What are social casinos?
A form of casino that doesn't require real money wagers
Everyone loves the excitement of playing casino games but not everyone likes risking their hard-earned money. This is where social casinos come in and they might be the solution that you need.
Ultimately, a social casino is a website or app that allows you to play popular games such as online slots with your friends through the internet. Social casinos can be played on mobile devices, through your web browser or even through social media sites like Facebook. The games that are played through social casinos are not using real money to wager and are intended for entertainment purposes only.
Virtual currency
They are free to play but often make money through in-game purchases similar to loot boxes in video games. Most of the games within social casinos use virtual coins to set bets and these often have a set amount that restocks over time.
It should be noted that once you run low on coins or even out of money, you can buy virtual coins to continue playing. However, there are often free alternatives such as requesting coins from your friends, referring people or watching video advertisements.
Essentially, these social casinos want as many people as possible to play games and for their experiences to be for a long duration which is why they offer free alternatives.
Social Interactions
As the name suggests, social casinos are all about socialising with your friends. Most social casinos give you the chance to customise avatars meaning that you can interact with friends as a virtual avatar. You could chat as your avatar whilst playing online slots or even share a poker table with your friends.
There are often leaderboards and tournaments (similar to slot tournaments) in which you compete with your friends to rank on them to add a little competition to the mix. Some social casinos even have special events in which you can earn virtual coins on certain events to incentivise you to return.
An alternative
Whilst gambling online is legal in the UK, there are certain countries where this isn't allowed. Social casinos are legal almost everywhere as there is no real money being wagered meaning that you can play this almost anywhere.
These casinos are also a great alternative if you aren't sure about wagering money or if you want to improve your skills in certain casino games such as Blackjack or Poker.
Weighing up options
Of course, if you want to enjoy the thrills of playing online slots and other games without paying, then social casinos are a great alternative to playing online slots through slot sites. However, it should be noted that many operators actually have demo versions of online slots meaning that you can play certain games for free.
If you do love the thrills of betting money with unexpected returns, then stick to licenced casinos as many are using gamification to make the experience into a more social one with leaderboards and interactions.
Whether you decide to play through social casinos or operators, the main thing to take away is to play these games safely and responsibly.