some form of undesirable activity is bound to follow. Case in point: recall the theft of Zynga poker chips recently.
I doubt there would be any action for or against Facebook having a mostly play-for-fun casino on its site. Now if they ever allow players to cash out real money, then I think Double Down, Facebook and Zuckerberg might find themselves in hotter water.