If you’ve been on Facebook recently, you’ve probably spotted that there are a wide range of casino games available for your entertainment. Games giant Zynga boasts over 200 million players each month; similarly, Buffalo Studios, creator of the popular game Bingo Blitz, has over 1 million players each day.

With growing speculation that the gambling world is about to meet social networking, monetisation of these games seems more and more likely. Video poker company International Game Technology recently acquired Double Down Interactive, which offered casino games on Facebook. Zynga has launched a poker game and announced a casino series. So is the online casino industry trembling in its boots?

Far from it. Whilst the games available on Facebook certainly provide entertainment, they don’t provide the same service as an online casino – from the online casino bonus to the jackpots you can win and the variety of games available. In fact, many casinos view Facebook’s 800 million users as an opportunity to engage and market to a targeted audience.

What it does highlight, however, is what Facebook does best – creating a buzz by spreading the word through an interested community. If casinos can harness the power of social networking and combine it with their strong offering, they’ll find just one more avenue to get their product out there.