Casino games are enormously popular these days, with millions of people all over the world playing them – just part of a gaming market that is expanding globally at a remarkable pace. There are lots of different types of games around now, from MMOs to first-person shooters, and most of these games are available across all platforms, but for some reason there are few console casino games. This article will examine some of the reasons why that might be the case.
Absence of Real Money
One of the single biggest reasons why casino games for consoles have never really taken off may be the fact that they do not offer players the chance to gamble for real money. After all, there a few console casino games – including the likes of PlayStation 2’s High Rollers Casino and Paradise Casino for the PlayStation 1 – but these are purely simulated experiences where the money played for during the games is part of that simulation. While some of these games offer decent characters and casino graphics, it seems likely that playing for in-game money struggles to compete with casino gaming for real-world cash.
The Age Gap
The rise of casino games is something that has really occurred in a big way amongst the current generation, many of whom have never really regarded consoles as their main method of gaming. Casino gaming really took off on PCs, with the rise of the online casinos such as 888casino and subsequently expanded out into mobile casino as well, but games consoles were developed by an earlier generation and are regarded by many online and mobile gamers as a comparatively ‘retro’ way of gaming – thus there has perhaps been less incentive to develop casino games for them.
Gambling Regulations and Security Issues
The laws regarding gambling for real money are very different in different countries, which could present logistical problems for the big console manufacturers if they try to develop console casino games with real-money gambling. It is less of an issue with online and mobile casino as the sites can be based in places where this is legal and people can access them from anywhere. Furthermore, there is also the issue of security – as once real money is involved in the gambling the games and console manufacturers would have to be able to guarantee the security of the players’ personal and financial details. With casino gaming online and via mobile devices, everyone plays via one central site, making this process a lot simpler.
The Situation May be Changing
Given the huge popularity of both online and mobile casino, there is definitely an incentive for console games companies to resolve these issues, and the release of PlayStation Home Casino is perhaps the first bid to do so. Admittedly, this is not a game offering real money gambling, but the ‘chip packages’ it provides are a step closer to adding a real gambling aspect to the game.
At the moment, genuine console casino gaming remains out of reach, but it is something we may get to experience in the future.
