Zynga moves to enter U.s. gambling market

Online games company Zynga said it has asked Nevada gambling regulators for a decision that could pave the way for it to enter the U.S. gambling market.

This follows Zynga’s October disclosure that it signed a deal to offer online poker and casino games, played with real money, in the U.K. It plans to launch those games in the first half of 2013.

Zynga said in an email late Wednesday it is seeking an “application for a preliminary finding of suitability” from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The company says it is part of its plan to enter regulated “real-money gaming,” that is, gambling markets.

Zynga has not said what it plans to do with a gaming license. But the company, whose games are played primarily on Facebook, has faltered in recent months and is looking for additional revenue sources beyond online games such as “FarmVille 2” and “Words With Friends.”

Susan Lowrance serves James Beardsley at Jorge’s on Thursday. Beardsley and his wife, Sheryl, have come to a restaurant on the site since the ’70s. Lowrance has been an employee for more than 12 years.