Zynga buys casino game studio Spooky Cool Labs

Zynga's new focus on real-money casino games doesn't appear to be helping the troubled studio much as of late, but it has just acquired developer Spooky Cool Labs, which specialises in this particular corner of the gaming market.

GI.biz reports that Zynga purchased the 40-strong Chicago studio for an undisclosed sum, and that it predominantly makes games based on slot machines. The outfit was founded by Joe Kaminkow, who is known for designing physical slot machines and other electronic gaming machines.

Spooky Cool is currently making a city-building spin on the Wizard of Oz movie license, and Zynga has confirmed that its acquisition also gives it access to the film brand.

In a statement, Kaminkow said of the deal, "We are proud to now be a part of the Zynga team and are confident that we bring a particular excellence in game development to the social casino genre. We are excited about our games which are fun to play and that include leading licensed content that resonate with players worldwide."

Zynga CFO Barry Cottle added, "We have a legacy in social casino franchises with Zynga Poker, and we believe that free-to-play social casino games for the web and on mobile have the potential to reach and connect a much broader audience."

Are you surprised to see Zynga acquiring another studio after OMGPOP was quite famously shuttered this month? Can the company's focus on gambling games bear fruit? Let us know below.