Spending in social casinos and free-to-play slots
Social casinos and free-to-play slots: format features
Social casinos and F2P slots do not require real bets to start the game. They use virtual coins and chips, but players can buy additional resources for real money. This segment is actively growing in Australia and is becoming an intermediate link between mobile games and full-fledged gambling.
Average spending by Australians
Average transaction check: 5-15 AUD for the purchase of virtual coins.
Monthly spending of an active player: 60-120 AUD, which is comparable to the budget for classic online low-intensity slots.
Highspenders ("dolphins" and "whales") - up to 500-700 AUD per month, forming up to 70% of the total revenue of social casinos.
Differences from online casinos
1. There's no direct win - players don't get real money but keep spending to prolong gameplay.
2. Microtransactions - frequent small payments form a stable dependence and in total lead to high costs.
3. The psychology of "playing without risk" - the inability to cash out winnings reduces the barriers to replenishing the balance.
Influence of playing time and frequency
Day players (casual) - make small payments 1-2 times a week.
Evening and night sessions - lead to an increase in impulse purchases, especially on weekends.
Seasonal peaks - coincide with the festive periods (Christmas, New Year), when expenses increase by 30-40%.
Player demographics
18-30 years old is the most active group, which often starts with social casinos before moving to real slots.
Women 30-45 years old - tend to spend stably on microtransactions, more often choose F2P slots with social elements (chats, tournaments).
Older audience - buys less in-game resources, but spends more time in applications.
Platform Spend
Mobile apps (iOS, Android) - account for over 80% of all payments, thanks to their simplicity and integration with the App Store/Google Play.
Facebook and social networks - retain about 15% of the market, but are inferior to mobile applications in terms of activity.
Web versions are less popular, accounting for less than 5% of all spending.
Comparison with real online gambling
Conclusion
In 2025, social casinos and free-to-play slots continue to occupy a significant share of Australians' spending on entertainment. Despite the lack of real wins, users leave significant amounts each month due to micropayments and the psychology of engagement. For many players, this segment is an entry point into the world of gambling: spending here is lower than in real casinos, but the stability and frequency of payments make F2P slots a prominent part of the overall gambling spending picture in the country.
Social casinos and F2P slots do not require real bets to start the game. They use virtual coins and chips, but players can buy additional resources for real money. This segment is actively growing in Australia and is becoming an intermediate link between mobile games and full-fledged gambling.
Average spending by Australians
Average transaction check: 5-15 AUD for the purchase of virtual coins.
Monthly spending of an active player: 60-120 AUD, which is comparable to the budget for classic online low-intensity slots.
Highspenders ("dolphins" and "whales") - up to 500-700 AUD per month, forming up to 70% of the total revenue of social casinos.
Differences from online casinos
1. There's no direct win - players don't get real money but keep spending to prolong gameplay.
2. Microtransactions - frequent small payments form a stable dependence and in total lead to high costs.
3. The psychology of "playing without risk" - the inability to cash out winnings reduces the barriers to replenishing the balance.
Influence of playing time and frequency
Day players (casual) - make small payments 1-2 times a week.
Evening and night sessions - lead to an increase in impulse purchases, especially on weekends.
Seasonal peaks - coincide with the festive periods (Christmas, New Year), when expenses increase by 30-40%.
Player demographics
18-30 years old is the most active group, which often starts with social casinos before moving to real slots.
Women 30-45 years old - tend to spend stably on microtransactions, more often choose F2P slots with social elements (chats, tournaments).
Older audience - buys less in-game resources, but spends more time in applications.
Platform Spend
Mobile apps (iOS, Android) - account for over 80% of all payments, thanks to their simplicity and integration with the App Store/Google Play.
Facebook and social networks - retain about 15% of the market, but are inferior to mobile applications in terms of activity.
Web versions are less popular, accounting for less than 5% of all spending.
Comparison with real online gambling
| Parameter | Social Casinos/ F2P | Online Slots |
|---|---|---|
| Average deposit/payment | 5-15 AUD | 100-150 AUD |
| Monthly Active Player Spending | 60-120 AUD | 200-400 AUD |
| Opportunity to win | No | Yes |
| Spending driver | Microtransactions | Large deposits |
Conclusion
In 2025, social casinos and free-to-play slots continue to occupy a significant share of Australians' spending on entertainment. Despite the lack of real wins, users leave significant amounts each month due to micropayments and the psychology of engagement. For many players, this segment is an entry point into the world of gambling: spending here is lower than in real casinos, but the stability and frequency of payments make F2P slots a prominent part of the overall gambling spending picture in the country.
