Gambling with No Consequences – Free-to-Play Online Games Important in 2022

One of the biggest struggles when one begins to investigate the online casino business is how most of these sites require actual money deposits before you can try out the various games and tables. Thankfully, a few sites do actually allow you to play various games for free using virtual currency. Sites that require no deposit to play are generally the best option for those looking to investigate the world of online gaming.

According to Forbes, the rise in online casinos is going to continue to grow both in the UK and around the world, including the United States. In a quote from a Forbes article about the rise of IGaming and Online Casino , a UK expert said, “The current rate of expansion for regulated sports betting in the United States supports the idea that there is both an audience and a financial incentive for states when adopting the practice.

Sportsbooks operate at much lower margins, and legislators are quickly catching onto the fact that taxable revenue from virtual casinos could dwarf that of the sports wagering markets.”

But with online casinos becoming legal around the world, getting a free try with no strings attached is a major bonus for many. Trusting a site inexplicably without getting to try the service is a daunting proposition for anyone. Having the option to play something for free, using virtual currency, is amazing.

This concept wouldn’t be new to the online gaming space either. For years, video game companies have been releasing demos of their games to allow players a chance at trying the experience before putting down their hard earned money.

With game prices across the globe steadily rising, it is great to see so many companies investing in themselves enough to actually put out a demo. Nintendo is beginning to lead the charge in this space, although it is unfortunate that so many of their demos are locked behind the subscription pay wall.

But demos have actually been locked behind pay walls for years. Let’s head back to the original days of the Xbox. I was one of many who had a subscription to the Official Xbox Magazine which came with a demo disc each month. And these demo discs were amazing and a big reason why we were subscribe to the service in the first place.

We were able to try games like Mech Assault, Destroy all Humans, or the latest Need for Speed. Getting that demo in the mail each month was amazing, and popping the disc in to get a free try was what we lived for. As a young kid, it was great to try something before I used allowances to buy it.

And that’s the world we are living in now. Trials for this, and trials for that. I’ve noticed it when looking for video editing software. So many companies are now offering free software for your use with no feature being held back. The only thing that will make you think twice is that exported videos might have a watermark in the corner. It’s after you’ve tried the software, used all the amazing features, and produce a great video, that you are given the option to pay for what you just used, or accept a watermark on the video. This is huge.

Living in 2022 is more expensive than ever before with many countries experiencing record inflation. Even cost of living raises are not cutting it, as the increase in prices on everyday goods continues to skyrocket. Every dollar counts in 2022, even for those who use to enjoy a bit of extra in their pockets. Now, everything needs to be accounted for. According to Statistics Canada (StatsCan), inflation year-over-year in Canada is up 5.7%, which is a lot more than the general 1-2% cost of living wage many generally see, and many more do not! In the the UK, inflation for February 2022 was up 6.2%, a half a percent hike higher than January 2022 according to Trading Economics .

But let’s not pretend that free to play online games are unique to 2022. When the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store first launched with the release of the first Apple and Android mobile phones, the majority of applications in the store were premium experiences. I remember purchasing a copy of Angry Birds for 4.99, which at the time felt like a steal for a game with tons of levels. Today, Angry Birds is free, but has ads and in-game purchasing options. So while free-to-play, Angry Birds gets you in a different way, by forcing you to watch 30 second ads between every few levels.

And this trend has been around for almost a decade. While some games remain free-to-play with no ads or interference – The Simpsons Tapped Out comes to mind here – they still try to entice you with time-limited events and items that, if you miss them, are gone forever. Still, they understand the value of a free game, and if you choose to spend a few bucks here and there, they are OK with that too. And that is ultimately the goal, as no company would survive actually giving out free experiences.

And so we come full circle back to online casinos, which are beginning to take off in countries around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven one thing – we all want the experience we use to enjoy available to us from the comfort of our own homes. We have become so use to being home, working at home, playing at home, and more. Those that use to gamble regularly in local casinos are now looking for online options, and there are many of them.

But it’s the free-to-play, no deposit required sites that will ultimately get the bulk of the customers. Sure, some will stick to the free-to-play options and only ever use virtual currency. But others will become attracted to the concept of winning money. And because they’ve been given the chance to try the games in a free, safe environment, they are ready to branch out and try something else, like using real money.

While I will never suggest anyone gamble away their money, we do suggest trying out free-to-play options. They are like demos for real gambling, and will give you a feel for the website you might be investing in. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and as we have laid out, the pandemic has made money tight for even the middle class. How you spend your money, and where you choose to spend it needs to be well thought out.

You cannot risk investing your money in the wrong place. So if a place offers a free-to-play option with virtual currency, take them up on it. That might be all you need to satisfy your gambling crave, but if it isn’t, at least you know who you are getting into bed with in the future.