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Merging of gambling and gaming is a non-stop process that hits every gamer on the planet. But despite strong opposition from players, games with loot boxes, gachas, and other unplayable stuff thrive and make money.
A lot of indie and corporate devs are pretty much aware of major gambling incentives that lure players to pay more to get the prize. For example, these non Gamstop casinos that offer so many options, rely on big bonus numbers and free spins. The strategy of this business is simple and as clear as day.
What are the main mechanics that game developers borrowed from the gambling industry? Today, we’ll cover your app, add some pessimistic thoughts, and resolve some concerns about mobile gaming as real games with in-depth gameplay.
The Risks for Developers and Actual Examples
Among multiple types of games, it’s not unusual to encounter features related to real or simulated gambling. But not all devs are aware of the line that separates them from being pulled off the market or being fined.
Luck be a Landlord
Something that has happened lately with Dilorio, a solo dev who presented a new roguelite deckbuilder game, “Luck be a Landlord,” in January 2023 for PC. The mobile version was released in July 2023.
The interface of the game looks like a casino slot, and players have to spin the reels to get rare items. More rare items mean more chances to pay rent. These themes created some concerns among Google Play and Apple Store platform holders, leading to the game being pulled from the market two years after its release for not disclosing gambling themes in its ratings and game description.
Starting from total cancellation in countries with strictly prohibited gambling activities, Google claimed that Luck be a Landlord would be totally banned globally. To avoid losing their position on the platform, like Google and Apple, Dilorio had to accept the changes by adding “gambling themes” to the game description. Despite the fact that “this game does not contain any real-world currency or microtransactions”, as Dan Dilorio notes on the Play Store page.
Balatro
The same thing almost happened to the hit game “Balatro,” which had reached almost $ 1,000,000 in its first week of release on mobile platforms in late 2024. The PEGI board noted that because the poker hands are part of the game mechanics, they must be rated as a product for adults. Balatro is a one-time purchase game, similar to Luck to Be a Landlord, with no in-app transactions.
Sunshine Shuffle
Another example of gambling themes used in video games is “Sunshine Shuffle”, where animalistic cartoon characters play poker. It may appear to be a game for kids on the surface, but it incorporates the same types of poker strategies. As a result, the game was temporarily banned from the Nintendo eShop and also from the entire country of South Korea.
Gachas or Not Gachas?
Over 70% of top mobile games in 2024 used at least one mechanic rooted in gambling theory. Think of loot boxes, gacha spins, or timed “mystery rewards.” These systems are designed to trigger dopamine cycles, making us come back daily.
We’re talking about mainstream mobile hits like Clash Royale, Genshin Impact, Coin Master, and even Mario Kart Tour.
So what counts as a gambling mechanic?
Players are encouraged to spend time (and eventually money) for the thrill. Just look at Coin Master. On paper, it’s a cute village-building game. But the actual core loop is a slot machine that drives progression. You spin, get rewards, trigger bonuses, and occasionally attack or raid other villages. Sounds like a casino reskin? You’re not wrong. It generated over $500 million in 2024 alone, primarily from mobile users aged 18–35.
By the end of 2024, Apple and Google had both issued new developer guidelines. According to these rules, any app needs to disclose full details if it contains “simulated gambling” or “randomized reward systems that resemble wagering.”
What does this mean? Apps resclassification, regional bans, store exclusions, and even lawsuits.
But despite “hard tries,” many of these mobile games are still PEGI 7+ or 12+ rated. That’s why regulators in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and South Korea have applied stricter scrutiny to any game using reward randomization.
How Gambling Lives
No surprise that these kinds of games are not the best options for kids, since they actually teach gambling techniques, and it was totally reasonable to ban them on different platforms and e-shop distribution. But from the other side, these games do not contain or require any additional payments from players to continue the game.
Where is the line that shouldn’t be across? And how to distinguish these two categories of online leisure? How to protect minors from gambling? These are the questions that need to be answered by authorities and market actors.
Meanwhile, online gambling is moving forward, meeting significant growth. According to America’s Gaming Association, gambling revenue has reached $60,5 billion in 2023, and by the end of 2023, these numbers had hit $66,5 billion, adding $6 billion a year.
Gambling was never so easily accessible as it is now; the variety of online platforms is uncountable, and players can choose among the US sites and international platforms. These numbers are a lot to consider, especially for regulators and government authorities, which calls for a change in legislative approach.
I am confident that we can maintain a safe environment for vulnerable adults and minors by implementing new policies to regulate the video game sector, which necessitates more transparent rules from Apple and Google platforms. And setting more flexible regulations for online gambling operators so they can keep generating more taxes to be stayed in the Internal Revenue Service.
The post Why do mobile games now feel like partaking in casino games? appeared first on Phandroid.
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A lot of indie and corporate devs are pretty much aware of major gambling incentives that lure players to pay more to get the prize. For example, these non Gamstop casinos that offer so many options, rely on big bonus numbers and free spins. The strategy of this business is simple and as clear as day.
What are the main mechanics that game developers borrowed from the gambling industry? Today, we’ll cover your app, add some pessimistic thoughts, and resolve some concerns about mobile gaming as real games with in-depth gameplay.
The Risks for Developers and Actual Examples
Among multiple types of games, it’s not unusual to encounter features related to real or simulated gambling. But not all devs are aware of the line that separates them from being pulled off the market or being fined.
Luck be a Landlord
Something that has happened lately with Dilorio, a solo dev who presented a new roguelite deckbuilder game, “Luck be a Landlord,” in January 2023 for PC. The mobile version was released in July 2023.
The interface of the game looks like a casino slot, and players have to spin the reels to get rare items. More rare items mean more chances to pay rent. These themes created some concerns among Google Play and Apple Store platform holders, leading to the game being pulled from the market two years after its release for not disclosing gambling themes in its ratings and game description.
Starting from total cancellation in countries with strictly prohibited gambling activities, Google claimed that Luck be a Landlord would be totally banned globally. To avoid losing their position on the platform, like Google and Apple, Dilorio had to accept the changes by adding “gambling themes” to the game description. Despite the fact that “this game does not contain any real-world currency or microtransactions”, as Dan Dilorio notes on the Play Store page.
Balatro
The same thing almost happened to the hit game “Balatro,” which had reached almost $ 1,000,000 in its first week of release on mobile platforms in late 2024. The PEGI board noted that because the poker hands are part of the game mechanics, they must be rated as a product for adults. Balatro is a one-time purchase game, similar to Luck to Be a Landlord, with no in-app transactions.
Sunshine Shuffle
Another example of gambling themes used in video games is “Sunshine Shuffle”, where animalistic cartoon characters play poker. It may appear to be a game for kids on the surface, but it incorporates the same types of poker strategies. As a result, the game was temporarily banned from the Nintendo eShop and also from the entire country of South Korea.
Gachas or Not Gachas?
Over 70% of top mobile games in 2024 used at least one mechanic rooted in gambling theory. Think of loot boxes, gacha spins, or timed “mystery rewards.” These systems are designed to trigger dopamine cycles, making us come back daily.
We’re talking about mainstream mobile hits like Clash Royale, Genshin Impact, Coin Master, and even Mario Kart Tour.
So what counts as a gambling mechanic?
- Loot boxes with random outcomes
- Gacha systems that mimic slot pulls
- Daily spins or login rewards that create FOMO
- Surprise mechanics (as EA famously dubbed them)
- Battle pass unlocks with random rare drops
- Skins and perks hidden behind chance-based events
Players are encouraged to spend time (and eventually money) for the thrill. Just look at Coin Master. On paper, it’s a cute village-building game. But the actual core loop is a slot machine that drives progression. You spin, get rewards, trigger bonuses, and occasionally attack or raid other villages. Sounds like a casino reskin? You’re not wrong. It generated over $500 million in 2024 alone, primarily from mobile users aged 18–35.
By the end of 2024, Apple and Google had both issued new developer guidelines. According to these rules, any app needs to disclose full details if it contains “simulated gambling” or “randomized reward systems that resemble wagering.”
What does this mean? Apps resclassification, regional bans, store exclusions, and even lawsuits.
But despite “hard tries,” many of these mobile games are still PEGI 7+ or 12+ rated. That’s why regulators in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and South Korea have applied stricter scrutiny to any game using reward randomization.
How Gambling Lives
No surprise that these kinds of games are not the best options for kids, since they actually teach gambling techniques, and it was totally reasonable to ban them on different platforms and e-shop distribution. But from the other side, these games do not contain or require any additional payments from players to continue the game.
Where is the line that shouldn’t be across? And how to distinguish these two categories of online leisure? How to protect minors from gambling? These are the questions that need to be answered by authorities and market actors.
Meanwhile, online gambling is moving forward, meeting significant growth. According to America’s Gaming Association, gambling revenue has reached $60,5 billion in 2023, and by the end of 2023, these numbers had hit $66,5 billion, adding $6 billion a year.
Gambling was never so easily accessible as it is now; the variety of online platforms is uncountable, and players can choose among the US sites and international platforms. These numbers are a lot to consider, especially for regulators and government authorities, which calls for a change in legislative approach.
I am confident that we can maintain a safe environment for vulnerable adults and minors by implementing new policies to regulate the video game sector, which necessitates more transparent rules from Apple and Google platforms. And setting more flexible regulations for online gambling operators so they can keep generating more taxes to be stayed in the Internal Revenue Service.
The post Why do mobile games now feel like partaking in casino games? appeared first on Phandroid.
More...
