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Casino mini-games have existed for almost as long as video games themselves. One of the most famous children’s titles of all time—Pokemon Red—somewhat infamously included an optional casino where young players could get a taste of pocket monster-themed slots.

Almost thirty years later, the video game industry is usually more selective in how it incorporates games of chance into a title.

The games featured on this list—all of which are available now on PlayStation—include well-earned M-for-Mature ratings.

In fact, for most of them, the casino content is arguably the least alarming aspect of play where parental advisory is concerned. Now, without further ado, let’s dive into a world of delightfully enjoyable chaos, and yes, casino minigames.

Red Dead Redemption

One of the most famous poker games to be included in a non-casino title. Red Dead Redemption is a well-known Western RPG that puts you in the boots of a merciless cowboy traversing a cruel and violent world.

Like so many men of his ilk, your character—Arthur—likes to unwind at the end of a long day of violent adventuring with a relaxing stay at an inn. While you are there, you will have the option to play a very detailed and satisfying game of old-school, rustic cowboy poker. The sort of salon games that one can so easily imagine ending with the table enshrouded in pistol smoke.

GTA

Grand Theft Auto is famous for—among other things—its casino content. Games of chance are baked into almost all of the main series titles. Players can visit actual in-game casinos or take their seats at back-room games of chance.

The most recent GTA game is GTA 5. It’s been famously ported and remastered multiple times, leading to frustration for many fans who have been waiting since 2013 for a new game.

Good news, fans, GTA 6 has been formally announced and will be making its way to consoles in 2025. Will the new game feature casino content? Almost certainly. Until then, however, you can wet your whistle with any of the other main series games—all of which are currently playable on the PlayStation consoles.

Yakuza

GTA meets Streetfighter in a Japanese-mob-inspired RPG beat 'em up. The Yakuza games have been flying off shelves since 2005. The Sega title has shown no signs of slowing down, either. Like a Dragon, is the newest title in the decades-long series.

There are two casino locations included in the latest game. Both of them require a little bit of searching to find. One is hidden in a park located in the Chinatown district of the map. Players are required to achieve a “style rank,” of four before they can go in.

Once you have accessed the casino, you will be given the option to play five different games, including slots, poker, and blackjack.

Like the other games on this list, the casino content is an optional but enjoyable “side-game,” activity that gamblers won’t want to miss.

Why These Games Are Fun

The ultimate advantage of gambling mini-games is, of course, that they do not require real money. You can play without consequence. What’s more—the cash you lose is easily recovered. In Grand Theft Auto, for example, making more money is as easy as doing—well. Any of the many morally wretched activities that the game is so famous and loved for.

One of the nice things about these mini-games is that—when they are done well—they introduce an element of role playing to the situation. In Red Dead Redemption, you aren’t just playing poker, you are playing poker in the violent old West. The realistic graphics genuinely enhance the experience and the setting is immersive enough to keep you coming back time and time again.

How Realistic Are These Games?

Eh. It varies from title to title. Most of them capture the basic mechanics adequately. For example, if you are trying to figure out how does a split work in blackjack, you could potentially test out various strategies in some of these title’s blackjack games.

That said, you shouldn’t expect your results to extrapolate into the real world. The odds—though not published—are almost certainly less than realistic. More to the point, when you lose at a real casino, you can’t go outside and hijack an armored truck to recuperate the cash the way you might in GTA.

When it comes to gambling in video games, the experience is meant to excite and delight, but not necessarily to replicate real life. If you want a truly realistic gambling experience, try an online casino. Otherwise, enjoy the risk-free world of these violent but pleasing RPGs.

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