Why Do People Play for ‘Fake Money’ at an Online Casino?

Last updated on March 16, 2022

Imagine having the spin of your life at an online casino. You land that slot machine pull where everything lines up and after that you know things are going to be different from here on out. The thousands, if not millions, get funded to your account but there’s one big problem – you can never use them because you’re playing for fake money. 

To some, playing online casino games and not risking real money is an incredible waste of time. After all, who cares if you’re up $1 million – or down $1 million for that matter – if the money is never going to be changing hands anyways? 

What many people may be surprised to learn is that playing for ‘fake money’ at an online casino is not only popular, it’s actually somewhat recommended. Here is why: 

Get Knowledge of the Games 

The #1 reason why people prefer to play for fake money instead of real cash at an online casino is because they are just trying to get familiar with the rules of a game. Whether it’s poker, slots, blackjack, craps or more, understanding the ins and outs of a game is the single most important aspect of online wagering. 

Even when somebody knows a basic goal like trying to get cards that add up to 21 in blackjack, there are still several nuances of the game that can only be learned while playing. Even bettors who have played for real money for 5-10 years or more still make strategic mistakes, but definitely not as much as when they were first starting out. 

Simply put, you will get killed going in with a huge real money bankroll and not knowing the intricacies of a game. That’s not as important for something with less thinking involved like playing slot machines, but for poker, craps, and similar games it’s best to cut your teeth playing for fake money before dipping your toes in the water. 

See If System is Compatible

Just because you may have the money and the knowledge about how to play most online casino games, you still need a setup that can handle the modern improved graphics and fast gameplay. 

One of the best reasons for starting to play at an online casino with fake money is just to see if your Wifi connection and operating system won’t lag out or buffer in the middle of gameplay. A lot of companies ‘lag laws’ where a hand or a spin or a toss becomes void if there is too much of a pause in game action (for both parties’ protection) and it’s better to miss out on that huge jackpot (due to computer issues) with fake money rather than real cash. Then you can make the tweaks and get ready for a real cash deposit. 

For Comparison Purposes

Online casinos are a very competitive industry so therefore playing for free money should almost be considered similar to test driving a car. Playing for free at an online casino lets a consumer try the different games that are available, see the quality of gameplay, and just sample the overall experience without having to invest actual currency. 

Hopping around from online casino to online casino will help a person make a choice as to which site they want to deposit real money and start their gambling. Of course bonuses, promo codes, free spins, etc. help with that decision as well. 

No Information Changes Hands 

Another major reason why some people play for fake money at casinos is because often there is no registration involved to play the free versions of these games. That means no email verification, giving out addresses and phone numbers, or downloads of any sort. Players are able to just visit a site, let a game load, and play. 

While playing for free at online casinos has many benefits, ultimately the biggest downfall is that you will not get paid. You don’t hear a ton of people bragging about how they hit a royal flush on video poker to pad their fake money account, but doing that for real money is a legitimate life changing event.