The online gaming market is showing significant signs of growth across both the United States and the world.
The global gaming market is estimated to be worth around $169bn, but free-to-play gaming models on mobile devices are gaining traction and are likely to increase within the sector. That could help the market grow to $287bn by 2026, a compound annual growth rate of 9.24% from 2021. In basic terms, the market is growing, and there is no stopping it.
In the United States, the steady relaxation of laws around online casinos is helping drive growth, too. Many states have either approved legislation for online poker and casino games or will do so soon. That makes games where you play for money legal and above board, but not all gamers want to stake actual dollars. That is another area where the free-to-play model, or the ‘freemium’ gaming genre, comes in.
A freemium game is free to play, but that offers gamers the chance to pay to unlock more content or further playtime. It is a popular model that relies on customer loyalty once the game is downloaded and on advertising. It is a popular model that depends on customer loyalty once the game is downloaded and on advertising. Some, such as Words With Friends, will be free to play but offer the opportunity to buy power-ups or aids to help improve your game. Between freemium and free-to-play titles, casino fans who do not want to stake real money have made plenty of choices. We have selected three of the best poker, casino, and slot games, which will not cost you a single cent. Enjoy!
Zynga Poker
From the developers of Words With Friends comes Zynga Poker, a freemium poker simulation believed to have a 6% share of the entire social casino game market. It is purely a social game, not money needed, and pits players against each other in tournaments and individual competitions. However, it is limited to Texas Hold’em, the most popular poker variant one gamer may want to avoid. Another choice using the Omaha poker variant is Poker Omaha from the lesser-known Game Desire. It is also free-to-play and gives you daily game chips to compete. You can even play up to four tables simultaneously if you are that good.
Slotomania
Slotomania is billed as the ‘number one free slot game,’ featuring an advert with John Goodman. With that sort of backing, there must be something to it, and there is. One thing you will not do is lose any hard-earned dollars, though, as it is free-to-play. With plenty of exciting games and a strong community waiting to welcome you, it is a risk-free way to enjoy all the thrill of the slots without the concerns associated with some forms of online gaming.
Roulette Royale
Our final offering, based on the roulette game, comes from Mywavia Studios. Like slots and poker, roulette is a staple of the physical casino and can be found in many real money apps. If that is not your thing, then Roulette Royale should be the solution. It has a strong social element, plenty of virtual chips to play with, and all the excitement of real roulette without the risk. There is even a worldwide leaderboard that could see you become the best player in the world! If you like Roulette Royale, the same developer also does a similar slots-based title called Slots Royale.
