Gamezoom - What Do Video Games Have in Common With Gambling

What Do Video Games Have in Common With Gambling

Von Christoph Miklos am 01.09.2021 - 11:28 Uhr - Quelle: E-Mail

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Anfang 2000

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Ever since the casino opened in GTA 5, it should be clear to every observer that gambling and video games are currently linked in an interesting way. Currently, this mainly has an impact on video games. However, it is also conceivable that soon gambling software providers will take over some of the video game companies.
Gambling and Video Games | Similarities and Differences
Are these two supposed to have anything in common? At first glance, some readers might shake their heads. But if you look a little closer, it quickly becomes clear that there are definitely similarities, especially when it comes to online casinos.
Modern online slots are based on software just like video games. Incidentally, most of the slots found in arcades and casinos are no longer mechanical devices, but small computers with running software. However, this is a very basic commonality that ultimately doesn't say much. You can do a lot with software, not just program games. Having said that, if you look a bit more closely, it quickly becomes clear that some video games in recent years, and especially in recent months, have gained some features that used to be available only in casino games.
The most well-known example at the moment is clearly the casino in GTA 5. In this super hit, players have recently been given the opportunity to visit a casino and play for real money. Currently, however, the developer has a lot of stress with this casino, since it is not allowed to simply offer the chance to win real money in a video game.
Another good example that video developers quite obviously know gambling very well is the so-called loot boxes. At the moment, there is a dispute in numerous countries as to whether loot boxes are gambling in the legal sense. However, at least a non-expert can already make the assumption that they are in fact, gambling.
Loot boxes are seen by many experts as much more critical than classic casino games, since video games are often used by very young players. On the other hand, in an online casino, just like in a brick-and-mortar casino, it is necessary to be of legal age to access the games. Most online casinos now require proof of identity in the form of a copy of an ID card even before the first deposit is made, so that an account can be opened at all.
Do Loot Boxes Turn Video Games into Real Casino Games?
One can't help feeling that politics is once again very late to the game. Loot boxes have been around in different variations for a few years now, and only now is there a public debate about whether these particular elements shouldn't perhaps be more heavily regulated or banned altogether.
Meanwhile, there are countless games on the market that have loot boxes and are accessible to teen gamers. The whole situation is made a bit more difficult by the fact that there are very different variations of this element. Experts are particularly problematic about the loot boxes that have to be used to successfully play a game at all. There are also loot boxes that are only meant as an additional feature and are not important for success in the game. Yet, without a doubt, just like the best bonuses in online casinos in the Netherlands, loot boxes are a great attraction for players.
While politicians are still debating whether it is gambling at all or not, the video game companies are earning some serious cash with loot boxes. Meanwhile, politicians in the Netherlands are busy strictly regulating online casinos and other games of chance. This is not a coherent approach at the moment.
Video game developers have clearly recognized that it is possible to increase profits with gambling elements or, to describe it in a legally innocuous way, "gambling-like" elements. In principle, it is also completely legitimate for a developer to try to increase his profit. However, there are also limits set by player protection and the protection of minors.
Obviously, however, companies are willing to take their chances, especially since politicians have not really reacted so far. There are isolated critical voices in politics, but so far there have been no noteworthy attempts to get a grip on the loot boxes.
What Gambling Companies Can Learn from Video Game Developers
Today's online casino games available are based primarily on the ones familiar from land-based casinos. Strictly speaking, they are simulations of these experiences. For example, there are many slot machines that, right down to the soundtrack, mimic exactly what players used to be able to experience only in typical "gambling dens".
This is also completely understandable, because when gambling found its way to the Internet, it was all about providing an experience that was in some way comprehensible. To put it into practice, this means that by now almost every slot machine and table encounter that exists anywhere in the world is also available in an online variant. In recent years, however, the good providers have developed independently. There are many modern casino games that no longer have a real-life model. Nevertheless, the basic structures have remained the same. Even though roulette is offered in countless variations nowadays, at its core it is still the game that was offered in casinos 100 years ago.
Conclusion
Video games are much more elaborately designed than casino games. There are slot machines that have almost no gameplay, partly because some customers love such machines. Still, the potential for complex gambling that may also deviate from the usual standard patterns is huge. Since technology has now reached the point where even elaborately produced games of chance can be offered without any problems and without the need to install additional software alongside the browser, some experts believe that there will be some exciting innovations in the future.
Perhaps in a few years, some gambling will look like video games do today. The question, however, is whether gambling fans will embrace these changes and innovations. So far, it has been shown time and again that it is mainly the simple games that become crowd-pleasers. That said, there's a niche for complex casino titles right now, too.

Christoph Miklos ist nicht nur der „Papa“ von Game-/Hardwarezoom, sondern seit 1998 Technik- und Spiele-Journalist. In seiner Freizeit liest er DC-Comics (BATMAN!), spielt leidenschaftlich gerne World of Warcraft und schaut gerne Star Trek Serien.

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