Kotaku: Gambling

There's a Lot More to Do in Final Fantasy XIII-2 Than Save the World

Mike Fahey — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Than Save the World" alt="Click here to read There's a Lot More to Do in Final Fantasy XIII-2 Than Save the World" src="http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/images/9/2012/01/small_61321a53f930b9509eeba3966192efdd.jpg"/>

While Final Fantasy XIII was all about getting the job done in a timely fashion, Final Fantasy XIII-2 gives the player plenty of time to relax between tasks. Check out some of the more entertaining diversions tucked away in next week's sequel. More »

Research: Young Gamers Have Brains Like Gamblers

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:30:00 EST

You gotta know when to hold them, know when to fold then and know when to press X. According to new research, teenage players who game a considerable amount have an enlarged area of the brain's "reward hub", the area with a high concentration of dopamine. More »

Lawsuit Alleges Chuck E. Cheese Promotes Kiddie Gambling, Gaming Addiction

Owen Good — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:00:00 EDT

Irony seems to fail the person who has alleged Chuck E. Cheese's ticket-dispensing games sow gambling addiction in little children, and filed a lawsuit in California seeking a $5 million jackpot. More »

Department Of Justice Deals Out Indictment To Top Online Poker Sites

Mike Fahey — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:40:35 EDT

In case you needed proof that online poker sites were shady, the Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment against the founders of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker, charging defendants with bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling. More »

The Nintendo They've Tried to Forget: Gambling, Gangsters, and Love Hotels

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EDT

Nintendo, the world's family-friendly video game maker, formed under less virtuous auspices. Before Nintendo made video games, they made playing cards for gangsters and ran their own love hotel, which some assert their own president frequented—during work. Saucy! More »

Sonic Might Have A Little Gambling Problem

Mike Fahey — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:20:00 EST

After struggling for years to overcome his ring addiction, Sonic the Hedgehog finally loses it deep within the Casino Night Zone. Luckily he's got his best friend to back him up, sort of. More »

A PS3 Game For Gamblers

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:00:00 EST

Those looking to drop some money on pachinko can head to their neighborhood parlor in the hope of winning some extra scratch. Those looking to spend ¥7,000 (US$85) and win nothing but satisfaction, get this. More »

"Nintendo" Might Not Mean What You Think

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 03:00:00 EDT

The common assumption is that "Nintendo" (任天堂) means "leave luck to heaven" or even "to leave one's fortune in the hands of fate". Those assumptions, however, could be wrong. More »

China's Game Machine Slaughter House

Brian Crecente — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:30:00 EDT

While it appears that nearly all of these 600 video game machines are used for gambling, it doesn't make their death at the hand of Chinese police any less tragic. I can see copies of World of Warcraft going into a bonfire next. More »

Finally, We Can Bet Money On Street Fighter Matches

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:30:00 EDT

British bookmaker Paddy Power has shown today it knows a fresh cash stream when it sees one, as it will soon begin accepting bets on video games. It also shows it does not keep up with recent video game news. More »

Japanese Housewives, Online Gaming Addicts

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 06:00:00 EDT

A small percentage of Japanese housewives lose themselves in torrid love affairs. An even tinier percentage become heavily addicted to online games, a new book claims. More »

Vegas Kicked My Ass, but I Returned the Favor — With a Video Game

Owen Good — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EDT

Two weeks ago I simulated the NCAA Tournament on my Xbox 360 and vowed to bet its first round predictions "like a message from the future." My friends called that the stupidest thing they'd ever heard. They were right. More »

How Japan's Push For Babies Helps Gambling

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EST

The Japanese population is shrinking. Birthrates have been dropping for the past two decades, and the country needs more babies. The Japanese government is attempting to push through a national child subsidy program. Enter pachinko. More »

Capcom Can't Kick Its Pachi-Slot Habit

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:00:00 EST

The streets of Tokyo's Shibuya are a battleground. For your money. More »

Aussie Prof Connects a Lot of Dots Between Games and Gamblin'

Owen Good — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EDT

A study of young people who are also pathological gamers, sooprise, turns up a connection to video games, in a report on Australia's ABC News. Notably, however, another researcher knocks down the suggestion of a causal link. More »

Grade School Suicide Leads To Mass Game Website Closings

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:00:00 EDT

Thai courts have order the closure of online gaming and gambling websites after a 12-year-old boy jumped to his death from a sixth-floor balcony after being banned from gaming by his father. More »

Cocky & Cash-rich? BringIt Will Allow 'It' To Be Brung.

Stuart Houghton — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:20:00 EST

Internet gaming is serious business, where a simple insult or misplaced "LOL! I PWN J00!" can result in a bitter feud. In the real world - say at a pool table - loudmouth players can be quickly made schtum with a gentlemanly wager. But how can you make those eejits on LIVE put their money where their mouths are? More »

Resident Evil Pachinko Shows More Than Jill Sandwiches

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EDT

In Japan, it's pretty common for video games to have pachinko machines. Heck! Movies, anime and manga character even get pachinko machines based on them. It's not just spinning metal balls! New pachinko machines even feature large LCD-type displays to keep players engaged. Pachinko maker Yamasa's Resident Evil machine puts poor Jill Valentine through the standard series of scares and shootings — if only for suggestive glances! More »

Square Enix Crushes Final Fantasy XIII Pachinko Rumors

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:00:00 EDT

In Japan, lots of video games get turned into pachinko or pachislot machines. No biggie! SNK, Sega and Konami have all spun off selected titles into pachinko parlors across the country. So when a rumor popped up that Square Enix was doing the same for Final Fantasy XIII, it did seem possible that, yes, Japan would be getting a FFXIII pachinko machine. No way! says Square Enix. In an official statement, the company says: More »

New Resident Evil May Take More Than It Gives

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 23 May 2008 08:20:00 EDT

Yes, it's another videogame franchise licensed out to adorn a pachislot machine. You've seen them before. Ridge Racer, Virtua Fighter, Fatal Fury, Beatmania, Devil May Cry...they're all the rage in Japan. This latest venture, however, might be the biggest of the lot. If only because it's Resident Evil, which gives them license to release not only a second, third and fourth machine, but they can then come back later and remake half of them, while re-releasing the other half into joints across the street. More »

Midway Gamer's Day '08: This Is Vegas

fdemarco — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:08:00 EDT

What more appropriate setting to see the premier of Midway's This Is Vegas than Vegas itself? True, were a fifty dollar cab ride from the strip, but we got to see it virtually in the game so I suppose that's something. This Is Vegas is a balls out parody done in the tongue in cheek GTA/Bully style. Your character can explore all the parties, gambling, driving and fighting that Vegas has to offer. On display for the Gamer's Day were the fighting, partying and gambling mechanics which we checked out poolside in true Vegas style. More »

Drink Up The Evangelion Maids!

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:40:46 EST

How can Neon Genesis Evangelion coffee be improved? You guessed it, maids! Japanese beverage company UCC first released an Evangelion coffee way back in 1997 and did a follow-up last year. This time around, the cans feature characters Rei and Asuka, Evangelion's main female pilots, in maid outfits. Though! These cans will only be sold at pachinko parlors (and probably only at pachinko parlors with Evangelion pachinko machines). Branding at it's best — or worse, depending on how you look at it. Just take it as proof that, yes, maids really do make everything better. More »

'Online Gaming Grows Up' - Gambling and Pyramid Schemes!

Maggie Greene — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:30:00 EST

Giant Interactive's Zhengtu has been getting some attention lately, mostly for its unholy mix of gambling, regular MMORPG high jinxs, and RMT - now they're getting ready to launch a new game, Giant Online. The hook? 500 RMB in virtual currency (almost $70) incentive to sign up and play. Steve at PlayNoEvil says: More »

Zhengtu: Where RMT, Gold Farming and Gambling Reign Supreme

Maggie Greene — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST

I was thrilled to come across a most glorious article on Chinese MMORPGs (specifically, the wildly popular Zhengtu Online), translated to English from the original that appeared in the Southern Weekly. As Steve at PlayNoEvil sums it up, "While wimpy Americans can whine about "cheating" in online games, quibble about Real Money Transactions (RMT), complain about gold farming, gripe about power-leveling, and otherwise aspire to a mythical "purity" of game play, the most popular game in China, ZT Online, from Giant Interactive has embraced all of these things.. and online gambling to boot." More »

The Mah-Jong Game Maid Cafe

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:00:28 EST

Nothing says Christmas more than women in outfits from PS2 mah-jong title Idol Soldier Suchie Pai IV! From today until December 2nd, Akihabara maid cafe Pinafore will be all Suchie Pai'd. There will be a special menu for customers to order special cocktails, desserts and other food. And if you really want, I'm sure you can get maid wearing a Suchie Pai outfit to draw a big ketchup heart on your omelette. No, that is not a double entendre. More »

Smash Bros. Brawl Caters To Voyeurs and Gamblers

Mike Fahey — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:20:33 EST

Today's update to the ever-helpful Smash Bros. Dojo website reveals Spectator mode, but it's not the spectator mode you're used to. Instead of joining a lobby with the competitors and watching them fight, Smash Bros. Brawl will continuously broadcast random games played between competitors online in a continuous broadcast that's always on. No player names will be revealed of course - just the stage and characters used. People will then be able to bet on the outcome of the matches using coins, preferably while sitting in a smoke-filled room filled with vicious cutthroats. There will be prizes to be had, and everyone watching gets stickers! WOOO! Now if you don't want your online matches broadcast you can set the "Allow Spectators" mode to no, but come on. Let us watch you. You know you like it. More »

Place Your Bets On Holiday Bestsellers...Literally

Mark Wilson — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:00:03 EST

Irish gambling site Paddy Power is taking bets on which video game will come out on top the week before Christmas (ending November 22nd). While most Kotaku readers surely know gaming so well that it's almost cheating, betting is off limits to US residents. Still, we had a good time looking through the odds. More »

Pong Slot Machine Pays Out More With Pong Prowess

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 18:20:23 EDT

Bally, former maker of fabulous pinball tables, has introduced something new the world of slots with its Skill Series line of machines, the first of which is based on the classic paddle game Pong. While most slot machines are based on nothing but chance, Pong breaks new ground with its skill-based pay outs. During a 45-second bonus round, a random occurrence, gamblers will be able to play a round of old school Pong. Performing better naturally gives you a higher pay out. Even if you're clueless behind the paddles, you'll still get something, but power Pong players may walk away with a bit more of their cash. More »

Virtua Figher Ready to Kick Pachislot Ass

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 06:00:56 EDT

The granddaddy of 3D fighting games, Virtua Fighter, is getting its own pachislot (think pachinko meets slots) machine. Not surprising as SEGA Sammy Holdings is in the pachinko business. The machine isn't set to hit Japanese pachinko parlors until this December. Until keep in mind that pachislots, just like Virtua Fighter, is all about timing — not to mention winning, too. More »

Cryptologic Buys Stake In Chinese Company 568

Maggie Greene — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 16:30:07 EDT

568 Inc. is a China-based company that has developed card and casual games for the Chinese market, as well as a couple of MMORPGs that I've not seen any press about, and Cryptologic (a company specializing in casino software) has just bought a stake valued at $1.2 million in the company. A lot of Western companies have been trying to make the leap to the potentially really, really, really lucrative Chinese market; the difference with Cryptologic is that they're going after the 'skill based games' sector instead of your average MMO addict. PlayNoEvil notes that this just further blurs the market between online gaming for fun and gaming for profit, and could perhaps open the industry up to more stringent regulation (as if they need it in China). More »

Some New Offerings For the Skill Gamers Among Us

Maggie Greene — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 17:30:29 EDT

PlayNoEvil keeps an eye on skill gaming - playing for cash, and (usually) in a different category than straight up gambling - and points to SkillGround, which has some new offerings, including a fighting game, a FPS, a racing game, and more in the pipeline. Of course, with money comes problems - particularly because some of these games are particularly vulnerable to all manner of bots. More »

Life is Unfair, Games Are Not

Mark Wilson — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:20:22 EDT

Activision's James Portnow has written an excellent article examining the nature of fairness in videogames. He argues that videogames are quite fair in rewarding gamers during play. But in order to take the medium to the next level (no pun intended), games must become more like the unfair life that they emulate. Explaining that unfair often equals a boring or frustrating experience for gamers, Portnow offers one type of gaming that is both unfair AND addictive: gambling.

...we know games can be unfair and yet immensely appealing. Almost every gambling game is weighted and yet gambling games have been popular for millennia. Indeed, gambling games which are not weighted soon lose their appeal (try betting on coin flips with a friend).

MMO Operators Could Break Laws In the UK?

Maggie Greene — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 13:00:54 EDT

Not if they have the appropriate license come September, but with a gambling law getting its final update at that time, MMOs that have competitions or offer prizes may be classified as 'online gambling' and subject to the same laws and penalties as more traditional forms. With all the chatter in the US and elsewhere about where MMOs fit into the overall scheme of online gambling (or not), it will be interesting to see how companies start to navigate the water. In the US, for example, 'games of skill' are - for the most part - exempt from gambling regulations; this is not the case with the new UK law. More »

Nothing Says Gambling Like Ninjas And Zombies

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:00:03 EDT

Devil May Cry Reinvisioned as Pachi-Slot Machine

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 23 May 2007 01:00:07 EDT

Japanese companies like Sega, SNK and Capcom know that video games aren't the only show in town. To make money, you've got to promise players the faint chance of getting more than points. What better way to do that with pachinko slot machines? Here's a Devil May Cry 3 pachi-slot machine from a few years back. Cool, but it's got nothing on the Gamera: Guardian of the Universe pachi-slot I saw a few years back. Brian Ashcraft More »

Illinois Passes "Video Games" Gambling Bill

Kim Phu — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:40:00 EDT

Don't quote me on this, but when they say "video games", I think this bill is talking about allowing video gambling machines similar to those legal in the UK (fruit machines and the like), not necessarily the consoles sitting under or around your television as we speak. However, the article, including its headline, includes the phrase "video games", which makes this recently passed Illinois gambling bill confusing: More »

"Mature" Game Hitting Sees Dual DS And PSP Action

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:00:05 EDT

Slapped with Japan's equivalent of ESRB's "Mature" rating, the Chuuka na Janshi Tenho Painyan: Remix is not a sex game. I repeat, THIS IS NOT A SEX GAME. Rather, it is intended for Japanese players over the age of 15. The game is a portable take on the PS2 incarnation, and the characters were created by famous character designer Kenichi Sonoda. The portable versions go on sale in late June, and like I said, this is not a sex game. Haven't played the original, and I imagine its fairly standard stuff for mah-jong games. Still, don't be surprised if you can use the touch pen in novel ways. Brian Ashcraft More »

FBI Checks Gambling In Second Life

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:00:15 EDT

SL creator Linden Lab says: More »

Space Invaders Mahjong

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:00:40 EDT

While we hate to post eBay stuff, this is too good to pass up: A Space Invaders mahjong set. Know that in Japan mostly men play mahjong. Men who smoke. And like Space Invaders, apparently. Brian Ashcraft More »

Quebec Uses Gaming To Warn About Drugs, Sex and Gambling

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:00:51 EDT

Potions that cure herpes? Amnesia spells that help you pickpocket? If only! Canadian resident Frederic sent us a link for Quebec campaign to curb drugs, unprotected sex and gambling. The campaign is called "You Only Have One Life" and incorporates gaming so that the kiddies get the message. (The kiddies love gaming, or so we hear.) There's a website, which has all the spots. Basically, they show young people getting into trouble and then making Final Fantasy-type reference like that they're going to reset their health or take a potion. Fairly sophisticated and slick as hell, but still guilty of showing gamers out of touch with reality. For our non-French speaking readers, Frederic was kind enough to translate the clips. All of them at that! Hit the jump for that. More »