Rockstar, the developer of the popular video game franchise Grand Theft Auto (GTA), has reportedly suspended gambling-style mini games in Australia specficiallyf for its Mafia-inspired digital world, with players reporting that they have not been able to access digital slots, blackjack, poker, roulette, and Insider Track horse racing for a while, as well as the free-to-spin lucky wheel.
No More Digital Gambling in GTA’s Massive Popular World
The reason most certainly has to do with the fact that Australia bans games of chance and is against them in any form, with the prohibition now seemingly extending to video games as well.
Australian users have been reporting receiving the same message by the hundreds and thousands: “This feature is not available to you” when trying to access the mini-games.
Unlike other digital games that use mock currencies, the GTA casino-style games are not meant to lead to any real-world rewards, which makes the decision all the more baffling for a cohort of disgruntled GTA fans. Rockstar Games has not commented on this development.
One of the theoretical reasons behind the decisions is that GTA now supports in-game purchases, which include the world’s digital currency, which can be used to get ahead in the game, but also, and apparently, turn to the digital casino-style games available in it.
GTA has been actively experimenting with gambling games within its world, as part of the overall experience, rather than its own thing, since at least 2019, when it first introduced the Diamond Casino, an ambitious project that further fleshed out the world of the game and turned into an immediate blockbuster.
However, Australia does have rules on video games that contain simulated gambling, including casino games, and legally restricts individuals under the age of 18 from having any exposure to such options.