In this article we are going to take a look back at Pokemon Casinos and Gambling, and try to answer the question whether the pokemon pack opening is actually gambling.
The Pokemon brand has expanded to many forms, one of the more popular collecting aspact is the pokemon TCG card collecting. In order to collect every card you will have to open hundreds of packs in hopes for the specific rare cards you are looking for.
Compared to other forms of gambling the card collecting and pack opening has a potential long term value and it can also be seen as some sort of investment.
In recent years vintage pokemon cards have been sold for staggering amounts of money, and it opened the eyes of many new investors to the collecting hobby, creating some sort of addictive nostalgic sansation.
The pack opening is actually not the first gambling espect shown in the pokemon brand. To find the source of pokemon gambling you will have to go back to the first video game released by the pokemon company.
The History of Pokemon Casinos and Gambling
Ever since pokemon arrived to the world in 1996 on the gameboy (pokemon Red and Blue), we have seen a very specific place usually not shown in video games, and that is the pokemon Casino, also known as the “Game Corner”.
The game corner is an in-game casino that you can play and gamble in order to win prizes and expand your pokemon collection.
In the pokemon casino you can find and play a classic pokemon themed slot game, also known as 3-slot game or Pokie game, you will be able to gamble for points and claim them for items and in-game pokemons.
The Game Corner casino has returned in several pokemon game instalments in the future showcasing the same game with updated graphics and several new rewards to gain.
What games can you play at the pokemon casino?
There is only one game to play and that is a pokemon themed slot machine, in every game spin you can win up to 300 points max and use them to claim several unique pokemon to the game.
Pokemon Casinos and Gambling
The pokemon brand is considered to be kid friendly, but despite that the pokemon company has several gambling like aspects to the hobby, from video game casinos to the potential addiction of opening card packs in order to pull rare cards and complete the collection.
The kids that are exposed to that casino-like gaming can grow into the gambling addiction and play in real life online casinos when they grow up.
On Positive Notes
Compared to online casinos when you put money in hopes to win and have the potential to lose everything, (AKA Gambling), the pack opening generates a different kind of sensation, you open the packs in order to play with friends, fill your personal collection and they stay with you as physical items.
The pokemon video game casino is not available with real money therefore it is a slot game that is in a controlled environment, there is no risk of losing actual money.
I am sure the Pokemon company & Nintendo will do their best to keep the future of the hobby safe and enjoyable without the risks of gambling and the potential addiction.