By 2022, the video gaming industry is expected to move close to $100 million. The numbers have only increased since 2011, and much of that growth has to do with casinos.
The words iGaming and Gaming can have two similar meanings, thus creating mixed feelings for some. That’s because iGaming refers to gambling and casinos with real money, while Gaming refers to games with social content where no money is won.
However, technological progress, especially the Internet, has made both industries share the same platforms: mobile devices, PCs and web browsers, mainly. Over time, they are also sharing the same market niches, and profits.
Games with In-App Purchases and Free Casino
Famous games like Candy Crush are free, although lives and power-ups are offered in exchange for small amounts of money. And what’s so strange about that? Nothing, except that now free online casino apps have been created with the same system. Or games with integrated slots that provide incentives to encourage participation.
These apps constitute a clear business opportunity for a huge part of gamblers from all over the world this year. For more opportunities check the best casinos list to play online in Belgium. By not requiring money, they are available to a wider segment of the population, which would eventually become interested in gambling for real.
Rockstar Games and the Betting Options in GTA and Red Dead Redemption
The video game company Rockstar Games offers users two games for different platforms that are mass successes: Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption.
Although these two games are set in different eras – the present day and the Wild West – both are very similar in their themes and the introduction of casinos.
In the case of Red Dead Redemption it is even clearer if possible, since the first businesses in that direction were conceived during the dates in which it is set.
In the case of GTA, which is now in its fifth edition, any player can even access the internet from a cell phone that the main character or characters have. Therefore, at any time you can glimpse casino advertising and even play a game of the style.
Sports Video Games also Include Casino Advertising
Due to the great relationship between casinos, bookmakers and sports – since fans bet on their favorite teams – games such as FIFA or NBA 2K include advertising for these types of companies in the games played by their users.
However, this advertising may sometimes not be visible at a glance.
But for example on the jerseys of the FIFA players, you can see advertising on the jerseys of all the teams. Among them, of course, are silkscreens of casinos and sports bookmakers.
Due to such internalities, in the end, casinos are advertised in all these video games and on any platform. Thus, this sector has much more presence than we think in video games, and the pull can be taken advantage of by the main gaming and betting companies to get their name out there.
What about Real Casino Apps?
In 2011 Apple allowed mobile online casino games on its iOS devices. By 2014, according to a report, money deposited by users had already increased by 55% over 2013.
Several companies have taken advantage of Apple’s opportunity. Nowadays, plenty of mobile casinos offer themed slot games with different graphics and successful combinations. Starbust and Dazzle Me stand out, for example.
As for the Google Play Store, casino apps have been allowed to be downloaded since 2017, but it’s gaining an immense traction thanks to the advanced technology and safety measures.
The Scorching Rise of eSport Betting
What are eSports? These are international video game competitions, such is the case of the 2019 Fortnite World Cup. These kinds of championships collect a large number of bettors. DOTA, League of Legends (LoL) and Counter Strike continue to be the games that collect the most money.
According to GeekWire, virtual game betting will generate revenues up to $2 trillion by 2022. Seven years ago, no one would have thought that online gambling could generate such revenues. And, again, traditional sports betting sites are already doing their part to meet the demand.
The good, the bad and the ugly of the integration between the casino industry and the video gaming industry is up to one’s own consideration. Some might consider, for example, that the rise of free casino apps has the disadvantage of making them accessible to the very young, which implies a premature approach to the casino scene, with all the consequences that this entails.
Conclusion
There’s clearly a relationship between iGaming and Gaming, although it’s not easy to say at first. Some of the most popular video games have even their own casinos or resorts, where players can enjoy the gambling experience.
Therefore, it’s only natural that both worlds collide – and for what we know, it’s quite fun having the best aspects of both in just one place.
