The subject of gambling mechanics in video games is controversial, especially when games use these mechanics to target children and encourage them to spend real money. However, gambling psychology and gambling concepts are also used to great effect throughout the industry, helping to create some of this generation’s most popular games.
When handled sensitively, techniques used within the gambling industry can enhance the enjoyment of video games, increasing excitement and replay value. Here, we will explore how gambling-like mechanics and psychological strategies have influenced games from Vampire Survivors and Balatro, to Marvel Rivals and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.
Introductory Prizes
One of the biggest gambling influences within modern video games is the strategic use of introductory prizes.
Take a game like Marvel Rivals, for example. In total, the game features three distinct currencies: lattice, units, and chrono tokens. These currencies are used to purchase battle passes, in-game cosmetics and battle pass rewards, respectively. They can be bought with real money, but they can also be obtained naturally by playing the game.
When you first start playing the game, you earn these currencies relatively quickly and with minimal effort. Some new players are also able to immediately claim free outfits for the playable superheroes in the game.
This onslaught of introductory rewards and prizes works like a crypto casino welcome bonus, or a free bet with a bookmaker. It allows you to get a risk-free taste of what the game has to offer and the rewards you can obtain through playing. It also encourages further engagement with the game and can generate in-game purchases.
Randomized Rewards
Perhaps the best-known and most obvious gambling influence within modern video games is the use of randomized rewards and luck-based mini games. Think about the random player cards you can draw in Ultimate Team mode on EA Sports FC, or the rewards from loot boxes in a whole host of online multiplayer games.
This kind of in-game, luck-based mechanic, heavily influenced by roulette wheels and slots machines, creates a sense of tension and anticipation because the player is unsure what rewards they are going to receive.
Beloved Nintendo games The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom even received updates for the Nintendo Switch 2, which introduced Zelda Notes. One of the features in the Zelda Notes app is a daily bonus, where you randomly receive in-game items. Elden Ring: Nightreign also features randomized rewards called relics. These relics are obtained at the end of a run, or bought from the in-game shop, and provide boosts ahead of your next attempt.
The Near Miss Effect
Another gambling concept used in video game design is the near-miss effect. The basic premise here is that players become motivated to continue playing a game after they almost succeed, but fall just short.
A 2024 study on this phenomenon in gambling, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, found near-misses not only trigger feelings of excitement and pleasure, they also produce a feeling similar to winning, while encouraging further play.
When you apply this to video games, it creates a loop that keeps players engaged with the game for longer and can make the game feel almost addictive. This is seen in a number of games, but a great example is Vampire Survivors. The gameplay loop is such that you can feel powerful until right near the end of a run, when it may not quite be enough.
It is not a coincidence that the game’s designer, Luca Galante, previously worked in the gambling industry.
Familiar Game Elements
Some of the most popular games of recent times unashamedly wear their influences on their sleeves, introducing elements that will primarily be familiar to people with an understanding of gambling and casinos.
Balatro, for example, is a rogue-like deck-building game, which blends games like poker and solitaire. The core gameplay involves playing poker hands, including flushes and straights, to overcome obstacles called blinds. You do not necessarily need to understand poker to play it, but familiarity speeds up the learning process.
Even games like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth and The Witcher 3 make use of card-based mini games. In the case of The Witcher 3, you can even place wagers using the in-game current to earn money while playing the card game, Gwent.
Conclusion
Video game design and the design of online casino games, like slots and roulette, have a lot in common. Often, the aim is the same – to create a compelling and enjoyable gameplay loop that keeps players coming back for more.
Gambling mechanics in video games can be controversial and may even be predatory when deployed in the wrong way. Yet, the psychology behind gambling and the strategies used to create popular casino games are at the heart of some of the most beloved video games ever released and have undoubtedly enhanced the gameplay experience.
