Social Gaming: What Is It And Why It Is different From Online Casinos

Social gaming is one of the most widespread trends of the recent years. Such games combine the excitement of a traditional casino and communication with people of similar interests.

The popularity of social gaming became evident when rapper Travis Scott played an in-game concert in Fortnite. Users could watch the artist live on a virtual stage and enjoy surreal visuals. The concert attracted 12.3 million viewers, further confirming the notion that gamers are looking for social interaction.

What is social gaming and how it is different from online casinos

A social casino is an application for social networks or smartphones, and sometimes a separate site where you can play slots, poker, roulette and other games of chance.

The main difference between a social casino and a traditional one is that it is intended for entertainment only. During the game, you do not bet real money and also cannot win it. Nevertheless, it is still possible to get prizes in a social game. It can be additional spins, moves and other bonuses.

There are several distinctive features of this type of gaming:

• no risk of losing money;
• you can play online with friends;
• opportunity to improve skills;
• those users who cannot play in traditional casinos for various reasons (age, religion, etc.) can also participate;
• legality.

One of the most important functions of such gaming activities is socialization. During the game, you can chat with friends, relatives, people with similar interests.

Monetization, or how social casinos are making money

The main source of income for social casinos is in-app purchases. This model is called pay-to-win, or freemium. You can play the games for free, but the developers strongly encourage depositing real money for additional rewards and bonuses. It can be in-game currency, avatar decorations, virtual gifts for friends, opening locked levels, and much more.

Some games offer a feature to watch ads to earn rewards. You can turn on a full-fledged video or banner and contextual advertising will periodically appear in the application.

Another way of making money for developers is White Label. In this case, the developer creates the game, but leaves it open for branding. Then any company can buy or rent the product and arrange it as they wish.

Top 3 social game developers

Playtika

It is an Israeli digital entertainment company specializing in the development and publishing of mobile casino games. It was created in 2010 and was one of the first to offer free social games on social networks, and on mobile platforms after that.

Playtika offices are located in 19 cities of Ukraine, USA and Europe.

The company's portfolio includes hidden object games, slots, poker, puzzles and others. These are such popular products as Caesars Slots, June's Journey, Slotomania, WSOP.

Murka Games

The international developer was founded in 2009 in Ukraine. Now Murka offices are located in Kyiv, Dnipro and Limassol.

Over 12 years of operation, the developer has established itself as a fast-growing company with a large portfolio of casual and social casino games.

Murka offers games like Infinity Slots, Scatter Hold'em Poker, Solitaire Play, Slots Era, and more.

KamaGames

European publisher and developer of social mobile poker and one of the fastest growing independent operators in the world. The company was founded in 2010 and now has offices in Dublin and Douglas.

Its flagship game Pokerist Texas Poker was released in 2010 but is still topping the App Store and Google Play Store. Other popular games of the developer include Roulettist, Blackjackist, Baccarist, Omaha, Video Poker.

Summary

Both social and traditional casinos have a wide range of interesting products to offer.

If you want to play roulette or slots for real money, it is better to choose regular online casinos. At the same time, social gaming can be a great leisure option for those who want to enjoy gambling without risking money.

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