al games firm Zynga are to partner with online operators BwinParty to offer real-money online poker and casino games to the UK market.

Zynga’s UK-based real-money games service will join forces with the internet gambling giants to launch poker and 180 casino games, including slots, blackjack and roulette, during the first half of 2013.

The poker offering will be powered by BwinParty’s operating platform and software, and will also share the firm’s dotcom player liquidity pool.

Zynga and BwinParty will also come together to create a real-money branded slots game based on the former’s popular FarmVille brand.

Zynga executive vice president for corporate and business development Barry Cottle said: “Partnering with an established leader like BwinParty is a strategic and prudent way for us to enter a key real-money games market while giving local players the real money games they've been asking us for.”

BwinParty co-CEOs Jim Ryan and Norbert Teufelberger said: “We are delighted to have been selected as their chosen partner for this important step in their evolution, and hope to expand our relationship into other products and markets.”