Gambling cum Foreign Exchange

It makes so much sense. It just does.

The foreign exchange market, also known as Forex or FX, is a worldwide business, existing wherever currencies are traded. At the same time, gambling is a gigantic, multi-billion dollar (or euro, or pound, or any currency for that matter) business as well. Now some quick-to think entrepreneurs have put the two together to create an entertaining form of foreign exchange.

The new platform, eTORO, makes financial trading, namely foreign currency exchange, to be a modern form of computer-based, user-friendly, entertaining game.

Financial trading in game-like setting takes Forex to a new level and gaming to a legit level as well. The site provides a platform for investment where you can watch the dollar and the yen race against each other. Literally race. As in run a marathon, or a short-distance sprint.

Animated trading might appeal to gamers and gambling fans, but stays in the realm of legitimacy, with foreign exchange a business as legal as stock trading. In this sense, it is interesting to consider the wider context. With online gambling outlawed in the United States, this form of investing, the results of which are determined by real-time quotes and not random number generators as is the case in casinos, eTORO seems to have taken the real world, sophisticated, exclusive market of financial traders and packaged it in a friendly, gaming- or rather gambling-style fashion.

In a manner that reminds us of online casinos, there are even promotions on the site, free cash for deposits and other cash prizes for joining in the first place. Has gaming thus come back through the back door? Not at all. It seems like the front gate was left open altogether. The question remains, will Forex appeal to the gambling masses and what long-term effect will it have on the return of the real thing.