MMO: Next Big Thing in Online Gambling?

Is a convergence of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games with online gambling the next big thing in the industry? It could be, if one software developer has anything to do with it.

MMO Gambling Goes Beta

Last Friday, MMO developer eGenesis launched Dragon's Tale, a multiplayer online game including quests, levelling, mentoring and a political system similar to that of the developer's most famous game - A Tale in the Desert. Dragon's Tale includes mini-games with everything from cow tipping (which is exactly what it sounds like), to fishing and mazes.

This game is available on Windows, Linux and OSX and resembles A Tale in the Desert and other MMO games, but with one big difference - players can gamble on it with real money by using credit cards or bitcoins (virtual currency).

Online Casinos and Virtual Casinos

Until now, Internet users have been able to gamble through online casinos, sports betting sites, poker rooms, bingo halls and more. Virtual gamers have been able to set out on adventurous quests through the latest games. But only a few attempts have been made to combine the two.

Dragon's Tale lead designer Andrew Tepper summed up the value of convergence best when he said; "I've taken what I've learned in the last 15 years building MMOs and for the first time applied that to gambling. I've created an intensely social world where players can explore the game world together, share techniques, and rely on each other as they level up by completing gambling quests."

Virtual Currency for Virtual Games

When playing virtual games, what better currency to use than virtual currency? Bitcoins are virtual currency that can be sent online between people and businesses. Online gambling operators are gradually opening up to the possibility of using bitcoins as payment methods. The virtual gaming world has been quicker to embrace bitcoins, which is why it's no surprise to see Dragon's Tale accept them.

As with other online gambling payment methods, players can cash in and cash out their bitcoins, making it equivalent to real money. Bitcoins are generated and traded over the net according to fluctuating exchange rates (just like dollars, euros and pounds). When withdrawing at participating sites, players must use their e-signature for verification and can exchange them for real currencies.