Gaming Meets Gambling: Iconic Casino Experiences in Modern Video Games

Online gambling has taken the world by storm, but the trend is even more popular than you imagine. You can play your favorite casino games from the warmth of your home, on your mobile devices, when commuting, or from your bed.  With the development of modern technology and the advancements in gaming, you can even play some casino games while playing your favorite video games. If you’re a fan of the games we’re about to discuss, you know the story, but please continue reading if you’re not.

In this article, we will show you how gaming meets iGaming. Video games we have today genuinely allow us to immerse ourselves into the fantasy worlds of our choosing, but having casinos as a part of the gameplay is another step in the right direction. It is funny how more than one developer got an idea to bring together the world of online gaming and gambling. If you’re a fan of both, the following few game titles should be your choices.

Star Wars Outlaws

Outlaws is a new game in the Star Wars serial, and it comes with a nice little perk. Players who enjoy gambling can play a few rounds of Sabacc if that’s your preferred game, so you better get your hands ready to deal with the cards. If you’re not familiar with this game and haven’t played it yet, even a little peek at its description will give you an insight into what it offers as a part of its gameplay. In Star Wars Outlaws, there will be designated rooms for playing Sabacc by wagering the in-game currency. If you’re not well versed in the world of Star Wars, in the faraway galaxy, Sabacc is a game similar to what we know as blackjack.

Star Wars took a risk with this small addition, as due to the views on gambling in some countries, the game is labeled as an ‘adults only’ title. Despite this, we are sure that the popularity of Outlaws will not be in vain any day soon. As far as Sabacc goes, it is a well-known game in the Star Wars universe. Fans of the franchise are familiar with the rules as it has appeared in many films, series, books, and other media. People new to Star Wars games will have a chance to get to know it with Star Wars Outlaws. Despite SW games being on the market for decades in one form or another, Sabacc was unfairly neglected.

So far, this game has only been mentioned twice, as far as we know. It happened in The Sims 4’s Journey to Batuu and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. While in the former, you could actually play a hand or two, in the latter, it was only casually mentioned. For real fans of Sabacc, the injustice was finally made right, and in Star Wars Outlaws, you will be able to play this game the same way you would play black jack.

We can already claim that fans of the SW universe will fall in love with this minor addition in no time. For those that haven’t tested the gameplay, you can learn a  few things from the trailer for the game, which shows that there will be more than one participant at the table and that by some accounts, you will be enabled to cheat in-game. We wouldn’t do this, as it wouldn’t do honor to one of the biggest fans of the game, Han Solo.

As far as Sabacc as a game is concerned, it is one of the most popular card games in the universe of Star Wars. The game is not only popular but also intriguing, which is why many players will be more than eager to try it out in a casino. To play it, at least two players are required. The maximum number of people who can sit at the table is eight. The more, the merrier; we hope that you’ll find a company to play it with you in Star Wars Outlaws. As we already said, the game adheres to rules similar to blackjack online.

To win in Sabacc, one needs either skill or pure luck. As a game of chance, it is similar to blackjack, with the only difference being that you need to get closer to 23 and not to 21. Of course, the limit of 23 must not be exceeded as you will lose that way. The most significant movie trivia tied to this game is when Han Solo gets into possession of the Millennium Falcon after he beats Lando Calrissian in the game of Corellian Spike Sabacc. With this much history tied to this game, it is an absolute wonder how people making Star Wars games didn’t remember earlier including Sabacc in the gameplay of some of the previous titles in the Star Wars video game universe.

Grand Theft Auto

GTA transcends the world of video games. Even for people who are not into gaming, Grand Theft Auto is a well-known name. GTA was developed by Rockstar Games, and they release a new version every few years. GTA is always followed restlessly by fans and onlookers, and occasionally, controversies arise in this game. GTA V was released more than ten years ago, and while people now eagerly expect a new iteration to come out, no one stopped playing the V. While by no means a modern game anymore, it was not overrun by the time-lapse nor was it overshadowed by some new game. That honor will belong to the latest GTA. Due to its presence online with GTA Online, this game was popular from the first day and has remained so until today.

GTA Online is an interesting concept, allowing players to move away from standard gameplay. When playing online, you’re allowed to complete exclusive missions that are, as a result, rewarded by in-game currency, making you a rich man within the GTA universe. While having extra missions is great, it is still a part of what GTA offers as the standard of its gameplay. You deal with rivals, organize heists, and create chaos when playing online like you would if playing regular GTA.

The significant addition to the GTA universe came in 2019 when a long-present but never-opened Diamond Casino & Resort opened its doors to players. You can tell that this was a massive boost for all players. The once deserted property now became one of the first in-game immersive casinos ever. While having a casino in the world of GTA was a massive addition, the number of games available was limited to online blackjack, roulette, slots, three-card poker, and horse betting.

Rockstar Games really took effort into creating this casino as it looks better than some online casinos and even offers VIP membership to some players. With a VIP card, you also receive limo service, access to VIP lounges, and penthouse apartments.  As we said, good people behind GTA know how to make things right in their games, and thus, GTA Diamond Casino is one of the best casino experiences you will have when playing video games before VR technology enters the world of online gambling for real.

The Red Dead Redemption Series and Red Dead Online

Rockstar Games knows their gambling. In addition to GTA, they’re the creators of another very popular franchise, Red Dead Redemption. This title also includes a little bit of gambling. Cowboys, outlaws, and the Wild West are all synonyms for a little bit of gambling. If you have immersed yourself in the world of RDR, you know just how high-quality this game is.

For those non initiated to Read Dead Redemption, the main story follows former outlaw John Marston, who is tasked with bringing his old gang to justice. This game has a primary version that got itself a prequel, and it will receive a sequel any year now. The prequel sees you take the mantle of the main character, who, in this case, is Arthur Morgan, a member of the gang that Marston is set to take out in the main story of RDR. We will focus on the second part as it has an online version that offers everything you love about the original game.

Due to the setting in the Wild West, most gambling happens in saloons rather than in casinos as we know them today. The most popular casino games in the universe of Red Dead Redemption include blackjack, arm wrestling betting, five-finger filet, horseshoes, and poker. The second edition of this game brought forth the addition of dominos. We can expect even more games as this game is still very popular, and a new installment is expected in the coming years. Rockstar Games is taking its sweet time with developing these products, but we expect state-of-the-art products, so they don’t need to rush anything. After all, art requires time.

Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout is another series that includes casino elements in its gameplay. Initially, it was supposed to be a role-playing game with a strong presence of strategy. Still, Fallout, luckily for us evolved into the first-person role-playing experience we have today. Fallout has an interesting setting in a post-apocalyptic world that emerges from a nuclear fallout, where human survivors have their refuge in locations called Vaults where they hide from radiation and deadly zombies. In the Las Vegas edition of the game, the story follows a character named Courier who needs to fight for his life and job after he was robbed and left for dead, losing his package in the process.

While the setting is grim and by no means calls for fun, the location of events is Las Vegas, after all. So, it’s no wonder that gambling elements were included in the gameplay. What’s even better, Fallout: New Vegas has access to three majestic locations, Atomic Wrangler Casino, Sierra Madre Casino, and the Ultra-Luxe Casino and Resort. Players who are successful in their run from zombies can play casino games such as slots, roulette, horseshoes, and blackjack in the casino of their choosing. What makes the entire ordeal even more fun is the fact that Obsidian Entertainment made an effort to create an original game. If you’re up for it, you can learn to play the game titled Caravan and elevate the fun you’ve had so far playing Fallout: New Vegas.

Summary

Online gambling is everywhere around us. iGaming is slowly catching up to regular gaming in popularity and revenue. The technology development in recent years has made it possible to elevate the games they offer to a new level. As you can see, some technological solutions even made it possible for iGaming to touch gaming inside their own world. Because of the correlation between the two, we now have titles such as GTA, Red Dead Redemption, Fallout, and Star Wars Outlaws, allowing players to gamble in-game.

The gaming world has come a long way from the arcade games of old to what we have now. Some games have taken a step up, and now you have iGaming elements inside of standard games. From Galaxy Far Away and Sabacc to Grand Theft Auto and blackjack, the possibilities we have to gamble inside of the games’ respective universes are not limitless, but they’re trending in a good direction.

With more and more technology advancements that are expected in the future, in no time, it will be possible to play casino games inside a virtual world together with Harrison Ford and Jabba the Hutt. Now, that would be a game of Sabacc to remember. As for now, you only need to follow the news closely and discover which future games will have casino elements included in their gameplay so that you can explore those, too. We know that we will.