Episode 19: Zynga and the social casino boom

Right to the Source is back with Ed Birkin beaming in live from Lisbon and social casino pioneer Zynga, the Congo and Mauritius are up for discussion.

Was social casino the precursor to sweepstakes?

We start with a trip down memory lane, to the hazy days of 2012 when land-based operators and suppliers snapped up free-to-play casino operators.

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Zynga was one of the early pioneers of this boom thanks to Zynga Poker, and even went as far as launching a real-money offering on Facebook. Those days are long past. While it still runs apps such as Zynga Poker and a host of slot offerings, it now sits within Grand Theft Auto and NBA 2K publisher Take Two Interactive.

Are there parallels to be drawn between that social casino boom and the rise of sweepstakes today? Don’t be so sure, argues Ed Birkin.

Republic of Congo and Mauritius: Viable regulations, not enough scale?

Next there’s a handbrake turn into two of Africa’s less discussed markets. The Republic of Congo – not the Democratic Republic of Congo, Robin apologises for that error – suffers from the usual hefty tax burdens we have seen across Africa.

Mauritius, meanwhile, has a relatively well-formed market, although a country with a population of 1.26 million people offers limited scope for growth.

All this alongside the usual tangents and diversions in the latest Right to the Source!