The Real Dangers of Casual Games for Children: Does Coin Master Lead to Gambling Addiction?
Last updated on : 20 Apr 2025

Coin Master is a simple casual game with gambling elements. Its distinctive feature is the symbiosis of genres, colorful design, and simplicity of gameplay. Scenes of violence, murder, cruelty to other characters are absent, so there is no negative impact on the psyche.
Many experts confirm that casual games themselves are no more dangerous than other digital media. This would be the answer to whether Coin Master can lead to gambling addiction.
Coin Master, like other games of this type (Island King, Pirate Kings, Crazy Fox), could well be categorized as "guide games." This means that these games can be useful tools in learning something new. Let's analyze this statement on the example of Coin Master.
The principle of the game is to move from one village to another. Each village is dedicated to a specific historical era, period, city, or country. By progressing through the levels, the gamer, including the child, can get to know certain cultural features better. This is the educational mission of a casual game.
✅ How Coin Master Engages Players
Game sessions in Coin Master are short, the animation and styling are bright, and regular entry into the game is encouraged by various bonuses. Special mention should be made of the element of interaction with other gamers. Users can create and team up, progress through levels together, and participate in various tournaments. This adds to the usual casual game elements of real communication.
🚸 Dangers of Casual Games for Children
Casual games for children carry a real danger in several cases:
- A child spends 4 hours or more at a game without a break;
- Requests to stop playing cause the child to panic, fear, or aggression;
- The child constantly asks for money to buy coins and other donations;
- The game replaces real life.
If parents notice at least one of these "symptoms", it can already be a sign of game addiction. In this case, you need to limit the time spent playing and, if necessary, seek help from a specialist.
🎰 Difference Between Slot Machines and Casual Games
The most popular types of gambling entertainment include casual games and slot machines. The increased demand can be easily explained in three aspects: the simplicity of the rules, clear gameplay, bright graphics. As an additional advantage we can highlight the presence of interactive game mechanics.
Coin Master combines several genres - it is a casual game with elements of arcade, strategy, and slot machines. This symbiosis makes the game unique: the transition between genres is very smooth, so it does not affect the pleasure of the game.
🎮 Coin Master Game Mechanics
It is recommended to pay attention to the mechanics used in Coin Master. They should be considered in detail:
- In-game Machine: Dropped characters on the drum, depending on further events - it may be an attack on another village or an attack on the treasure players and stealing from them coins.
- Level System: The main principle of the game is to go from one level to another - gamers need to open new villages, buy objects and buildings, and pump them up to the maximum.
- Bonus Options: These include the wheel of fortune, time bonus, events and Challenges, and the use of pets - this allows you to retain users as well as attract new ones.

🏅 Slot Machines vs. Casual Games
If we talk about the slot machines that are presented in the casino, completely different game mechanics are used. We are talking about the classic slot - it is based on lines and reels. The principle of the game is simple: the gamer makes bets, chooses the number of lines, if this option is available, and starts spinning the reels. If several identical symbols fall in the same line, the combination is considered a winning one.
At the heart of the machines is a random number generator. It determines the fallen combinations. To make the game more exciting, gamers can take advantage of the various bonuses offered by the casino - Frispinami, deposit bonuses, cashback.
🔄 Interactive Elements of Coin Master vs. Slot Machines
Coin Master combines several genres. This symbiosis provides for the presence of interactive elements. They manifest themselves in the following:
- Attacks on Other Players' Villages: This gives you the opportunity not only to get coins but also to avenge the attack. The same principle applies to "Attack" mode.
- Playing with Friends: Teams are provided for this - you can attack villages together, interact to get bonuses, or send each other cards.
- Interact with Users: Players can always participate in tournaments or events held on the game's social media page. There you can also discuss game moments or ask for advice.
There are no interactive elements in the slot machines. However, gamers have the opportunity to communicate with other users on forums or thematic portals.
🕹️ Gaming Restrictions for Children in Different Countries
Players encounter age restrictions even at the stage of downloading the game. They are specified in the official App Store and Google Play markets by the developers themselves. Let's take a look at the age restrictions for several casual games at once:
- Coin Master - 12+;
- Pirate Kings - 3+;
- Crazy Fox - 12+;
- Island King - 12+;
- Pet Master - 12+.
Restrictions are set to warn users about potentially dangerous content. These requirements are also regulated by law in many countries. Special organizations are responsible for this issue. Let's take a closer look at them:
- ESRB: It operates in North and South America. All games are marked with a special sign, depending on the allowed age.
- PEGI: The organization sets limits for Europe and the Middle East.
- USK: The action is directed at German users only. The age limit of 12+ indicates that the games in this category have a negative impact on the psyche.
⚖️ How to Assess Games for Children
Parents who are thinking about the harm of games for the child should do the following before installing the game:
- Read game reviews on thematic resources;
- Watch a video of the game on YouTube;
- Compare ratings in different countries and study their descriptions.
It is better to evaluate the game taking into account several factors.