back to article Facebook touts gambling to 'responsible' Brits

Facebook has - for the first time - opened up its network to gamblers wanting to play online via the service in the UK. The first gambling application on the social network was added this morning. The Mark Zuckerberg-run company has "age-gating" and "geo-location" technology to help determine that anyone wishing to play real …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Sun eh?

    how long before you can get tits on facebook?

    they're getting desperate now....

    1. fridaynightsmoke
      Coat

      Re: The Sun eh?

      I thought a sizeable number of FB users were already tits....

      1. Ian Michael Gumby
        Devil

        Re: The Sun eh?

        You dropped the W.

        1. VinceH
          Holmes

          Re: The Sun eh?

          "You dropped the W."

          Yes. Do you see what he did there?

    2. LarsG
      Meh

      Anything for cash

      Anything for cash hey Zuck!

      Facebook must be desperate for the cash, so how long before children get involved in the gambling.

      How secure will your credit card be?

      They'd sell their own Grandmother for profit.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      They will

      Even have a self help page to help combat gambling addiction!

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Inevitable...

    ...as Facebook tries to find cash down the back of the sofa, this kind of deal was inevitable. Personally I find the bingo and slots part of the gambling spectrum far more concerning than the likes of casino and poker; it tends to target those who can least afford it.

  3. tkioz
    FAIL

    Yeah...

    Yeah this is going to end well...

    Let me state for the record I have no moral or ethical problem with gambling, people want to play, let them... but these "games" and other things like poker-machines are not games, they are thinly disguised skinner boxes designed to pray on the most vulnerable.

    1. mark 63 Silver badge
      Unhappy

      Re: Yeah...

      yeah , and most annoyingly , its someone else doing the preying , not me :(

      Its the perfect business - People come , empty their pockets, and leave

  4. Crisp
    Coat

    Here Facebook. Take my money, I don't want it. It's yours.

    It seems we are unfamiliar with sarcasm.

    I shall close my wallet at this point.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How long before

    Your facebook password is cracked and then the sold, so that some crack addled gambling whore can cream your bank account. I can't wait for the daily mails take on this.

    1. David Evans

      Re: How long before

      That would be The Daily Mail that operates its own bingo site perhaps? Oh, the dress it up in good causes, but its still gambling, so I'm guessing they'll keep their mouths surprisingly shut.

      1. edge_e
        Stop

        Re: How long before

        Are you actually suggesting the daily mail wouldn't be hypocritical?

  6. blofse

    "vulnerable people"

    ... er isn't anyone who gambles essentially vulnerable as you will loose over time?

    and how will this effect the arcade market - this could be (a step toward) the final demise of amusements around the country...

    In any case - I am glad I am no longer on facebook!

    1. tkioz

      Re: "vulnerable people"

      Not really. For example I personally gamble twice a year, $10 on the Melbourne cup, and an yearly poker game ($50 buyin) at the local RSL.

      Granted I don't gamble outside of this "ritual" because I damn well know I'm in the "at-risk" group, it would be very easy to get addicted, I know this, because I know my own personality.

      But not everyone who gambles occasionally is vulnerable. The problem is when they make gambling so damn easy to do, via your tablet, phone, pc, whatever, then you can get people who should know better before they can have second thoughts, which they might have if they have to head down to the local club to get their "fix".

    2. BongoJoe

      Re: "vulnerable people"

      Of course your comment about people becoming loose over time may not apply to those who make a living out of gambling.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Age-gating

    Wonder what that is or how it works. My Facebook has a fabricated birthdate that shows a much different age than my own. I wonder if this will be just as effective as the "I am legal age" buttons elsewhere on the internet...

    http://www.theonion.com/articles/i-am-under-18-button-clicked-for-first-time-in-his,6396/

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Risk

    "is a bit of a no-brainer in terms of generating new revenue streams from its users in the UK"

    The location based limitations better be foolproof otherwise the US authorities will put most of the US board behind bars. The wire act means online gambling must not be available to US citizens no matter where the services is hosted. With the use of TOR and other technologies surely a fake facebook account, set up using a throwaway email address means US citizens will be able to gamble online...

    1. B4PJS

      Re: Risk

      You generally need to have registered a British card first to make a deposit to your account.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Responsible. Online gambling. Via Facebook.

    Syntax error - redo from start.

  10. This post has been deleted by its author

  11. LinkOfHyrule

    real money gaming is a popular leisure activity in the UK

    real money gaming is a popular way to piss away your family's income in the UK, if you are so desperate to do it you need it on facebook.

    Corrected it for them

  12. Ketlan
    Devil

    Oh, dear...

    Friendzy???

    Whoever came up with that one needs a smack across the back of the head.

    1. Oninoshiko
      Mushroom

      Re: Oh, dear...

      here, use mine....

  13. Bradley Hardleigh-Hadderchance
    Joke

    Fly on wall with head mounted video camera:

    Rubs fingers (tentacles, wtf?) together. Regurgitates a bit. Has a slap up off that old faceburger it licked off two hours earlier.

    Roll:

    ----------------------------

    Mr. Zuckerberg mounts stage. Blah blah blah. Bitches. Blah blah blah. Bitches. Blah. Suckers. Blah. One. Blah. Born. Blah blah blah.

    So you see. Responsible is good. The responsible pay their bills. When we fleece them, ahem, I mean sell them this service that they really really want, they will zig a zag zoom pay their fucking debts. Whoops. Been working a bit too hard lately. I'm alright really. Bitches. Er, I mean fellow chumps. I mean chums.

    This works on a two fold basis, first, the suckers, er I mean users, just pay the freakin' bill, second we don't have to send the boys round to shatter kneecaps. This saves a small fortune I can tell you. Legbreakers ain't cheap these days. Ok, maybe the wife is not as understanding as she might be when they cart out the new three piece suite. But that is a marital problem. And you know what? There is a new service coming up for that. Our Users trust us (dumb bitches). And the more they trust us the more we are willing to give them what they want. A jolly good shafting, er I mean new service. FaceTrust, for all your marriage guidance needs.

    Had that three piece suite carted of by the big boys? Running up horrendous gambling debts? Don't know who to trust any more? Call this number (premium rate) FaceTrust. The face you can trust...

    ---------------------------

    Fly regurgitates his faceburger once more. This time it is not to feed his children. Notices a certain demographic in audience doing same. Flys down to mr Zuck-Oh-Shuck-Was-That -Me's shoulder. Cleans up. No one notices.

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