Zynga seeking real-money gambling license in Nevada

Following on from its real-money gambling deal in the UK, social publisher Zynga is taking steps to do the same in the US.

Reuters reports Zynga has made a preliminary application to run real-money gambling games in Nevada.

The application is just the first step in a long approval process, but Zynga has big plans for gambling.

"We anticipate that the process will take approximately 12 to 18 months to complete," chief revenue officer Barry Cottle said.

"The broader US market is an opportunity that's further out on the horizon based on legislative developments, but we are preparing for a regulated market."

Zynga's application follows movements in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey to legalise online gambling, after a 2011 US Justice Department ruling that it is not unlawful.

The social publisher has struggled with diminishing returns from social gaming over the past few years, and is re-focusing on mobile, its web portal, and gambling as alternate business ventures. Gambling themed games such as Zynga Poker are among the most popular of Zynga's catalogue.