Suggestions that Facebook is looking into its own real money gambling applications is a ‘major concern’ to online bingo operators. While a number of online gambling operators, UK politicians, and gambling charities have reportedly voiced concerns that it will promote underage gambling, such concerns seem a little flawed given that gambling operators are now allowed to advertise on the number one social network. The potential usage of detailed user profiles to market its own bingo application is scarier than paying UK remote gambling tax it seems.

Until recently Facebook did not allow gambling advertisements but relaxed rules to allow them but stated they would be monitored and only show such advertisements to users with member’s profiles that had an age group of 18 or over. Clearly at the time there was little opposition to what the gambling industry saw as an opportunity to further promote their brands.

Now that Facebook is investigating the possibility of running its own applications a number of parties have jumped on the underage campaign. They argue that the social network has more than 3 million users that are between 13 and 17 and a further million pretending to be older than they are. It seems that in reality online gambling operators see Facebook as a serious threat.

One senior manager who wished not to be named but works for one of the top ten online bingo operators serving the UK claimed: “Around 50% of the UK has Facebook accounts, this provides them with a substantial base to jump start gambling operations. While online bingo sites do their best to target marketing campaigns at groups of people that MAY have an interest in bingo, such as TV advertising at key times, this is expensive and is only a broad match. Online advertising also comes with significant costs and is reliant on users searching for keywords. Facebook, however, has the opportunity of advertising to its own users at no cost and can also search out all users that have the word bingo in their profiles. This is a major advantage they have over traditional online bingo operators. They could quite easily be one of the biggest players in the market in a few years. Facebook poses more of a threat to the online bingo market than plans by HM Treasury to tax remote gambling.”

None gambling related charities have raised concerns about the idea. Dr Robert Lefever, who is the founding director of the Promis Recovery Centre which treats addicts. He suggested that: “Introducing gambling to Facebook is a cynical way for the gambling industry to find new markets, making gambling look acceptable.

"There will be young people who think these games have Facebook approval, that you can gamble and its fun. It's not gambling destroys families."

Christian Action Research Education (CARE) spokesperson, Lousie Ellman, added: “Because there is a link between the age when people start gambling and the likelihood of developing a difficulty controlling their gambling, protecting children from the normalisation of gambling is vital."

Professor Mark Griffiths from Nottingham Trent University told the Daily Mail: "Even when no money changes hands, young children are learning the mechanics of gambling. These games can be a gateway to more serious gambling."

Bingo clubs however seem less worried about the prospect and feel that Facebook could actually help their business by increasing the interest in bingo.