Paddy's revamped social sportsbook imminent
Newly-named Paddy Power Social to include additional social features and redesign following full launch
A revamped version of Paddy Power’s real-money social sports betting app is set to get a full launch within two weeks complete with a new title and features, eGaming Review can reveal.
The real-money Facebook app has been renamed Paddy Power Social, previously Paddy Power In-Play, and includes a redesigned landing page and new ‘thumbs up’ logo, similar to the Facebook ‘like’ button.
The updated version of the app, seen by eGR, features additional social interaction tools enabling users to follow, copy bets, laugh at bets, leave comments and console players after losing bets.
Additional social features include trophy awards, leaderboards, a news feed, chat and a heat index which displays how friends have been performing.
Head of Paddy Power Social Ben O’Donnell, who previously worked at Playfish and Electronic Arts, told eGR he was hopeful the product could be launched as early as next week.
“We are very close but there are just a few bits and pieces left to tidy up,” O’Donnell said. “This weekend we plan to contact some of our best customers to test it,” he added.
Paddy Power beta-launched In-Play on Facebook last year, however, the operator took the site down ahead of its redevelopment. Users can log-in with their existing Paddy Power account as well as create a new account within the app.
The new app will be the first social sportsbook product to offer real-money betting via the social network with bwin.party’s Sportster “ Bet and Win incorporating virtual coins only.
Gamesys became the first operator to launch RMG on Facebook when Bingo Friendzy was released in 2012.