Creating play money for free-to-play and gambling games

In this paper, we analyze the interview data of sixteen gamblers and free-to-play (F2P) gamers. Both in F2P gaming and gambling, the usage of money influences the game experiences. By focusing on the qualities of money, rather than the quantities of it, we show how players experience money before playing and how they create play money through money management practices. The meaning of money for players changes from one situation to another. It is common for gamblers to frame or separate play money from other forms of money, such as money for groceries. The framing of money into different currencies can be explicit or it can rely on routines like everyday practices, which do not require intentional reflection from gamblers. The framing of money is not that explicit for F2P gamers, who consider play money to be similar to money used for other hobbies or recreational activities. There is no pre-set maximum limit of how much money players can spend while playing F2P or gambling games. Framing and ranking money into different currencies protect players from the negative consequences of playing. As the convergence of gambling and other forms of gaming continues, gamblers' money management strategies, by which they integrate playing as a positive part of their everyday lives, can also become relevant for F2P gamers.