The Grand Theft Auto series turns 24-years-old this October, which is pretty hard to believe. The series has sent us on some epic journeys thanks to Rockstar Games’ incredible storytelling abilities and the immersive, sprawling worlds in each of the five main titles.
Grand Theft Auto, or GTA as its loyal fanbase prefers to call it, pushes the boundaries in gaming. Its extremely adult themes and violence have resulted in the series hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Gambling is an activity that is prevalent throughout GTA and while you cannot rock up to a sportsbook like those found at vegasbetting.com and place bets, GTA’s players can and do play casino games and make wagers that they influence through their play.
The Diamond Casino & Resort in GTA V
You probably think about GTA V Online when asked to link GTA with gambling. Rockstar launched The Diamond Casino & Resort on July 23, 2019. Take a trip on Vinewood Park Drive in East Vinewood, Los Santos, and you will discover a lavish, vibrant casino where you can gamble to your heart’s content.
Three card poker, Blackjack, Roulette, Slot Machines, virtual horse racing, and the Lucky Wheel are all present and correct at The Diamond Casino & Resort. Playing these games gives the player the chance to win cash, reputation points, and even special edition vehicles.
It is not only casino games that GTA V allows players to participate in. You can bet on yourself before online races, and have to pay an entry fee to compete in the Hao Street Races as Franklin. Winning one of these races sees you walk away with a prize worth 4.5-times your entry fee, for example.
GTA Vice City and San Andreas
The first instances of gambling in GTA took place in GTA Vice City back in 2002. Here, you could wager money in the form of entrance fees for Vice Street Racer events.
GTA: San Andreas launched two years after Vice City and saw more gambling options available. Players heading to the casino in Las Venturas could play blackjack, roulette, slot machines, Wheel of Fortune, and even video poker.
Rockstar went to great lengths to make gambling a major component of San Andreas, even going as far as to make it possible to increase the gambling skills of your character, Carl Johnson. The game even highlighted the importance of bankroll management and showed the dangers of playing outside your means. Racking up debts at the casino resulted in you being persistently attacked by thugs sporting Micro SMG and AK-47s until you repaid every cent you owed!
When Will We See GTA 6?
The launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles had GTA fans tingling with anticipation for a sequel to GTA V. Fans have been playing GTA V for almost eight-years now and were hopeful Rockstar would announce GTA 6’s development for the next generation of consoles.
That has not happened, however, with Rockstar deciding to remasters GTA V for the PS5 and Series X. The company has said it is not just making a straightforward port to the new platform, instead, it is remastering the game that has sold more than 140 million copies and generated over $6 billion in worldwide revenue.
GTA 6 will happen but there are no clear date, or even hints, as to when this will be. Experts and so-called insiders suggest GTA 6 may be as far away as late 2023 or even 2024. Take-Two, Rockstar’s parent company, are notoriously secretive and no leaks ever come out of their camp.
There are suggestions GTA 6 could have a more futuristic setting or even have a female protagonist for the first time. Personally, I would love to see GTA 6 go back to the 1920s or be set in a Triads environment. Those settings, however, may be too close to the Mafia and Yakuza games that already exist.
I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.
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