Mobile Social Gaming Company Dragonplay Raises $14M From Accel To Expand To iOS

Dragonplay, a free-to-play social games developer for Android and Facebook, has raised $14 million Series A funding from Accel Partners, Founder Collective and Entrée Capital. The Israeli company was founded in 2010 by Sharon Tal.

Dragonplay specializes in multi-platform social game experiences in the cards, casino and board game category and is best known for its Android app Live Holdem Poker Pro. The studio’s games are mainly free-to-play and use in-app purchases of virtual good for monetization. Live Holdem Poker Pro is frequently the top ranked application on Android’s Google Play, and has over 12 million installs with more than 2 million monthly active players.

Until now, Dragonplay has focused mainly on Android, thought the company does have two Facebook games (Live Holdem and Sea Battle) as well. In the past year, the studio has debuted Live BlackJack, Farm Slots and Sea Battle. As Tal tells me, when the company first started to develop games it had to figure out which platform to go with, and chose Android. But the company has since expanded to Facebook, and will also be launching Live Holdem Poker on iOS in the coming week. But he maintains, “We think Android is still platform with most potential for growing in gaming.”

Accel partner Adam Valkin tells us that Dragonplay fits squarely in the firm’s investment strategy of betting on gaming and mobile, which includes Rovio, Playfish, Gameforge, and Mindcandy (Moshi Monsters). “I’m a strong believer in the opportunity around mobile gaming and its a category that has taken off the fastest, occupied the most mind share from users and can monetize.”

The new funding will be used to expand the portfolio of games on Android and Facebook, launch games on iOS, growth the current team, as well as penetrate the Asian market, says Tal. Additionally, Dragonplay will be looking to make a few game studio acquisitions in the future.