Do Social Casino Games Lead to Real Gambling?
What surveys show about social casino play and real-money gambling, why the evidence is only correlational, who may be at risk, and how to stay in control.
On this page
Some research finds that a minority of social casino players go on to gamble with real money, and that the players who spend the most on these games report the most gambling-related symptoms. None of it proves that the games cause gambling. The honest reading is that social casino play and real gambling often go together, that spending is a warning sign, and that people who are already vulnerable are the ones to watch.
What the research does and does not show
The studies below were all by an overlapping group of researchers, were surveys, and relied on what participants reported. We summarise each one with its limits.
| Study | Who was surveyed | What it found | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainsbury et al. (2016) | 521 adults who played social casino games in the past year | 71.2% said the games had no impact on how much they gambled; 9.6% said their overall gambling had increased; 19.4% said they had gambled for money as a direct result | Self-reported; recruited online; cannot show cause |
| Gainsbury et al. (2017) | A survey of 1,554 internet users, analysed for 176 adults who played social casino games and already reported gambling problems | More frequent and varied play, and more frequent and larger spending, went with more severe symptoms of problematic social casino use; playing to escape or relieve a bad mood was the most common reported symptom | Association only; self-selected, already at-risk group, so it says little about players in general |
| King et al. (2016) | 555 adolescents; 130 played social casino games, 52 of them paying | Paying players reported more problem-gambling symptoms and more psychological distress than non-paying players; about two-thirds of paying players recalled social casino use coming before real-money gambling | Small paying group; recall of the order of events can be unreliable |
| Gainsbury et al. (2014) | 10 adult players interviewed | Involvement in social casino games did not appear to affect the likelihood of gambling or problem gambling; some problem gamblers said the games could trigger an urge | Tiny qualitative sample |
Why "associated with" is not "caused by"
If people who spend more on coins also have more gambling symptoms, there are at least three possible explanations: the games push some people toward gambling; people already inclined to gambling are drawn to the games and spend more; or something else (age, stress, impulsivity) explains both. Surveys that measure everything at one time point cannot separate these. The authors of the adolescent paper draw the careful conclusion that spending money on simulated gambling "may be a risk factor" for adolescent problem gambling.
For an overview of the legal and age-rating side, see Are Social Casinos Gambling? What the Law and Research Say.
Who is more likely to be affected
Across these studies the same groups come up:
- People with existing or past gambling problems.
- Men and younger players, in the 2016 adult survey.
- Heavier users and bigger spenders.
- People who play to escape or soothe a negative mood.
Signs to watch
- Playing longer than planned, or hiding how long you play.
- Buying coins you had not planned to buy, or spending more each month.
- Thinking about real-money gambling because of the games, or feeling pulled to try it.
- Using the games to get away from stress, loneliness or low mood.
- Feeling restless or irritable when you cannot play.
A longer list for real-money gambling is on Signs of Problem Gambling: What to Look For.
How to keep it a game
- Set a limit before you play. In Cashout Arcade you can set a monthly spend limit of $25 to $500 that blocks purchases above it. Lowering a limit takes effect at once, and raising or removing it takes effect after 24 hours.
- Use breaks. Breaks of 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days are enforced on our servers and cannot be ended early.
- Use phone-level controls too. See How to Set App Spending Limits on iPhone.
- Never play to win money back. Coins are not money, and real money spent on coins cannot be recovered by playing.
- Notice why you are playing. If the answer is escape or distress, talk to someone instead.
If you are in recovery
If you are recovering from a gambling problem, casino-style games of any kind, free or paid, may keep the cues and urges alive. We do not recommend playing Cashout Arcade, and the app is not a treatment. See When Free Casino Games Stop Being Fun and the Responsible play hub for free, confidential help.
Sources
- Gainsbury, Russell, King, Delfabbro and Hing (2016), Computers in Human Behavior 63, 59-67 (accessed October 27, 2026)
- Gainsbury, King, Russell, Delfabbro and Hing (2017), Virtual addictions, Addictive Behaviors (accessed October 27, 2026)
- King, Russell, Gainsbury, Delfabbro and Hing (2016), The cost of virtual wins, Journal of Behavioral Addictions 5(3), 401-409 (accessed October 27, 2026)
- Gainsbury, Hing, Delfabbro, Dewar and King (2014), An exploratory study of interrelationships between social casino gaming, gambling, and problem gambling, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 13(1), 136-153 (accessed October 27, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Do social casino games cause gambling problems?
The research does not show that. It shows associations, for example that people who spend more on these games report more gambling symptoms, but it cannot say which came first or whether something else explains both.
Should I play if I am recovering from a gambling problem?
We do not recommend it. Casino-style games can act as a trigger, and Cashout Arcade is not a treatment or a safe substitute.