Social casinos are similar to traditional casinos but designed mostly for entertainment. However, they typically offer a broader selection, with slots comprising the largest part of the library. Many social casino platforms can include video poker, jackpot titles, bingo-style games, table games, and other traditional casino game formats.
The exact games available vary by the social casino platform and software provider. Some social casinos focus almost entirely on slots, while others try to recreate a more complete casino lobby.
Here are the main types of games you are likely to find.
Types of Social Casino Games
As mentioned previously, social casinos offer many of the same game categories found in real money casinos, including slot machines and card games like roulette and blackjack.
Most of these games are designed specifically for social casinos, and their gameplay is focused on engagement, monetization, and player retention through gamification (challenges, missions, and leaderboards) and in-app purchases.
However, some social casino games are the same as those found in traditional casinos, which may encourage players to abandon social networks and social casino apps and opt for real-money casinos.
Slots
Slots are one of the most popular social casino game types and they usually make up a bulk of the social casino game library.
Social casino slot games work just as regular online slots. You can choose a stake or coin value, spin the reels, and look for matching symbols or bonus combinations.
The available games are normally extensive. You may find:
- Classic three-reel slots
- Five-reel video slots
- Megaways-style games
- Cluster-pay slots
- Hold-and-win games
- Progressive-style jackpot slots
- Feature-rich bonus slots
Slot themes also vary widely in modern social casinos. Some of these slot games are based on mythology, fantasy, animals, adventure, food, history, or seasonal events.
Jackpot Games
Most social casino platforms offer jackpot games or have some jackpot features within their slots. These jackpot games have a prize pool that builds up overtime, and depending on the game format, the jackpot might be progressive, fixed, or linked across various game titles.
While playing social casino jackpot games, it is important to remember that jackpot game’s mechanics can differ from one game to another. In some games, the jackpot can be triggered randomly. In others, you’ll need to activate a bonus feature or land a specific combination.
Roulette Games
Roulette games are also found in many social casino gaming platforms. These wheel-based games enhance social interaction, with many players active at once. Some social casinos offer both live and virtual variations of roulette games.
As with the idea behind social casino games, you might find various themes, simplified or roulette inspired social casino games.
Poker Games
You’ll find poker styled games on some social casino platforms. These games might be in the form of single-player, simplified versions of popular poker games or casino poker variations.
The social casino style poker games are not the same as traditional poker rooms. Players usually play against the dealer instead of playing against each other at a table.
Scratch Cards and Instant-Win Games
Scratch cards and Instant-win games are designed for quick results and are one of the unique things about some social casinos.
Scratch card games usually involve unveiling numbers, symbols, or prize amounts. If the required combination is shown, you win according to the game’s rules.
Furthermore, instant games may use wheels, boxes, cards, or simple pick-and-reveal mechanics.
These games tend to be less complex than slots and table games. There are typically no long rounds or complicated features, which makes them suitable for short play sessions.
Which Social Casino Games Should You Try?
There are various social casino games available as mentioned, and the ones you should try depend solely on your preference.
Slots offer the widest variety and are often the easiest games to start with. Blackjack games may suit players who prefer familiar casino rules, while poker gives players more decisions to make. Bingo, keno, and instant-win games are generally simpler and work well for shorter sessions.
It is also worth trying free-play versions where available before spending a large amount of virtual currency on an unfamiliar game.
Most social casinos offer enough variety for players to switch between different categories rather than playing the same type of game every time. The key is to check the library, understand how each game works, and choose the format that suits the way you prefer to play.
Conclusion
Social casinos are a modern and legal loophole to experiencing traditional casinos. These casino platforms are available and legal in many states in the United States, and they normally have more casino games than conventional casinos. However, most of those games are slots.
Each of these casinos has its own rules, payout terms, promotions, themed games, and many other features. This means that for each social casino platform you decide to use, always check their terms, payment methods, payout rules, KYC, and other important things.
Even though they are called social casinos and built mostly for entertainment, you should always be sure to play responsibly.