Are Arcade Games A Form of Gambling?

There have been many online and actual debates as to this topic. But what are really the facts behind these arcade games? Are they really a form of gambling or merely some innocent games?

According to Brittanica, gambling is defined as the betting or staking of something of value accompanied with a form of consciousness of risk and a hope for gain. This may be based on the outcome of a game, a contest, or any uncertain event of which the result is ruled by chance or simply luck.

Now, let’s look at arcade games as a whole – do these games fall into the definition of gambling, and if so, what should be done with it?

Our answer is a resounding no. Arcade games are not a game of chance or luck but rather a game of skill. The winners of each game are determined as to how much skill the gamers have for a specific game – like arcade video games – and how many points they can score before being knocked out of it.

On the other hand, there are arcade games that are regulated by law and are treated as gambling devices – take pachinko and slot machines for example. As these games are more on the side of a game of chance, they are not allowed to be played by minors and need sufficient oversight in a lot of jurisdictions.

Overall, in order to classify an arcade game as a form of gambling, it has to be played more on the field of a game of chances rather than skill. Since there is no specific or guided outcome and solely based on the chances of either winning or losing, games like that can and should be seen as gambling. Otherwise, they are simply harmless games that test how skillful a player is.