The Rise of Casino-Inspired Mechanics in Competitive Games

There are myriad games a person might play. What some may not realize is how casino gaming has influenced and continues to influence so many of them. 

These mechanics involve things like return to player, operant conditioning, and random number generators. Many phone applications and gaming platforms have inserted them without telling the players. 

For instance, you might sign up for an app and get bonus spins or the latest bonus code promo, or you might be more interested in bonus concepts online role-playing environments offer. It’s worth talking about these notions in detail. In this article, we’ll discuss how these elements work with player engagement and gaming design trends.      

The Historical Context of this Concept

Elements in the gaming industry started popping up in gambling halls decades ago. They included such things as jackpots or randomized chance structures in slots, table games, etc. These eventually began to spread to the video gaming industry. 

You’d start to see some of these incentive concepts appearing in early arcade games. Loot boxes that allowed you to buy virtual items with real currency did well. 

The trend only continued as we moved from the 20st century into the 21st. We started to see this casino inspiration in:

• Battle royale-style video game competitions
• Competitive card games
• Various handheld gaming platforms

The makers or organizers could see there was money to be made through the gamification of all kinds of leisure activities.    

Some Notable Casino-Inspired Mechanics in Competitive Games

Let’s look at some more specific examples of this idea in action.

• Loot Boxes and Gacha Systems: As we mentioned a moment ago, loot boxes typically involve the purchase of special items, coins, etc. within a circumscribed gaming ecosystem. You have to spend real money to get them, though. Gacha systems mean using currency that only exists in a digital environment. Again, though, you can only attain large amounts of it when you buy it. You can see this happening in Apex Legends, Overwatch, and elsewhere. If you’re interested in learning more about popular games with similar mechanics, check out this guide on top games to play for an in-depth look at modern games that incorporate elements of chance and excitement.
• Randomized Rewards and Bonuses: In CS or Fortnite you can see randomized rewards and similar types of bonuses at work. Random weapons drops and skins are perfect examples of this. Again, you can trace such frameworks to Vegas or Reno and the slot machines there. 
• Risk-Reward Systems: The same is true with risk-reward setups. Some examples are Call of Duty and Hearthstone. Within a competitive setting, you engage in high risk, high reward behavior along with the requisite skill level you build through practice. This mimics the same gambling behavior that is often front and center when someone who loves slot machines describes what they like best about them. 
• Spin-to-Win or Wheel of Fortune Mechanics: Whenever you spin a wheel or try to match up puzzle pieces to get the best possible prize, you’re engaging in a spin-to-win setup or a so-called “Wheel of Fortune” framework. This is evident in Clash Royale or Valorant, but you can trace it back much earlier. In the 1990s, the same concept prevailed in Super Mario Brothers 3 when you had to line up mushrooms, stars, or fire flowers to get extra lives. 

The Potential Psychological Impact on Players

This might all seem harmless, but don’t be so sure. Consider the following:

• FOMO: The fear of missing out (FOMO) comes into play heavily with what we’re discussing. Think about it: wouldn’t a teenager want to do what their friends are doing? 
• The Overall Gamification Effect: The gamification of something like at-home learning software is fine. But is it the best idea to insert these ideas into the kinds of at-home activities in which millions of teens and preeteens engage every day? The line is easy to blur between gambling and gaming if you’re not careful. 
• Reward Loops and Dopamine: As was discussed in a South Park episode where Terrence and Phillip lent their likeness to a freemium app, there’s a danger when you start rewarding the pleasure center of the brain with these pay-to-play concepts. It’s easy for a kid to “borrow” a parent’s credit card, and the bright lights and sound effects of one of these applications or online environments can be very enticing. Every time a youngster charges that credit card and gets some in-game currency, they get a jolt of dopamine.

Possible Ethical Concerns

As you might expect, all this worries some lawmakers. Many want more regulation and legislation governing the world we’re describing. They’re always trying to hit a moving target, though. Any child with a smartphone is a potential addict-in-waiting.

When does harmless fun become full-blown addiction behavior? When does aggressive engagement become exploitation? These are questions that are genuinely difficult to answer. 

The Future of Casino Mechanics in These Types of Games

• Innovation or Stagnation: Can it be considered innovation or stagnation when this keeps happening? There’s an argument to be made that these concepts were innovative at one point, but now, they seem more like obvious money grabs. Some game designers are trying to convince parents their apps or computer games are safer by banning in-game purchasing capabilities. 
• Potential for Regulation and Change: With the obvious ethical concerns we’ve brought up and the regulatory pressure that may be coming soon, some software companies are trying to be transparent about their releases before making them available to the general public. This form of self-regulation is better than nothing. However, as long as it remains each designer’s prerogative how much they want to engage in this behavior, there’s still a good chance of addiction or problem gambling within the gaming ecosystem. 
• Shifts in What a Player Expects: A shift in player expectation might be in order at some point. However, it also makes sense to not just put a grade on a new game that tells a parent whether it’s violent, has sexual content, or features profanity. The designers may also have to start stating explicitly that you can make in-game purchases or that they’ve added other casino-style elements.

While making a virtual environment more entertaining may seem harmless, it can be anything but that. If the way a designer makes an app more appealing is to add bells and whistles like a slot machine, each gamer should be aware of that, whether they’re a child or an adult. 

While some won’t go overboard with the amount of time they spend playing or the amount of money they spend on in-game purchases, the addiction potential should be obvious. This danger may not seem pernicious at first, but the closer one looks, the more insidious this bright and glittering world can appear.