The landscape of video gaming continues to evolve as technology becomes increasingly smarter, attracting gamers from all walks of life. Often considered to be a separate world altogether from your traditional online gambling, video gaming has established itself a deep-rooted following where gamers can enjoy online interaction, join communities and experience enhanced play through in-app purchases.
However, in recent years we have seen a huge rise in the popularity of social casinos which are attracting a wide audience including the non-gambler and casual player through social media sites and live streaming. Here we witness an interesting crossover from video gaming to online casino games in which social casinos offer certain elements from both worlds such as live community interaction and in-app purchases whilst members play casino-style games.
Social Casinos vs Traditional Casinos
The major difference between a social casino and a traditional online gambling site is that on the former, all games are free to play. There is no registration fee or deposit required, members play with virtual currency to wager on their favorite casino-style games with no risk of losing real money. In addition, a key aspect to social casinos is the chance for members to join thriving online communities and interact with friends or family whilst playing online.
As you will know, traditional online casinos require a cash deposit to enable you to play their online games for real money. Some sites may offer certain games in demo mode which can be played for free, but the reason behind this is to provide practice play and an insight into the casino prior to real money gambling. The focus for traditional casinos is on real money gambling and not particularly on the social aspect of playing.
Sweepstakes Casinos – Bridging the Gap
Sweepstakes casinos are often categorized as social casinos but they actually sit in-between the social casino and the traditional online gambling site with a foot in both camps, so to speak. Sweepstakes casinos such as Mega Bonanza offer a unique hybrid model featuring elements of both social and traditional online casinos. Sweepstakes members play with virtual currency but also have the chance to win real money prizes.
Licensing and Regulation
One other significant difference between social casinos and traditional online casinos is the rules around licensing and regulation. When playing for real money, you should only ever play at a site that is licensed and regulated by a trusted gaming authority such as the UK Gambling Commission or Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
On the contrary, social casinos are seen as free-to-play sites with a focus on social interaction with no risk to losing money and therefore, regulation is far more relaxed. However, a UK parliamentary publication insists “social casino products are the latest example of the convergence between video games and gambling” and it calls for action to prevent children from accessing social casino games.
How Social Casinos have Revolutionized the Gaming Market
In 2020, the global social casino market was estimated at 6.2 billion dollars, a far cry from the humble beginnings of social network-based browser games in 2010. This boom was further helped by the uprise in mobile gaming during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020/21. Social casino members are not required to deposit any real money but they are able to purchase in-game content to enhance play like special gifts, events and tournaments.
With the increasing rise of live streaming we have seen a monumental crossover from video gaming into iGaming and as technology evolves, we see a considerable shift in preferences towards the more social and interactive gaming experiences. Not surprisingly, the drive for this change is coming from the younger demographic who have been born into the innovative world of social media.
There is a strong connection between social interaction and live streaming for the younger generation. Popular platforms such as Twitch and Kick have enabled communities of video gamers to come together in celebrating their favorite games and other creative content. This has tumbled into the world of social casinos where streamers and influencers are fostering trust and forging communities who are hungry for entertainment and social interaction.