Playboy and Gamblit Gaming partner to make real-money betting mobile games

Gamblit Gaming and Playboy Enterprises have announced a partnership where they will jointly make games for real-money wagering on mobile devices. The move will take Playboy into the crossroads of the $30 billion mobile game market and the $400 billion worldwide gambling market.

The Glendale, Calif.-based Gamblit and Playboy will release new games in 2016 in the skill-based category, where players can bet real money on outcomes for games that require skill (rather than pure luck). The games are for the United Kingdom mobile market as well as U.S. land-based casinos, such as those in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

“We are thrilled to be working with Playboy,” said Gamblit Gaming CEO Eric Meyerhofer in a statement. “Playboy is an incredible company with a rich history, both in casinos and arcades. Being able to create brand new skill based gaming experiences that help us grow our audience of consumers with an iconic brand like Playboy is a dream come true!”

Gamblit is a tech company that enables real-money gambling in video games. It supports a wide range of genres for both online, onsite, and mobile platforms. It was started with the goal of bridging games and gambling. It is a portfolio company of American Capital.

“Real-money gaming is a thriving industry and Gamblit is an innovator in the space,” said Matt Nordby, Playboy Enterprises’ president of global licensing, in a statement. “We believe that consumers will be drawn to the powerful mobile and land-based skill gaming experiences that we create together.”

The distinction between gambling and skill-based games is an important one in this case. Gambling companies fall under very strict regulations and are allowed in only a small number of territories. Games of skill, such as poker, are allowed in more territories. Gamblit said it will adhere to the current laws in Nevada that apply to skill gaming, and deal with the various regulations in other jurisdictions.

Gamblit Gaming works closely with game developers to “gamblify” and publish their games into new markets, tapping into the lucrative mobile gaming and land-based casino markets.