Online Bingo moves in Las Vegas

Las Vegas land gambling operator Riviera Casino is working to take bingo virtual with Buffalo Studios, the software development company that powers the popular Facebook game Bingo Blitz.

The project is designed to help the struggling land casino attract new customers and expand into the burgeoning world of online gaming, Riviera CEO Andy Choy told The Associated Press this week.

Starting Monday, Bingo Blitz players will be able to play bingo on a Riviera-themed Web page, with prizes and promos from the land gambling company that include a free trip to attend the Riviera’s twice-yearly $200,000 bingo tournament.

The Riviera brought bingo back to the Las Vegas Strip last year as it fought to revitalise its business; the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2010.

The partnership with Bingo Blitz on Facebook represents a drive by Riviera to connect with a more youthful demographic, and one comfortable with the growing influence of social gaming via mobile and the internet.

Bingo Blitz was the seventh most recommended game on Facebook in 2011, with large numbers of players from across the planet logging in daily to win virtual coins and communicate with other Bingo enthusiasts. As players win more points, they unlock new levels and prizes.

“Bingo has always been a very social game,” Salim Mitha, vice president of Buffalo Studios, told Associated Press. “You went to a bingo hall and played with people and we’ve been able to successfully translate that to the new online environment.”