When you think about it, video games and casino games have quite a lot in common. Many of them require certain amounts of skill and strategy.
In the case of modern video games, you’ll often find that they feature casino games in their gameplay. Examples include Torn and Red Dead Redemption, but the exciting world of gambling inspires many others.
Here, we explore how certain video games have successfully incorporated casino gaming and how realistic the playing experience is.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption by Rockstar Games made its debut in 2010, while the prequel known as Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in 2018. It’s currently available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows and Stadia.
The game features an outlaw called Arthur Morgan and follows his adventures through the Wild West as he tries to outrun rival gangs and government forces.
The gameplay allows you to roam around Morgan’s world while trying to maintain our hero’s honour rating by carrying out moral deeds and choices.
As you explore the fictional locations, you have the chance to visit poker destinations such as St Denis, Tumbleweed and Flatneck Station. Using Texas Hold’Em rules, the poker mini-games give you the chance to win real money by beating other players. There’s even a high-stakes poker game for braver players with bigger budgets.
Torn
Torn is an online, multiplayer, browser-based RPG with thousands of fans worldwide, which launched in 2003.
With each visit that you make to Torn City, you have the chance to compete and trade with other players, attack them, marry them or befriend them.
One of the most realistic features of the game is the stock market which lets you invest in Torn City stocks. You can also race cars, undertake missions, take educational courses, read or write for the local newspaper, buy properties and visit the casino.
You automatically receive 75 casino tokens per day, but you can earn more by working at the Cruise Line Agency, through the Casino Job or via the Casino Pass item.
You can earn merits from the casino by playing blackjack, Russian roulette, lotto, slots, keno, craps, real-world sports betting and poker, and the merits that you win can help you upgrade your character’s skills.
Rust
Facepunch Studios created Rust in late 2013, and following the first full release in early 2018, it can be played on macOS and Microsoft Windows. However, Facepunch is expected to release a console version for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in May 2021.
The game is a multiplayer survival game that requires you to survive out in the wild. You must manage your character’s health, thirst and hunger levels to stay alive, and as other players can pose a threat, you’ll need to join a clan or build bases to improve your chances of staying alive.
So, where do casino games come in? Well, since the Bandit Town update in 2018, there are gambling dens that act as safe zones. Once inside, you can spend your hard-earned scrap by betting on a roulette-style wheel in the hopes of winning your money back with a multiplier to boot.
The game’s developer has recently confirmed that poker is coming to Rust in 2021 as part of a free patch, and the screenshots that we’ve seen look incredibly realistic. So, prepare to face your poker partners very soon!
Yakuza Series
Sega’s Yakuza is an action-adventure video game that was developed for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It follows the adventures of an organised crime member who was falsely imprisoned for ten years and is now eager to get his life back on track.
There are now several games in the Yakuza series, the latest of which is Judgement.
Players get to control what the main character does and can also level up his fighting capabilities and attributes to help him defeat his enemies.
In Adventure Mode, the games let you explore more of your surroundings, including a series of arcade machines and an underground casino that offers roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
In Yakuza Kiwami, the casino provides game tutorials so that even newbies can enjoy a piece of the action.
Grand Theft Auto Series
The first Grand Theft Auto (GTA) game was released for MS-DOS And Microsoft Windows in 1997, and almost 25 years later, the series is still going strong.
GTA is a role-playing game that has caused plenty of controversy over the years, and its stories typically revolve around gang violence and fast cars.
Elements of gambling were first introduced in GTA Vice City, where players are required to pay entrance fees for street racing events. However, when GTA San Andreas arrived, players could opt to spend money at the casino to help raise their skill level. As you can also borrow money from the casino while playing at the blackjack, craps, Texas Hold’em and roulette tables, you will get attacked and threatened until you settle your debt unless you pay up before leaving the casino.
The games in San Andreas are incredibly lifelike as you can wander the casino floor in search of games to play, including video poker, Wheel of Fortune and slot machines.
The Sims 3
The Sims 3 was launched by Electronic Arts in 2009, and it’s a single-player, life simulation video game for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Windows Phone.
The player gets to control the fates and actions of the game’s characters and their local neighbourhoods and houses. You can also redesign the appearance of the characters and everyday objects using the Create a Style tool.
The Sims 3 has proven to be one of the most popular video games of all time, having sold more than 10,000,000 copies since it was first released.
Gambling was introduced to the game as a paid-for attraction. Once you’ve purchased the Lucky Simoleon Casino venue via The Sims 3 Store, you can go to town with the Hit ‘Em Harder Blackjack table and a slot machine called Triple Riches Slots O’Jackpots, both of which allow you to improve your in-game gambling skill.
Casino games at Gala Casino
While you might not be able to play video games at Gala Casino, you can enjoy a host of top slots and casino games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and live casino games. So, why not jump in the hot seat and take one of our games for a test drive today?