Even though the two words are completely different and have a different meaning, they are used interchangeably by the people who are not associated with the gambling or the gaming industries.
Gambling is basically related to wagering money or any important item, in the aim of making more of it, but with an uncertain outcome. It consists of three parts:
- Consideration
- Risk
- Prize
Gaming, on the other hand, refers to the expression of a play in a game. From console, to mobile games and everything in between, everything falls under one umbrella of the word.
Gambling v/s gaming
Gambling is an act of entertainment that has been around since ages, but is often associated with vice and sin. However, the AGA, changed the perception of the society towards gambling, to an entertainment and a fun activity, that can win us money if were either skilled, lucky or both.
Soon the gambling industry saw the light of the day and grew worldwide popularity. Over the years, the strict use of the word gambling has slowly shifted interchangeably towards gaming. Since huge revenues were generated from the gambling sector, the gaming industry played along without an interruption.
The creation of video games began as early as the 1950s when the world was facing towards the use of mobile phones, even before the invention of smart phones. The world of gaming started gaining traction and popularity after the introduction of console and smart phone games like ticktock toe, grand auto theft, etc. Since there exists a thin line between gambling and gaming, people often then to confuse between the two genres and mix the e-sports, gambling and the gaming world.
Convergence of gambling and gaming
The introduction of cutting edge technologies and their use in the casino, gambling and the gaming industry arises confusion between the terms. The gambling and the gaming activities have also reorganized themselves by sharing features and technologies. The drastic shift of the gambling games as well as the console games to the mobile platforms have also led to a term called digital convergence, where every gamble aspect be met or converged on the same digital platform.
However, the structural boundaries between the two have raised a cause of concern for the countries and the States that especially has banned gambling from their genre of entertainment. A report submitted by Morgan Stanley emphasizes on five different types of convergences in the gambling and gaming field. They are:
- The introduction of the gambling like elements in the games introduced and played on the social media.
- The use of gambling features in the online gaming sites, that includes console games as well
- Introduction of gamification in the non-gambling games that have drastically impacted the way the games are played and their sole purpose
- The introduction of similar games in both the online gambling and gaming platforms that has led to a massive confusion between the two.
Cross marketing of gambling was well as gaming on one platform.