Gaming has evolved drastically throughout the years. Gaming, including video gaming, casino gaming, arcade gaming, and more, have all grown, changed, and transformed as technology has advanced. These changes have included updates in graphics, enhanced storytelling, and updated gameplay mechanics. Additionally, gaming has seen the way players pay to play change throughout the years as well. 

Payments in gaming span decades. Years ago, players would use arcade tokens to play video and arcade games at in-person establishments. Now, after years of technology and updates, players can play video and casino games from home and use advanced payment methods, like cryptocurrencies. Some video games accept crypto payments while other games even allow players to earn crypto for in-game achievements. Similarly, the best crypto casinos reviewed by crypto expert and author Michael Graw allow gamblers to buy in, wager, and withdraw winnings using digital currencies. Crypto has become a popular payment method for online gambling as it offers players enhanced anonymity online, among other benefits. 

How players pay for their game time has come a long way over the years. Let’s explore how payments started, with tokens in arcades, and how things have changed as gaming and technology have progressed throughout the ages. 

Arcade Tokens and Coin-Op Era

Before the advanced payment methods that gamers know and use today, players paid for their game time at arcades using tokens and real-world fiat coins. Each coin or token would grant a gamer a certain amount of time to play a game of their choosing, or similarly, grant a player a certain number of lives. Once a player’s time or life was up, the player would either stop playing or top up their game again with another coin or token. 

Similarly, for gamers who opt for casino games, in-person casinos during this time also allowed players to exchange real-world currency for casino chips which they could use at slot games or table games in a similar fashion. 

The process of using real work fiat coins and tokens was very simple and kept gameplay during this time easy and straightforward. This era created the groundwork and understanding of paying for immediate entertainment. Because players would insert a certain amount of money into a game and be able to play for an allocated amount of time in exchange, this solidified the concept of value for immediate entertainment that we see carried through to other eras of gaming and payment. 

Home Consoles and Prepaid Cards

As technology advanced, home consoles and prepaid cards became popular. Home gaming consoles like the Atari, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and the Sega Genesis highlighted this era and allowed gamers to play from home. At the same time, payment for video games during this time shifted from coins and tokens to upfront purchases for physical games that players could enjoy from home.

Additionally, this era saw prepaid cards for gaming become popular. Prepaid cards gained traction as the internet became more widespread. This allowed gamers to add funds to digital accounts. For example, companies like Microsoft and Sony introduced prepaid cards that could be redeemed for digital content.

Digital Distribution and Credit Cards

The rise of plastic cards, like debit and credit cards, changed how gamers paid to play drastically. At the same time, platforms like Steam, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Live became available online, allowing video gamers the chance to simply access content via the internet. Similarly, players could now also wager at online casinos, making the gambling experience much more convenient and accessible. 

During this time, debit and credit cards reigned supreme as the primary way to pay for video and casino gaming entertainment. By using the internet and plastic cards, gamers could now pay to play easily and quickly without even needing to leave their own home. 

Microtransactions and Mobile Gaming

After the internet and plastic cards became widespread, mobile gaming was quick to follow. Mobile gaming brought with it additional changes in payment methods with the introduction of microtransactions. For video gamers, microtransactions like in-app purchases (IAPs) let players during this time buy digital goods, unlock features, or jump to different gaming levels. Mobile gaming for online casino gamers during this time meant that players could now not only wager from home but also on the go while commuting or even waiting in line and fund their accounts from their mobile devices.

As mobile gaming became more popular during this time, video and casino gamers saw the number of ways to pay increase. Beyond debit and credit cards and bank transfers, they could now pay using mobile wallets for quick and easy transfers online. 

Subscription Services and Recurring Payments

Subscription services quickly became a popular way for gamers to pay for access to a wide variety of games. Subscription services typically allow video gamers access to a huge library of games that they can play, for a monthly or annual fee. For example, subscription platforms like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Now, and Apple Arcade are all subscription services that gamers sign up for, pay a monthly fee, and then gain access to their library of games. 

Subscription services gained popularity as they offer gamers access to a huge range of content along with special offers and discounts on purchases, in most cases. This way of paying to play changed how gamers funded their play time drastically. Instead of paying upfront for one single game, now players pay a recurring monthly fee which grants them access to a plethora of titles. For video gamers, this is a win because they can access more content, and for game developers, it’s a positive as well because they have a relatively consistent stream of revenue from subscription fees. 

Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies

Most recently, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies have once again re-shaped and redefined how players pay to play. For video gamers, blockchain tech and digital currencies allow players to buy in-game assets and NFTs using crypto. Additionally, there are play-to-earn games where gamers can play and actually earn digital coins as they achieve in-game goals and complete tasks. Online casinos have also adopted these technologies. Crypto casinos allow players to buy in, wager, and withdraw their winnings using virtual coins online. Not only is this type of gameplay more secure and anonymous than betting with fiat online, but crypto also offers quicker transactions and lower transfer fees, so it has seen a high rate of adoption among players. 

Conclusion 

Just as gaming has come a long way throughout the years, payments have as well. In the past, and at some retro arcades still today, gamers used real fiat currency coins and tokens to fund their game time. As technology advanced, home consoles and prepaid cards offered players more convenience, with credit cards coming onto the scene shortly after that and gaining huge popularity among players. Mobile gaming and subscription services have played a role in how players pay, and as technology has changed, blockchain tech and cryptocurrencies have made it possible for gamers to wager at online casinos using digital currencies and even play crypto games and early digital currencies as they progress. As technology and gaming continue to develop and change, it’s likely that gamers will see further changes and new ways to pay in the future.