When we hear the word gamer, we usually picture a man in his 20s at an elaborate desk setup, including an expensive gaming chair, headphones, and a light-up keyboard. However, not everyone who loves to play games automatically fits into this category. Especially in the world of mobile games, the audience can look quite different – as can the types of games that are being played. Besides RPG and hypercasual games, social casino games are among the rising stars of mobile games. But what are the characteristics of social casino games, and why do people enjoy playing them?

What Are Social Casino Games?

Think about popular games that can be played at casinos: Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, Bingo, slot machines, and other casino table games. All of these can be found in social casino games as well, sometimes as a full mobile replica of classic casino games, sometimes mixed with new entertaining elements. Most of the time, social casino games are free to play.

What sets them apart from visiting a real-life casino is the fact that they can be conveniently played from the comfort of your own home or while traveling. They also don’t require you to spend real-life money. Social casino games work with virtual currency exclusively, which makes them a cheap and safe alternative. After installing the game, new users receive virtual credits that can be used to wager.

But what about the social aspect? Most casino games are multiplayer games, like Poker and Blackjack, so it makes sense to incorporate a multiplayer aspect into these mobile games, too. Users can play against friends or even strangers and are able to communicate directly with the help of a handy chat function.

Who Enjoys Social Casino Games?

The audience of social casino games looks a little different from the average image you might have of a gamer. The user base of social casino games is almost evenly split between men and women, with men playing for approximately 16 minutes every day and women clocking about 17 minutes on a daily basis. Social casino games also have one of the oldest demographics, with users over 50 years playing for about 18.4 minutes every day. Even though social casino gamers can be found worldwide, it is most popular in Asia, followed by Europe and Africa.

Why Do Users Like Them?

Social casino games hold a great appeal for many users and for multiple reasons. First of all, they offer the fun and addictive nature of classic casino games that have been popular for a very long time. The entertaining and rewarding effect of mobile casino games due to the release of dopamine is even bigger than that of their real-life counterparts because mobile game makers lose nothing by letting players win. Whereas casinos play for real money, mobile games work with virtual credit. Neither game makers nor players lose out, which means winning is much more likely in the virtual world. More frequent wins result in more engagement and longer sessions, and provide a rewarding and entertaining experience for the user.

Apart from the entertainment aspect of social casino games, users also enjoy the social component of these games. It allows them to connect with friends over greater distances in a fun and engaging way. Features like high scores and leaderboards also bring a competitive element into the games. It helps keep classics like Poker and slot machines interesting and provides new challenges for users as they compete against friends and strangers through the game.

Which Games are the Most Popular in North America?

North Americans spend approximately 11.4 minutes each day playing social casino games, a genre that keeps increasing in popularity. But what are North Americans’ favorite casino games? Here are the Top 10 most downloaded social casino games:

1. TonGits Go-Sabon Slots Pusoy
2. DoubleDown Fort Knox Slot Game
3. Jackpot Magic Slots
4. Big Fish Casino – Social Slots
5. MONOPOLY Slots – Casino Games
6. Bingo Club – BINGO Games Online: Fun Bingo Game
7. Jackpotjoy Slots: Casino Games
8. Bingo Blaze – Bingo Games
9. MGM Slots Live – Vegas Casino
10. Slots Casino – Jackpot Mania

Conclusion

Entertainment and socialization – these are the reasons users love social casino games. With their success in recent years, it comes as no surprise that this genre of games has found its way into the advertising business, too. If you want to learn more about the most popular social casino games and how they compare to other genres in terms of demographics and playtime, check out the mobile games index.