Social Casinos

If you think casino play is all about winning cold hard cash, you’re missing a trick. Playing for the experience and entertainment has its place too. Think gamer versus gambler and you’ll see where the potential lies (along with reading our review of this area).

What is social gambling and where can I play?

This type of gambling is available across multiple sites, some more familiar to you than others:

Facebook
Google Play Games
Zynga (home to Farmville)
Playtika

Searches for Google + games can also produce more results from Google (Google+, their own social media site, has been shut down). Facebook games are among the most popular way to play socially, as so many people use that site. However, others like the idea of visiting a website to access some social games.

What kinds of social games can I play for free?

There are several types of free casino games you can expect to see on these sites. Some offer more than others too, such as:

Slot games
Scratch n win games (scratch cards)
Poker
Blackjack
Roulette

Indeed, if you are thinking about joining a real casino, it is often a good idea to tackle some social casino games first. They give you some experience without the risk of losing out financially. You may well find the entertainment value offered by these games is enough to keep you entertained anyway, especially when playing with friends.

What are the pros and cons of social gaming?

We are glad you asked. There are major advantages to social gaming as we’ll see here. Yet for every upside there is a downside…

Advantages

You get to play for free
You can play with your friends by linking up on the same site
There are lots of games to choose from
You may receive credits or ‘coins’ each day you log in or play

Disadvantages

Some games limit the progress you can make each day
There is the temptation to purchase add-ons to use in the game
It can take time to unlock different games and/or levels
You may want to play at times when you don’t have coins to use

As you can see, it is entirely possible to play these games without parting with any hard cash. If you simply want to play for entertainment, these games allow you the luxury of doing just that.

If it is free, how do gambling operators make any money?

There are various ways they can do this. Even though most players won’t spend anything on the games, a core audience will. It is this audience that earns the money for the game provider in various ways:

In-game benefits, currencies, or virtual goods cost money for the player to access them
Some Facebook games provide the chance to pay with FB credits that must be purchased in advance

It’s also possible for operators to earn funds via advertisers. Even if you play a game for free, you might be required to view an ad to unlock another life so you can play for longer, for example. Most people are happy to do this if it gives them easier access to their top games.

Who are the big operators creating these games?

There are plenty of names involved in this still-growing industry. However, some have come to the fore:

Zynga – they offer online and mobile games played by an audience of millions every single day
Crowdpark – the Crowdpark website steers you round to Unfold, a team offering 25 games to check out
Double Down Interactive – home to some exciting games such as Firehouse Hounds, Ultimate X Poker, and Texa$ Tea
Playtika – you might recognise some of the famous names in their collection, including June’s Journey, Tropicats, and Pirate Kings

Plenty of games can be downloaded from the App Store or from Google Play.

Some of our fav social casino games

Zynga Poker

If you have ever fancied a go at poker, this is your chance to make it happen without a bankroll. You get $60k in free play chips to use when you first log in, which you can do with email or Facebook – no poker face needed!

Slotomania

Play free slot games to your heart’s content at Playtika. There are dozens of captivating titles to choose from, so finding your favourite could be a great challenge.

Double Down Poker

Another opportunity to play poker, this game is in the Double Down Casino app. Get started with some free daily bonuses to help you along.

Are you going to visit some of these social casinos to find out more?

You could download a free app, visit Facebook, or go direct to one of the providers’ websites. Whichever way you choose to get involved social gaming has never been easier. Isn’t it good to know you don’t have to spend anything if you don’t want to?

Get that Bonus right Now!