The gambling sector is undergoing a radical metamorphosis, with its evolution now modelled on that of video games. Whether in terms of platform aesthetics or gratification processes, online gambling sites are appropriating gaming standards to reinvent the user experience.
This interpenetration of genres enhances immersion, but it also raises major questions about the unprecedented risks of dependency, carried in particular by loot boxes and bets on virtual appearances (skin gambling), which are seducing an increasingly precocious public.
Gaming and gambling are no longer compartmentalized: they are intertwined. To remain competitive, iGaming players have realized that a simple virtual slot machine is no longer enough. The aim is to build a real narrative, a structured progression. This phenomenon, known as ludification (or gamification), consists in transposing components specific to gaming (accumulating points, obtaining trophies, competitive rankings, objectives to be achieved) into the world of betting in order to boost user involvement.
The aim is to transform the bettor into a committed player, captivated by an environment that values loyalty and assiduity as much as pure chance.
Why is the casino world appropriating videogame codes?
This transition is above all a question of sustainability. Faced with a plethora of competitors, it's hard to capture attention, but building customer loyalty is a constant challenge. Traditional gaming establishments operated on a rudimentary cycle: the bet, followed by the win or loss. While this model is effective, it lacks depth. Conversely, video game designers have long mastered the levers of retention. They have identified that users aspire to constant evolution, a form of personal gratification and social exchange. This is where iGaming platforms come in. They no longer offer just a wagering service, but a truly global experience where every interaction, however unsuccessful, feeds a progress gauge enabling users to gain advantages or climb the site's hierarchy.
What features are borrowed from the world of consoles?
The methods employed are becoming increasingly complex. Basic loyalty programs are replaced by elaborate virtual economic systems, including various internal currencies to be collected via daily challenges or specific quests. The use of experience bars, level tiers, member competitions and dynamic dashboards has become the market standard.
These features generate intense cycles of assiduity, as players are perpetually stimulated by new heights to reach. To find their bearings in this teeming technical offering, many punters now consult online casino reviews on Gamblizard to decipher the options and real benefits of each interface.
The world of Internet gambling is undergoing a major upheaval, marked by a symbiosis with traditional video games. Publishers are no longer confining themselves to reproducing bandit scrolls; they are integrating narrative mechanics, skill upgrades and HD graphics environments comparable to console productions. Creations such as EvoPlay's Star Guardians or the "Crash" games illustrate this mutation, where reactivity and immersion tend to supplant raw luck. To identify the most avant-garde platforms, users regularly turn to reference guides such as Gamblizard, which lists these constant innovations.
Towards a total disappearance of the boundary between entertainment and betting?
The situation is real, and raises legitimate concerns. This merger has encouraged the emergence of hybrid practices such as loot boxes and skin gambling. Loot boxes, widely used in blockbuster titles, offer random winnings in exchange for real money, a process that many equate with a form of lottery. A GambleAware report published in 2021 already pointed out that 40% of young gamers had already acquired one of these virtual loot boxes.
Even more worrying, "skin gambling" allows players to wager cosmetic elements (skins) from famous titles such as Counter-Strike 2. The results of a 2025 analysis by TrustPlay are clear: 43.5% of skin gamblers started betting before they came of age, and 79.4% of them show clinical signs of excessive gambling. These devices act as a gateway to gambling for unsuspecting minors, trivializing the act of betting under the guise of recreation.
In short, the gambling industry no longer relies solely on the lure of money. It markets total immersion, a sense of belonging and social standing within a group. This change strengthens the industry's seductive power, but also increases its risks. By borrowing the mechanics of video games, the industry has created a formidable product, but it must now assume the obligations that go with it. The challenge of the future will not lie in the size of the jackpot, but in the ability of regulatory authorities and gaming sites to control these excesses and protect the vulnerable from a casino world that is increasingly becoming a simple video game.
