U.S. Playing Card targets digital market with mobile casino game platform

The U.S. Playing Card Company, owner of popular brands like Bicycle and one of the largest playing card makers, is pursuing a digital strategy that includes a new mobile social casino game. Kentucky-based USPC has produced some of the most popular playing card brands in the world with Bicycle, Bee, and Hoyle, but now the 125-year-old company wants to target a new generation of customers by repositioning itself as a provider of digital entertainment. It's partnered with mobile strategy agency digi117 to execute on that strategy, and plans to release a mobile social games platform/app called Zeniz Social Casino on iOS and Android devices this spring. The Zeniz Social Casino platform will serve as a lobby where players can access different virtual gambling games. USPC and digi117 intend to introduce a new game to the platform every two months. USPC will face plenty of competition in the space, though, as many other major players like PopCap, Zynga, Big Fish Games, virtual gambling game company IGT, and Caesars Interactive Entertainment have broken into the casino game market recently. "USPC has been providing games and entertainment for 125 years, but as entertainment becomes centered on digital, we know we have to offer our customers a new way to play," says USPC president Marc Hill. "Our vision is to leverage our heritage and develop a revenue-generating social gaming company to compete in the mobile application space."