Slots, poker, roulette and other social casino games

Introduction

Social casinos offer users the same gaming set as regular gambling sites, but with virtual currency and without the ability to withdraw real money. The main assortment is slots, poker and roulette, plus a growing pool of arcade and "fast" mini-games. Let's analyze each category, its rules and role in the mechanics of audience retention.

1. Video slots

Mechanics: work on RNG algorithms, give the result of each spin independently; base characters, wild and scatter combinations.
Bonus-rounds: freespins, multipliers, "bonus-buy" (in some social casinos for virtual coins).
Social functions:
  • Slot tournaments - betting points, leaderboards with virtual prizes.
  • Missions and achievements - "check 100 spins," "win x times in a row" for bonus credits.
  • In-game currency: free chips (daily bonus), paid packages; sometimes two types of coins are regular and premium.

2. Poker

Options: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Hi-Lo; often implemented as "sit & go" -tuners.
Gameplay: croupier-bot or "live" dealers (depending on the platform), tables for 6-10 players.
Social component:
  • Player ratings by chips won or experience points.
  • Chat at the table and the ability to give chips to rivals or friends.
  • Monetization: purchase of a starting package of chips, renewable bonuses for entry, cashbones for participation in tournaments.

3. Roulette

Types: European (one zero), American (double zero), sometimes French with the rule "La Partage."
Rates: one room, groups of rooms, color, even/odd, high/low.
Social functions:
  • Collective bets (pool bets), when a group of players makes one large bet.
  • Roulette-marathon events with virtual prizes for the maximum number of bets in a limited time.
  • Virtual currency: similar to slots, with maximum rate restrictions.

4. Arcade and fast minigames

Crash: the multiplier graph grows to an accidental cliff; the task is to "run out" to collapse.
Plinko: the ball falls on the pins, the multiplier is determined by the final cell.
Dice: Bet on the result of a die roll or a chain of rolls.
Holding mechanics: fast betting cycle (5-10 seconds), instant result, ideal for hi-frequency players.
Social chips:
  • Competitions by the number of rounds played or total winnings.
  • Leaders of the day with the exchange of chips between the participants.

5. Bones, baccarat and other board games

Sic Bo: bets on combinations of three dice, fine game.
Baccarat: bet on "Player," "Bank" or "Draw," low house edge.
Social element:
  • Joint live - "rooms" with a video broadcast of the dealer.
  • VIP tables for players who have purchased a special pass.

6. Gamification and retention

Daily logins - free coins accrual.
Event Passes-Paid passes open quest chains.
System of levels and icons: XP points for a bet, balance, activity; reaching the level opens up new games or increased bonuses.

Conclusion

Social casinos combine classic gambling entertainment - slots, poker, roulette and board games - with fast-paced arcade minigames, with all currency virtual. The main game mechanics are supported by social functions: tournaments, chats, quests and leaderboards. This allows you to keep the audience without financial risk for players, while providing developers with stable income from microtransactions.