Zynga hires online gambling lobbyists

Social gaming provider Zynga, Inc., again showed its growing interest in merging gambling and social networking this week with the disclosure of plans filed with the House and Senate in Washington DC that indicated an intention to influence policy areas like gaming, Internet gambling, and online privacy.

The company has hired lobbyists Jeffrey Peck and Justin McCarthy of Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart. Peck was formerly majority staff director for the Senate Judiciary Committee, whilst McCarthy served as a legislative lobbyist for the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Zynga also has hired Alix Burns of Bay Bridge Strategies. Burns was a finance director with former Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign.