• Associated Press, Tuesday, October 2, 2007 11 AM

The exhaustive social-networking trend continues: IAC/InterActive Corp. has added social media features to its iWon online gaming portal, announcing that it will allow consumers build to profiles, chat and use Facebook widgets on the site. As part of the online gaming site's relaunch, IAC is incorporating a search toolbar that uses Ask's search technology, part of a broader push to make Ask "the glue" that brings IAC's otherwise disparate Web businesses together. IAC also owns LendingTree, Match.com, Citysearch, Ticketmaster.com, Evite, Zwinkopedia and others.

The relaunch also includes more than 60 new casual games, particularly those offering sweepstakes, giveaways and promotions, with a plan to expand beyond 150. New games include mah jong, blackjack, poker and solitaire. Online gaming is already the third-biggest reason people visit the site; IAC clearly wants it to be the first.

The site will continue to offer $1 million in annual sweepstakes in addition to $10K giveaways per weekday and $1,000 on weekends. One company executive says the idea is "like being in Vegas, only without the risk." Meaning, these are giveaways, not gambling.

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