Gambling in videogames: Does it work?

[Ivan Brogstog]

From Fallout: New Vegas to Red Dead Redemption; even Pokemon had slot machines!

I personally enjoy F:NV's Black Jack and Caravan. Once you have a strategy; it's quite thrilling to watch as you watch your pile of caps and NCR dollars increase. Though the roulette and slots are a huge let-down (Not that it's any fun in real life, mind you).

I feel RDR had an inferior Black Jack simply because you had to watch [or skip] the other players' turns. Poker was great though [even if it was a little tedious].

But what really is the appeal of gambling in videogames? After-all; you're not risking any cash or real hard-earned funds [how hard is it go and beg/rob/steal/grind for more?].

 

[Lyri]

Fun?

It has some kind of prize attached to it normally, whether it's quick monetary gain or getting an item.
There's no real deep purpose too it other than filler content to pass the time.

 

[StompinPaul]

I don't know for certain, but I imagine that part of it is simply the fact that it's there. The very fact that it's an activity largely independent of the main game provides the feeling that there's more to the world than just player actions, as well as letting the player explore and experience such details.

 

[AvsJoe]

I really enjoyed the horse track in GTA: San Andreas. The ridiculous names for the horses + the wonky odds = fun + success!

 

[Netrigan]

Gambling in video games just ends up devaluing money in said game. Either you can save-scum your way to a jackpot or you figure out an exploit that leads to victory.

Bully -- place maximum bet on midget fight. If your fighter looks like he's going to lose, walk away. You'll get your money back and start over.
GTA IV: Ballad Of Gay Tony -- identify the fighters most likely to win, then bet all your money on them. If they lose, reload a save game and try again. I amassed a fortune of $10,000,000 in the game, which actually made the money trouble elements of the main game kind of funny.
Bioshock -- save-scum. Save the game right before gambling, then keep playing until you hit a jackpot, reloading the old save game as needed.
Red Dead Redemption -- learn the pattern for Five Finger Filet's maximum bet and repeat until you have all the money you need.

I think the only recent game I've played where I didn't abuse the gambling was GTA IV: The Lost & Damned, because I found the betting games pretty boring, pointless, and not enough money being bet to make it worthwhile.

 

[ThorUK]

Played through Fallout: NV twice without gambling at all - no particular aversion to it, I'd just accumulated piles of caps without it. Same with the pokemon games, it was easier to get money elsewhere an dbuy the prizes than gamble for them.