The line between gaming and gambling has become increasingly blurry over the years. Thanks to technological advancements, both fields have adopted common structural and aesthetic features, making it challenging to differentiate some of their fundamental characteristics. This article aims to educate you on the principal differences and sources of overlap between the two activity classes in several dimensions, including their interactivity, betting, monetization, and types of outcomes.
Gaming and Its Different Forms
Gaming is mainly defined by its skill-based play, interactivity, and indicators of progression success depending on each form’s context. This class of games principally has active player involvement and interaction that influences gameplay results. Dive into some of the best-known types of gaming:
Video Games
These electronic games involve interaction with an input device or user interface, like a keyboard, motion sensor, joystick, or controller. They fall into a vast range of genres depending on their gameplay style and target audience, including First Person Shooter, Simulation, Arcade, Action, Survival, etc.
Role-Playing Video Games
RPGs incorporate a main story and quest accompanied by a collection of smaller stories and quests that expand their lore. You play as the main character, and as the game progresses, you gain experience and unlock skills by completing quests and slaying foes. Most of these games have inventory management like armor, weapons, and magic, which are essential to progress in the game’s world. The most famous RPGs include:
- Red Dead Redemption II
- Elden Ring
- The Wither 3: Wild Hunt
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Diablo III
Multiplayer Online Games
Multiplayer online games offer a broader gaming experience as multiple players can populate their worlds in real-time space. In these games, you compete against or alongside other players to gain rank.
Tabletop Games
Tabletops are usually played in person on a flat surface. These games are categorized according to their general form or equipment used. This Boardgamesland’s page lists the 36 different types of board games. Dice games, card games, and tile-based games are just a few of the popular classes.
Gambling and Its Different Forms
In contrast, gambling is mainly defined by betting and wagering mechanics. The outcomes of this activity are predominantly determined by chance, and the risk-driven monetization features payout to the player. These activities differ according to the design and function of varying gambling forms. Here’s a closer look at famous examples:
Slots
These gambling games are played with a set of reels that display random symbols after each spin. The order of revealed characters determines whether you win or not. In most cases, you require a combination of 3+ symbols on a payline and sequential reels to land a payout. NJ Online Casino Reviews Page lists these to be some of the most popular slots:
- Gonzo’s Quest
- 88 Fortunes
- Divine Fortune
- 90K Yeti Gigablox
- Starburst
- Blood Suckers II
Blackjack
The most played casino banking game worldwide, blackjack plays with a 52-card deck. Players compete against the house by trying to get a card value of 21 before the dealer. The most valuable hand, Blackjack, pays 3:2.
Roulette
In this game, the croupier spins a ball in the opposite direction of a spinning numbered wheel. The pocket in which the ball lands determines the winning number. Players can bet on a single number, number groupings, red/black, parity, and high/low numbers. European Roulette is the most popular variation, featuring the numbers 1-37 and a single zero on its wheel.
Baccarat
This card-comparing game plays between two hands – the “banker” and the “player”. In each round, there are three possible outcomes – “banker” (banker has the highest score), “player” (player has the highest score), and “tie” (both parties have the same score). Depending on who you think will win, you must back either the player or the banker.
Lotteries
This gambling form draws numbers at random for a prize. The lotto tickets can be purchased in physical stores or online casinos.
Poker
In this family of card-comparing games, players bet over which hand is the best, depending on the game’s specific rules. Popular poker variations include Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three-Card Poker, and Pai Gow Poker.
Bingo
This game of chance requires the player to match numbers in different arrangements on a card, such as vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. The game host usually draws random numbers, and if they form a winning sequence, the player calls out “Bingo” and wins the round.
Wheel of Fortune
Inspired by the American TV show Wheel of Fortune, this roulette-style wheel has wedges with different prizes/numbers on each one. Players must guess the wedge they think the wheel will stop on to win.
Overlap Between Gaming and Gambling
Gaming and gambling have some common intersecting features that present themselves in both activities, including:
- Social Casino Games: This is the most notable convergence of gaming and gambling. These games feature on social media sites like Facebook and simulate gambling opportunities like placing bets using fake credits. Popular options include DoubleDown Casino and Zynga Poker.
- Gamblification of Gaming Games: Some gaming games now allow players to win valuable items out of chance when progressing through the usual gameplay. This convergence can be spotted in Red Dead Redemption II, where you can play poker and blackjack. The prerequisite quests are a way to make money outside the main missions.
- Esports Betting: Esports like League of Legends, Rocket League, and Fortnite are played competitively by professional gamers for spectators. The spectators, in turn, can place bets on the results of each game, just like they would regular sports.
In Brief
Thanks to the evolving nature of technology and the market, there are many permutations of features between gaming and gambling. Content and functionality previously restricted to one class of activity now span and influence each other for player entertainment. More interaction between these realms is undeniable down the road; competitiveness, strategy use, and social interaction are the most likely to lay the groundwork for these advancements in future games.
