Social casinos are essentially characterized by a combination of traditional casino games with social interaction options and virtual (play money) currencies. Users usually log in via social media or special apps and can then play a variety of well-known games such as slots, poker, blackjack or roulette. Instead of real money, digital chips or coins are used, which can be acquired, for example, by logging in regularly, completing tasks or through in-app purchases. This play money makes it possible to place bets and win prizes that have no real monetary value.
The term “social casino” comes from the fact that such offers are often integrated with social networks, so that players can gain access, share their successes, invite or challenge friends and take part in community events. Here, the concept of other social network games is transferred to online casinos in a sense.
The gamification and social aspects create a gaming experience that is captivating and entertaining for quite a few people. The particular advantage that fans see in this concept is the largely elimination of financial losses, while still conveying the thrill of gambling. “Largely” because there are often hidden costs lurking in social casinos or the relevant apps. The majority of players who regularly play in the best online casinos with real money see social casinos as a waste of time, boring or a rip-off.
According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, around 85 million people worldwide play in social casinos every day.
The majority of social casino players actually come from Germany. In second place are the British and Irish, followed by players from other European countries such as the Netherlands, Latvia, Italy, Greece and Poland. No data is available for other areas of the world, as the platform used for the analysis focuses primarily on Europe.
According to SOFTSWISS, over 80 percent of these people conceal their age and gender. Among young men up to 30 years of age, the willingness to provide such data is comparatively high at 12.45 percent. Only around 3 percent of women between 30 and 40 state when they were born.
The data collected shows that most social casino players are active in the afternoon and evening. Rush hour is between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., which makes sense since other leisure activities typically take place during this time period (after work). The time when the fewest users are logged on is also not surprising: that is between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
Mondays are the least busy – most people play on Friday and Sunday, with the difference between the peaks and lows being only 10 percent.
The average player session lasts around 47 minutes. The longest session recorded this year lasted a whopping 12 hours.
“The analysis of players’ habits showed that the activities of average users follow predictable patterns and are fully consistent with human biorhythms and social responsibility.”
SOFTSWISS highlights
Here, too, SOFTSWISS is of course only referring to the data from SpinArena.net. However, since the number of users is considerable, the characteristics are likely to be representative. Accordingly, half of all gaming sessions are spent on the top 15 games. These are actually always well-known slots.
The top 5 most popular games make up a third of all sessions.
That is why people like to play in social casinos, according to those responsible at SOFTSWISS and SpinArena.net
Jochen Martinez, founder of Ously Games GmbH, which is essentially responsible for SpinArena.net, particularly highlights the security and social aspect:
“This analysis perfectly illustrates how social casinos meet the same needs of players as traditional casinos while offering a safer gaming experience. The combination of games with social interactions offers a unique environment and neutralizes financial risks. Players can enjoy activities such as connecting with friends while playing their favorite games.”
For Vitali Matsukevich, Chief Operating Officer at SOFTSWISS, it is above all the new, trendy aspect that convinces many players:
“Social casinos are part of a megatrend in the global entertainment industry, where players want traditional casino entertainment in a new guise.”
Social casinos are certainly not for everyone, but they certainly have a large following. Data from SOFTSWISS (and other sources) show that tens of millions of people access the relevant offers every day and sometimes use them intensively. In Germany in particular, play money games with their missions, tournaments and the possibility of sharing on social networks are very popular. The games are very similar to those in conventional online casinos.
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