Gambling In Red Dead Online – How Will It Work With Microtransactions?

[NewsBot]

Slowly but steadily we’re drawing closer to the eventual release of Red Dead Redemption 2. Following yet another delay to October 26, 2018, Rockstar Games stated that we can expect further details to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Around the same time, a major but unverified leak may have revealed a large chunk of the game’s features, both in single player and in the multiplayer Red Dead Online mode – and one particular element of the latter raised some questions. Firstly though, we need to review some of the other elements of this issue.

Recently, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick more or less confirmed that microtransactions would be present in Red Dead Redemption 2 by saying that the company seeks to implement “recurrent consumer spending opportunities” into all upcoming releases. While after the success of microtransactions in Grand Theft Auto 5 it was basically a given that Red Dead Redemption will have something similar, hearing it from the boss man himself made them a near certainty.

GTA Online, which features microtransactions, also contains an unopened Casino. Rockstar has teased opening it up with gambling gameplay in the past, and it seems like a perfect fit for the game’s setting too. However to this day the in-game casino remains closed and one of the best bets as to why is because it would cause legal trouble (as in gambling with $GTA bought with real money via Shark Cards).

All this brings us to the question of Red Dead Online and gambling.

Gambling was present in Red Dead Redemption and its multiplayer mode, and was a fan favorite feature. Players mention it fondly on various online discussion platforms to this day. Since it’s mostly guaranteed at this point that Red Dead Online will feature microtransactions, the future of multiplayer gambling in the title is in question.

There are, of course, a lot of unknown factors. The leak mentioned above indicates that the game will feature gambling minigames in multiplayer, but the leak hasn’t been verified nor does it specify the details of said gambling. One way out could be by having players bet items, not amounts of money. If items won via gambling couldn’t be sold at in-game shops, then the real-money economy isn’t affected. Maybe this would be OK, maybe it wouldn’t… (I’m no lawyer sorry).

Another thing to consider is that we don’t know the nature of Red Dead Redemption 2’s microtransactions. While GTA’s model turned out to be extremely successful, that doesn’t necessarily mean the same model will work for another franchise. Maybe players won’t be buying in-game currency directly, but items, or standard currency and “premium” currency will be dealt with separately, unlike GTA Online’s unified format.

The minimal gambling present in GTA Online via racing also raises the question of just how far anti-gambling laws can be stretched. Maybe the gambling in Red Dead Online will be present and will use the same currency as microtransactions, but have bet limits enforced and won’t be a pronounced feature, more of a little semi-secret mini-game like the race betting is.

Either way, this question about in-game gambling in Red Dead Online shines light on just how little we know about the microtransaction set-up that Rockstar and Take-Two are planning for the game. Hopefully the next few weeks will see details published which clear things up.

The post Gambling In Red Dead Online – How Will It Work With Microtransactions? appeared first on RDR2.

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[HIGHHorse]

5 hours ago, NewsBot said:

but have bet limits enforced and won’t be a pronounced feature, more of a little semi-secret mini-game like the race betting is.

The only way they will be able to get away with this is by doing it this way. There is a lot of risk with having gambling in a video game these days. 

[Qu3ster]

It will be interesting to see what they do with this for sure. I would like to think they include gambling fully, even if they have to do it in a way to prevent using real money somehow. Maybe only using "in-game earned" money. So you can't use money that you got in DLC.

[Jamesie]

I want to get onto a river boat for a poker tournament where: the stakes are high and the women are pretty, the drinks are free and the competitors are gritty!

Hoping they don't screw the single-player "games" - I like the idea of using only in-game earned money that can't be bought with real money however that might mean that players have separate wallets or something similar.

[Anc1entC0re]

Having two wallets can work. Maybe only allowing money you earn in the main story you are able to gamble with. This way it encourages people to play that to enjoy everything online has to offer. 

[Gh0stRyder]

Maybe have it where you don't actually get money at all from DLC and make it where you can't sell any of these items either. This way it keeps real money completely out of the equation and it is all just simulated gambling, not the real thing.

[jACKx]

Just make gambling of anything DLC related not an option like mentioned. There is nothing to beat around the bush about and they don't need to worry about people using real money to gamble at all.

[VICKSUN]

20 hours ago, jACKx said:

Just make gambling of anything DLC related not an option like mentioned. There is nothing to beat around the bush about and they don't need to worry about people using real money to gamble at all.

I don't understand why they have to go through all this trouble to begin with. The game itself is simulated gambling, not real gambling. If people want to buy DLC money and use it for gambling, why not just let them??

[GatoNegro]

They have to legally protect themselves from gambling especially with the crap going on right now with gun violence in schools. You think they aren't going to be a major target for that right now? They don't want to add in gambling to that!

[Purple Cactus]

Yeah if they just jump in here and allow people to gamble in any fashion, you know people will do it with real wagers. 

[LinXX]

On 2/23/2018 at 8:34 PM, Anc1entC0re said:

Having two wallets can work. Maybe only allowing money you earn in the main story you are able to gamble with. This way it encourages people to play that to enjoy everything online has to offer. 

My boyfriend was saying the same thing. They just have to make it where you can't buy/trade money and use it to gamble. You can only use the money you actually earn in missions. This basically solves the whole problem. 

[D3x]

We will see what direction this goes soon enough. I know it had to be something they really had to take into consideration because of all the crap going on right now with video games. They have to keep people, especially kids, from breaking laws and abusing the system itself. 

[Benjo]

On 3/1/2018 at 4:49 AM, VICKSUN said:

I don't understand why they have to go through all this trouble to begin with. The game itself is simulated gambling, not real gambling. If people want to buy DLC money and use it for gambling, why not just let them??

Gambling is illegal in a lot of countries, so the game would be banned. Also there are age limits on gambling in most countries. Plus there's the responsibility factor - gambling companies are often liable for gambling addicts if there are no proper support avenues in place. It's a very complicated and dangerous area. 

One option is they will have two forms of currency - cash and (something like) gold bars. Cash you can't buy with real money, and you can gamble. Gold bars you can buy with real money, which you can't gamble. 

Either that or they'll just do what they did in GTA where gambling is cut out completely for online. I imagine this will be what they will do - why would they allow players to make big money, potentially losing them sales on their shark cards? Not a good idea. 

 

 

[FLIP]

On 5/7/2018 at 11:29 PM, Benjo said:

why would they allow players to make big money, potentially losing them sales on their shark cards? Not a good idea. 

That is what I was thinking when I was reading through this thread. It would make no sense to allow people to do this. It is a video game, not a casino. And it isn't like you can cash out your in-game money for real money after you win it. 

[captainhowdy00]

Will this be a possible way to earn loot with Red Dead Online ? 

[DylBandit]

34 minutes ago, captainhowdy00 said:

Will this be a possible way to earn loot with Red Dead Online ? 



Yes possibly. 

[YodaMan 3D]

On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 3:49 PM, VICKSUN said:

I don't understand why they have to go through all this trouble to begin with. The game itself is simulated gambling, not real gambling. If people want to buy DLC money and use it for gambling, why not just let them??

Cause buying "DLC money and use it for gambling", would make it gambling with real money.  Which there are laws that need to be abide.  To big of a chance of players that would not show restraint and spend what they don't really have.  Already, kind of a problem with players in video games with microtransactions.

[Truth]

40 minutes ago, YodaMan 3D said:

Cause buying "DLC money and use it for gambling", would make it gambling with real money.  Which there are laws that need to be abide.  To big of a chance of players that would not show restraint and spend what they don't really have.  Already, kind of a problem with players in video games with microtransactions.

That said, I still expect a Red Dead version of shark cards.

They'll probably just limit the buy-in so it's not a real way to make money (like in story mode).

[BropolloCreed79]

41 minutes ago, YodaMan 3D said:

Cause buying "DLC money and use it for gambling", would make it gambling with real money.  Which there are laws that need to be abide.  To big of a chance of players that would not show restraint and spend what they don't really have.  Already, kind of a problem with players in video games with microtransactions.

Which is why they'll have a separate currency for online transactions.  If they follow the model used by "The Division" or "The Elder Scrolls Online", the in-game money will stay the same, but you'll have to use a separate currency that you can purchase with real world funds to buy additional "in-game" money. 

Example: let's call the money you earn in-game from the fence and looting "US Currency".

Now, let's say the online currency is going to be called "Deadeye Dollars".  You'll log into XBL or PSN with your credit card info to purchase "Deadeye Dollars", which can be used to buy a slew of things in the RDO online shop, from horses to guns and everything in between.  You'll also be able to use it to purchase "US Currency" to use in the game (maybe for gambling in-game).  As long as there isn't a way to convert "US Currency" back into "Deadeye Dollars" there isn't an issue in terms of gambling with real world money from a legal perspective.

[YodaMan 3D]

1 hour ago, BropolloCreed79 said:

Which is why they'll have a separate currency for online transactions.  If they follow the model used by "The Division" or "The Elder Scrolls Online", the in-game money will stay the same, but you'll have to use a separate currency that you can purchase with real world funds to buy additional "in-game" money. 

Example: let's call the money you earn in-game from the fence and looting "US Currency".

Now, let's say the online currency is going to be called "Deadeye Dollars".  You'll log into XBL or PSN with your credit card info to purchase "Deadeye Dollars", which can be used to buy a slew of things in the RDO online shop, from horses to guns and everything in between.  You'll also be able to use it to purchase "US Currency" to use in the game (maybe for gambling in-game).  As long as there isn't a way to convert "US Currency" back into "Deadeye Dollars" there isn't an issue in terms of gambling with real world money from a legal perspective.

Thin ice.  IMHO, they shouldn't allow real money to be used for gambling.   If used it should be for cosmetics not p2w, not for pay to gamble.  It's just bad karma.

[Truth]

4 minutes ago, YodaMan 3D said:

IMHO

You're also not the one that would profit from using real currency lol

I agree though. I hate that games have become a cash grab.

[BropolloCreed79]

1 hour ago, YodaMan 3D said:

Thin ice.  IMHO, they shouldn't allow real money to be used for gambling.

I agree, that's why the real money that you pay for Online store currency would be used to purchase in-game funds.  It'd be one thing if the in-game funds could be converted into real world cash, but they can't, and that's why there isn't an issue.  

The "real money" isn't being directly used for gambling, so there's no issue--from a strictly legal perspective.  That's the workaround for lootboxes: most people aren't buying loot boxes directly, they're ostensibly laundering real cash into online currency which can have multiple uses, like skins, weapons, or emotes--or randomized lootboxes.  It's a fine line, but a very real one.

[YodaMan 3D]

49 minutes ago, BropolloCreed79 said:

I agree, that's why the real money that you pay for Online store currency would be used to purchase in-game funds.  It'd be one thing if the in-game funds could be converted into real world cash, but they can't, and that's why there isn't an issue.  

The "real money" isn't being directly used for gambling, so there's no issue--from a strictly legal perspective.  That's the workaround for lootboxes: most people aren't buying loot boxes directly, they're ostensibly laundering real cash into online currency which can have multiple uses, like skins, weapons, or emotes--or randomized lootboxes.  It's a fine line, but a very real one.

The line shouldn't be to convert real cash to in game cash so you can gamble with it.  I am glad this isn't a way to reverse it.  Game industries don't want to lose money.  I personally just see converting real cash to in game cash causing issues down the road. 

[Truth]

1 hour ago, BropolloCreed79 said:

or emotes

 

 

[VICKSUN]

I was thinking this over and the legal "gambling" age in the US is anywhere from 18 to 21 depending on the state you live in. The game itself is rated M so it is meant for 17 and older. Since you can be 17 and play this game, it means you legally can't gamble. Then we have to take into the account that the online end of the game will likely be labeled as "unrated" as most are. You can't really put a rating on online games that have player to player interactions and communication as many will swear and say obscene things that would be marked above the M 17+ rating. 

Knowing all this, there really isn't a logical work around here. The only way they can allow gambling in game is if players can only use money earned by missions to buy chips to play at a table. You'd need two separate wallets for this. Even still, it is simulating real gambling which again, 17-year-olds can't legally do here. I can see why it is thin ice now but this is the only workaround I can think of that wouldn't get Rockstar in trouble but it still might be questionable.

[DylBandit]

On 11/12/2018 at 12:58 PM, VICKSUN said:

I was thinking this over and the legal "gambling" age in the US is anywhere from 18 to 21 depending on the state you live in. The game itself is rated M so it is meant for 17 and older. Since you can be 17 and play this game, it means you legally can't gamble. Then we have to take into the account that the online end of the game will likely be labeled as "unrated" as most are. You can't really put a rating on online games that have player to player interactions and communication as many will swear and say obscene things that would be marked above the M 17+ rating. 

Knowing all this, there really isn't a logical work around here. The only way they can allow gambling in game is if players can only use money earned by missions to buy chips to play at a table. You'd need two separate wallets for this. Even still, it is simulating real gambling which again, 17-year-olds can't legally do here. I can see why it is thin ice now but this is the only workaround I can think of that wouldn't get Rockstar in trouble but it still might be questionable.

I think you will be able to make in-game currency bets. Kind of how GTA V did it. 

[LandoB]

deal from the bottom 

[DylBandit]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind micro-transactions as long it doesn't hurt the game. If there is micros for clothing, and special wearable items, that doesn't involve the game, then personally its fine by me!