UPDATED 10:02 EDT / OCTOBER 19 2011

Crowdpark Raises $8M to Develop “Social Betting”

Berlin-based Crowdpark brings yet another social game genre that allows users to bet and compete against each other in betting events using virtual currency, making it a pioneer in the so-called social betting space. The game works the same way a real-life stock market does, and this is made possible through its patented “dynamic betting” technology.

Building on a relatively new idea that will change the way people play social games, Crowdpark has raised $6 million in funding from European investors Target Partners, and existing investor EarlyBird Venture Capital. Target Partner’s Waldemar Jantz will join Crowdpark’s board.

The funds will be used to hire more talent in game design and development, to enhance the technology and develop cross-platform social games. It will allow players to bet on real life sports, entertainment, news, technology and other areas of interest. Crowdpark will also offer casino products for multiple social platforms including Facebook, the Web and mobile applications (iOS and Android).

Crowdpark’s first game, “Bet Tycoon,” currently stands at a reported half a million monthly active users strong, and is one of the most popular betting game on Facebook. Users play by answering questions using a variety of answer options, and betting virtual money.

“Crowdpark is defining an entirely new genre of social betting games based on actual events,” said Ingo Hinterding, co-founder and chief product officer for Crowdpark. “Two of Europe’s leading VC firms – Target Partners and Earlybird – share our vision. We aim to extend our growth and build amazing games based on our dynamic betting technology, and in other hot growth categories such as casino games.”

Research firm Interpret divided social gamers into four types, and two of them are actually very lucrative for social game developers because they cash out for games and they actually play to win. This demographic is also likely to get hooked with the idea of social betting and virtual currency, so Crowdpark has a real target market. See if you fit into any of the identified gamer categories here.

Crowdpark is not the only socially aware game developer that’s turning investors heads. We also have Idle games raising $10 million for its second round to develop around it’s novel “Idle Engine.”  It recommends new social connections for players by analyzing their Facebook profile. We also have Beijing-based Happy Elements, raising $35 million to develop mobile games, hire more developers and staff, and stretch their arms to the West.


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