Grand Theft Auto video games have long been a staple of debauchery and adult entertainment. After all, any game with violence, sex, and countless other crimes is aimed at an adult audience for sure. Gambling has even crept its way into the games with its thrilling and exhilarating attributes which befit this video game, but how could this grow in future editions? Will modern advancements like mobile casino also make their way into the GTA world?
The First Race in Vice City
The first time that fans of the Grand Theft Auto series were able to wager in the games was in Vice City. This was limited to one transaction as players were only able to bet on their own performance in a race around the Vice Street Racer circuits. If the player was able to win, they’d get their money back and a small return.
More Functionality in San Andreas
While playing as Carl Johnson in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, gamers could play multiple casino games with their virtual in-game funds at a choice of three casinos in the game. These were Caligula’s Palace, Casino Floor, and the Four Dragons Hotel & Casino. While there were multiple other casino establishments in the game, these were the only three that players could enter and play casino games.
Such games included blackjack, roulette, slot machines, wheel of Fortune, etc. Given the illicit nature of the GTA series, these were often seen as dingy establishments. If players run out of money, then they could borrow from the house. If the player left the establishment and didn’t pay the debt, they’d then start getting messages from a notorious gangster who owned the casino and eventually send the heavies out to reclaim the funds.
Players could also wager by other means. Games of pool in some of the accessible bars allowed players to wager up to $1,000 in the game. Or players could go to the betting shop, Inside Track, and bet on horse racing. Just like the real world, eh?
Unparalleled Gambling and Gaming in GTA V
Despite being released in 2013, GTA V still holds up as an exceptional game almost ten years after it was released. The ability to play as three different characters all within the same narrative remains to be a video game USP for sure.
Before GTA Online was launched, the Diamond Casino and Resort were still very much visible within the game – but players couldn’t yet go inside. Instead, it just had a large ‘coming soon’ banner on it. Well, little did they know that with the online functionality, they’d be walking into a world of gambling options to rival any mobile or online casino.
In fact, such is the fanfare for GTA Online it feels a lot like a real-world online casino. Players wager in the in-game currency which then can be used to spend on other in-game items like cars, player upgrades, etc. Players could now participate in a lot of different casino games like three-card poker, blackjack, roulette, slot machines, etc.
Potential Growth for GTA VI
Whenever Grand Theft Auto VI (currently known as Untitled GTA game) comes out, it’ll be a big deal. The developers at Rockstar will be expected to build upon and expand everything that was good about GTA V. Obviously, that’s going to take some time and hard work. Yet, with the advent of new technology like the PS5 and the Xbox One, this should be more than achievable.
How does gambling get better in the game, though? Well, the prior game brought pretty good immersive casino experiences reflective of bricks-and-mortar casinos, so making that shinier, having multiple versions of poker and other games would be cool. Remember however that GTA V came out in 2013. Since then, online mobile casino games have advanced to incredible levels so it makes sense that you might be able to play these in the game.
All the characters in that game had smartphones you could use. In the next game, why not have them be able to play on online gambing apps? After all, the developers have always tried to mirror the real world and this would encase the current availability of online gambling.
The horse racing elements could also be enhanced, the characters could have the ability to visit the racecourse and manipulate the race by tampering with horses. Or they could even displace one of the jockeys and then take part in the race and then cash in their winnings if they bet on the horse they rode to win.
Other expansions could see the gambling activities in the game could offer dingy, illicit, and unregulated games as it did in much earlier editions. After all, most of the characters are shady and reside on the wrong side of the law. Given the nature of these types of games, it could lend itself to the overall GTA narrative if one particular character doesn’t like the way you keep bluffing at the table.
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