Some folks love playing video games, others like to gamble, many love both and sometimes at the same time. Today, gambling and gaming are so intertwined that we often use these words as synonyms with no distinction between them. It wasn’t always so, as maybe just a decade ago, there was a clear difference between playing high stake poker and shooting Nazi zombies while playing Sniper Elite. When did things start to mix to this point where gambling is becoming an integral part of video games? It all started when developers from the gaming industry realized how much money they could make if they introduce the element of gambling into their creations.


Let’s Make A Game About Casinos

When video games exploded during the ’80s and the ’90s, first developers were making a ton of cash, and their focus was on creating better graphics and easier game mechanics. Some of these mechanics will later be used in online casinos but the moment when these two worlds really collided was when they started making games about casinos. If you remember games like casino tycoon, you will know what we are talking about. These kinds of games inspired a generation of young players to learn more about gambling and even try it just out of curiosity. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that will evolve into what we see today in titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Star Wars Battlefront.

We are talking about loot boxes but before we get into that, it is important to observe how titles like casino tycoon led to that moment. When playing this title, you immersed yourself in building and managing a profitable casino empire. You would just start fantasizing that you owned a gambling den like Luxury casino and having that same Luxury Casino review score to brag about. Every player just wanted to build the best casino in the world, and that affected young players to start thinking about gambling or search casinos with the best review score. They were eager to try their luck and see what was it all about, and they liked it.


Gambling Goes Online

Another breaking moment occurred when traditional casinos recognized the golden opportunity of shifting their industry online. They did the research and realized that some real money was to be made on the virtual tables. The world of virtual reality was taking over as it was more affordable for an army of millions who wish to gamble but just couldn’t afford real casinos. At this point, online casinos started looking a lot like video games, with their enhanced graphics plus more sophisticated engines and mechanics. It was only a matter of time when these two worlds would finally collide.


The idea of a loot boxes mechanism was a slick way of introducing gambling in this mix. Finding a good online casino like Quatro was as hard in those early days as it is now. These folks didn’t have the luxury of just entering our site and checking the Quatro Casino review in a matter of minutes. Playing early games with loot boxes was their first introduction into the world of real money gambling. This was a slick and sophisticated in-game gambling solution that went almost unnoticed for some time until it raised some controversies.


Changes in Gaming Mentality

Once players got a taste of this, titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 became bestsellers, all thanks to this loot boxes mechanism that unlocked hidden features. Favorite games became like a long-term investment where one can get ahead if he is ready to chip in some real money in exchange for his precious gifts. This gave some players a big advantage, especially while in a multiplayer mode where every little improvement matters and can change odds into your favor. Many thinks of this as an unfair practice and a gateway to straight gambling, as players become virtually addicted to loot boxes. Others say that it is a natural process that was just waiting to happen eventually.

It is hard to predict any implications for the future of the video game industry, but some countries raised their voice about banning loot boxes altogether. We are sure that developers will adapt and find some solution, as we do not want all our games to turn into virtual casinos. Sometimes, players just want to go back into the good old days when gaming was innocent and fun. They wish to experience that nostalgia of playing first titles on their Commodore 64, without even thinking about investing in some in-game gambling mechanism. Maybe those days are long gone, but maybe they are coming back in a triumphant fashion.

Say what you want about today’s video games, but they are more immersive and fun than ever. We could say the same thing about online casinos as well. That means that choice is up to you although one may find it difficult to resist either one of these virtual pleasures. Whatever you choose, play responsibly and enjoy yourself. If straight-up gambling happens to be your pleasure of choice and you need some expert advice, you always know where to find us.