PlayStation consoles have always offered realistic gameplay experiences, and with PlayStation 5 (PS5), the PS5 game casino experience has reached a new peak. It’s all thanks to the developers of PS5 games who play real online casino games to make sure they get every detail right. Whether they choose to feature blackjack, roulette, or slots, their PS5 game can offer a realistic casino game experience without players having to spend real money on gambling. They can even include casino games into their roguelikes or RPG games, providing players with rich, layered, and silky smooth gameplay. Here are the five most realistic PS5 casino games in no particular order, with the winner revealed at the end.
PS5 Casino Games
PS5 casino games leverage the advanced PS5 hardware and the robust online infrastructure to provide a far better experience than a real casino ever could. PS5 casino game players can have access to many quality-of-life features, such as customizable casino avatars, competitive leaderboards, and multiplayer lobbies with voice chat. You can fine-tune your casino experience and connect with other PS5 players as little or as much as you want without leaving the comfort of your couch.
The Four Kings Casino and Slots
Released in 2015, this free PS5 game is a virtual casino that feels and plays like an MMO. The developer describes it as a “simulated casino experience,” with each player creating an avatar with unique clothes that moves around and plays poker, slots, and other casino games in a multiplayer setting. The overall player experience is a mixed bag, with some players complaining that casino games can be bugged, that tournaments can be unfair, and so on, without the developers doing anything to fix them. The complaints state that the devs appear to be changing the game to favor newcomers rather than veterans, and when they complained about any of it, they got banned.
Those who praised this PS5 game said it’s an absolute blast if you keep your expectations low and that it provides legendary fun if you have a group of friends you can play with. Even if you’re playing solo, they said, the in-game player interaction is worth being there. However, that doesn’t seem to be enough to create a lasting community because, according to negative reviews of this game, there are sometimes way too few people online.
Prominence Poker
Prominence Poker is a free PS5 game released in 2016. It is a third-person poker table simulator that is all about Texas Hold ‘em. The story focuses on the player winning poker games to get enough chips to challenge the mysterious Mayor, with the developers praising the game’s AI by calling it “devious.” The overall player sentiment is very positive, with positive reviews pointing out that the game is relaxed and casual, that it doesn’t force players to spend money, that it gives free chips, and that it even has bonus challenges. One positive review compliments a great feature that helps beginners feel at home — there is a biased card generation that gives them more winning hands than they should get.
However, according to negative reviews of the game across the years, that same algorithm is designed to promote action, which apparently turned Prominence Poker into an unrealistic representation of Texas Hold ‘em and basically made it into a game of who will go all-in first. One scathing review came from a player who complained that he kept seeing way too many straights and flushes and that if you don’t have at least a pair by the river, you should fold immediately. He also noted that some players were obviously given an advantage by the algorithm to the point they got winning hands all the time, which made this PS5 game boring for him and made him quit.
Vegas Infinite
Vegas Infinite is a free first-person casino PS5 game that offers poker, slots, blackjack, craps, and roulette, with optional VR capabilities. It was released in 2023 to above-average reviews. The visual style is colorful and cartoony, and the gameplay is bursting at the seams with interactivity and movement. Positive reviews absolutely adore the presentation and say it’s worth having a VR headset for this PS5 game alone, especially if you’re playing with a friend who has one as well. They say that the VR hand movements are realistically depicted in the game and that the dice and card physics are loads of fun.
Player complaints mostly focus on unfair RNG, saying that games other than poker are clearly rigged and designed to drain all in-game money from players. Other complaints mention immature players who annoy and offend others with their childish shenanigans. There are also complaints that, to play this game, you have to keep your microphone turned on and the in-game AI will listen to what you say, and that you can be banned if the AI thinks you’re underage. One player even claimed that she was banned from Vegas Infinite because she was joking in a Discord voice chat.
Pure Hold’em
Pure Hold’em is a $20 first-person PS5 game that supports poker games in a multiplayer setting with up to 8 players. It was released in 2015 to average reviews, and one look at it reveals why. The graphics are outdated, and the animations are basic at best. There is very little customizability, with players represented by a static picture of their face, and interactivity is completely missing, with not even the most basic chat feature. Players complain that it’s hard to find another human to play against and that the bots are pretty bad at playing poker in this game, telegraphing their hand with the bet size. The overall sentiment is that the game might not be worth the money even at a deep discount.
For some inexplicable reason, the developer of this PS5 game decided to make the in-game chips mandatory to buy with real money. That means you have to buy Pure Hold’em for $20 and then spend more real money to buy chips to gamble with in the game, or your initial $20 purchase is wasted. That is not indicated anywhere in the promotional material, which prompted several angry players to refund the game and leave a negative review. The worst part is that the in-game servers tend to crash, and when that happens, players who were in the game lose all their chips, with no way to get them back.
Grand Theft Auto Online
GTA Online was released for PS5 in 2022 as the online-only version of GTA 5, and it quickly reached the status of a legendary PS5 game. During their normal course of play in GTA Online, players can visit the standalone GTA casino called “Diamond Casino & Resort”. It looks and feels just like a regular casino with blackjack, horse racing, roulette, slots, spin-the-wheel, and 3-card poker. Players can win millions in in-game cash in the casino, but there are some exotic prizes that can only be gotten there, such as rare vehicles. There are VIP services too, and the player can buy a VIP membership to gain access to high-limit betting. High-rolling players can buy a Master Penthouse and decorate it with gaudy art pieces as well.
The entire GTA series is known for its zany and goofy humor that mocks consumerism, and Diamond Casino & Resort is no exception. Still, the casino games are realistic, and any player can hone his gambling skills by playing them at the in-game casino. There are many chances for a social interaction at the Diamond Casino & Resort, and even some special missions for those who want to earn some extra cash. The negative reviews for GTA Online mention bugs, glitches, account issues, and the inability to update the game. In general, people who are used to the freedoms they had in previous GTA games are not happy with GTA Online, and everyone else is enjoying this absolute classic of a PS5 game.
Realistic and Responsible Gaming on PS5
The most realistic casino experience in a PS5 game is by far in GTA Online. It offers so many side activities and such a huge player count that there’s never a boring moment at the Diamond Casino & Resort. Even though it doesn’t require real money, you can still spend it there, so it’s important to be aware of the pitfalls of video game gambling. It’s very easy to get addicted to gambling by visiting any casino in a PS5 game. The simplest ways to maintain control are setting gameplay and budget limits and staying aware of your personal habits. That way, you can always ensure that casino-style experiences remain a safe and enjoyable form of entertainment for you, no matter what PS5 game you choose to play.