Social Casino – Friend or Enemy?

The world of gambling revolves around money and chance. It is the revenues that keep the industry moving. However, not many people enjoy the act of gambling with money involved, unlike professional wagerers all over the world. Believe it or not, there is a large section of people who thoroughly enjoy the aspect of socialising, or just free casino games no download in the act of gambling. Gambling is just another way of gaming with friends for this section of people.

To keep gamblers who belong to this sect satisfied, multiple operators have come up with casinos that deviate from the traditional way of functioning, calling them by the name ‘social casinos’. However, before we understand whether social casinos are indeed a good thing or not, let us know more about what social casinos have to offer in the name of entertainment and fun. In this article, we shall also take a look at the difference between a traditional online casino and a social casino.

What Are Social Casinos?

Social casinos are casinos without the part where people have to gamble. These establishments take out gambling from the platform and make it entirely free and purely for fun. Social casinos are targeted towards players who choose to remain on the other side of the fence for the risk of losing money or developing an addiction. There are a ton of social gamblers who play on the platforms only to enjoy playing with friends.

Even though it may seem quite boring when you take out gambling out of a casino, it is not exactly so as social casinos make sure that their games are far more engaging than usual casino games. There are opportunities to play with online players on the server, make friends with them, chat with them, and then showcase one’s achievements to them via leaderboards and credit points. Social casinos offer the same benefits as online without the option to deposit or withdraw money.

Thus, you would find bonus offers, free spins, as well as in-game bonuses and jackpots. However, these do not amount to anything in real life. Within the casino environment, you can use your credit points to send gifts to your friends or buy more of a particular feature like one usually experiences in a standard video game. Social casinos are essentially sites that run entirely on free play games with the chance to play with friends. These websites are responsive in nature which means that people can access them via mobile devices, desktops, laptops, as well as social networking sites like Facebook.

Why Are Social Casinos a Big Deal?

The idea of social gaming appeals to those who like to spend time in gaming but with a hint of competitiveness among friends. It is true that traditional gambling can get quite risky if one ends up playing recklessly. Traditional gambling requires good strategies, enough money in one’s bankroll, and research on the software as well as a platform that they are playing. There are other risks of addiction, irresponsible gambling, and eventual bankruptcy in gambling. More importantly, most countries do not allow gambling under their jurisdictions, in which case it becomes quite a hassle to gamble online.

On the other hand, social gamblers can stay away from all of these risks and enjoy some time playing titles at little to no cost. Most of the social gambling options are available as mobile applications as well. As for social casinos, there is usually no need for registration and verification of payment methods. The concept of social gambling is to share the experience with friends, which is why the idea is so successful in today’s times. With absolutely no risk in betting, gamblers can play as long as they wish to with no burden at all.

How Do Developers Make Money from Social Casinos?

One may think that there is no benefit for the operators and software developers in this ordeal. However, that is not true in any way. Even though social casinos have no money involved, developers and operators make a good deal of money off them. Gamblers all over the world get to play the games on the apps for free. Even though there are no wagers for real, developers make a profit out of the advertisements on their platforms.

Most operators add micro-transactions within the websites or apps so that players can make purchases to make the gameplay all the more interesting. These features stay within the platform and are not included in the basic play. The money that you pay at the social casino may translate to virtual chips or credit points.

In the year 2015, social casinos were reported to generate a whopping $3.4 billion. On average, gamblers on social casinos tend to spend $70 per person.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Casinos

The advantages of social casinos are:

• Free to use with no obligation to pay.
• Accessible through all platforms.
• Legal as the games are free.
• Constantly evolving in nature with newer games.
• Offers gambling experiences to people who refrain from the same due to personal or religious reasons.
• No risk of addiction or bankruptcy.

The disadvantages of social casinos are:

• Gaming galleries may be limited in some casinos.
• No deposits or withdrawals.
• There may or may not be bonus offers within the platform.

Are Social Casinos Indeed Friendly?

Social casinos revolve around a theme that seems to be inclusive. One can indulge in free play and win in-game prizes. The aim of social casinos is to reduce the risks involved in gambling. However, the act of gaming on social casinos can get tedious very quickly, encouraging people to look for options on real casinos online. Besides, they are based on the freemium model, wherein the operators encourage players to pay for free features.

These payments lead to absolutely nothing apart from getting ahead in the game. Players should have a tight budget when they are playing on social casinos as the reason to spend on the games are more superficial than traditional casinos, which at the very least offer a chance to win the money back.

As the revenues in the social gambling industry pour in from advertisements, bonus offers, boosters, game benefits, coins, and virtual gifts, they can charge you for almost anything monetising the players’ excitement. Even though the statistics point to only 20% of the players investing in these in-game purchases, the scope of playing on social casinos can only be so much.

Final Verdict

A lot of social gambling is available on social media websites such as Facebook. This keeps users engaged and connected with other users of the site. However, it leaves no scope to win any money in case you are investing in social gambling.

As a gambler, social casinos will only make you drain your money with little to no excitement out of the games online. However, if you are playing for the thrill, it is your friend. Even though the longevity of one’s interest in social gambling is questionable, the platforms can work in your favour if you are looking for fun with friends at no cost at all.