Video games invite you into a simulated world where anything goes and major mistakes are followed by a swift reload or reset. Gambling is perfect for these environments, as you can bet the bank on red and not worry about any real-life consequences. You could even earn some extra coins, cash, or bottle caps to play other games, buy yourself some virtual cocktails, or upgrade your armour.

In this guide, we’ll look at some of the best video games that have utilized real casino games, including all the major games available online like Poker, Roulette, Blackjack, and Slots.

Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption is one of Rockstar’s biggest properties, and that’s impressive for the team that created the Grand Theft Auto series. Red Dead Redemption was initially launched as a sequel to Red Dead Revolver, although many players had never played the original game when they were introduced to this 2010 title.

Set in the Wild West, Red Dead Redemption followed a character called John Marston as he struggled to deal with the rapidly changing face of the Old West. He moved from town to town, riding horses, hopping on carriages, and riding trains. Throughout his travels, he robbed, stole, killed, and fought with outlaws and the authorities.

At any point during these adventures, he could stop at a saloon and play a few games of poker. The graphics were great, the poker games were very well developed, and it served to introduce many new players to the game. In fact, a number of gamers owe Red Dead Redemption for introducing them to this card game.

Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in 2018 and even though the setting was slightly different and the protagonist had changed, the gambling games had remained. In addition to poker, players could try their hand at games of dice and horse shoes, adding to the Old West vibe.

Dead Rising 2

The Dead Rising series of games brought some arcade bliss to Xbox consoles everywhere. The premise was simple: Zombies had taken over and players had to fight the hordes and save as many people as they could. They had a specific time frame in which they could do it, and once the game ended, they could just start enough over and try again, going down a different path or just using the time to kill some zombies.

In Dead Rising 2, players could return to their safe house and play strip poker with the other survivors. They could also venture into the casino and play a high stakes game with other players, many of which were based on real professional players.

For instance, the player Nevada Slim was based on Greg Raymer, while his name came from Amarillo Slim, two brilliant poker players from different eras.

Fallout: New Vegas

Released after Fallout 3 and before Fallout 4, New Vegas became one of the most popular games in the massively successful Fallout series. Players were invited to explore a post-apocalyptic world rife with mutants, radiation, and danger.

They could visit active casinos and play a host of gambling games. These casinos were a little different from their modern Sin City counterparts, with a little less kitsch and a lot more rubble, but they were active, nonetheless.

If you had the bottle caps, you could walk into one of these casinos and play games of Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, and a game called Caravan. Just make sure you have your wits about you, as this is a different world from the Vegas you know and love today, one with a less security and decidedly more rocket launchers.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Another appearance for the mighty Rockstar—these guys clearly love their casinos! In GTA: San Andreas, players could enter three different casinos around the map and stake their game credits on Blackjack, Wheel of Fortune, and Video Poker.

Legend has it that games of Craps and Texas Hold’em were also going to be included and you can still find the tables on which these games would have been played. However, for whatever reason, they were cut from the final release.

Enter the casinos, place your wagers, and wait for the results. As with any real casino, however, make sure you don’t risk more than you can afford. You need those credits to buy weapons and cars to protect you on those ruthless SA streets!

Fake Casino Gambling

Of course, these days, you don’t need to venture into the world of a video game to play some simulated slots or online casino games. You can download a multitude of apps that simulate this process for you. The problem is, they often charge for the pleasure and ask you to buy fake chips with real money, just so you can win more fake chips!

With video games, gambling is just a mini-game, something to pass a few hours and prolong the time that you spend in the game world. You don’t buy those chips and the money you win can actually be put to good use in the in-game world. That’s what makes them so popular and that’s why we love them so much!

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