“Compare this to the usual way updates work in GTA Online,” he continued. Something that I find interesting is that most folks worrying about GTA Online's casino and how exploitative it might be don't realize how nice it is compared to other parts of the game.- Zack Zwiezen July 26, 2019 They can then sit down and gamble and have fun for an hour and maybe win some GTA$. “Even just 500 chips or so with a little pocket change. “A player at any level can walk in and buy any small amount of chips,” said Zack Zwiezen, GTA Online expert (and former colleague) on Twitter. The Casino DLC, on the other hand, lowers the price of entry, literally and metaphorically. For GTA Online, the ease of entry is a change of pace: Generally, fans complain that it takes a lot of money or time to enjoy new additions to the game. So when people say they’re getting “addicted,” they mostly seem to mean it in a positive way.

To be clear, much of the chatter online from fans actually playing the new content is positive - folks like that they can jump into the new stuff without needing to be rich. Some even say they’re losing all their in-game money participating in the new activities. Many players are saying they’re gaining digital gambling addictions, and are getting hooked on everything from blackjack to horse racing. With the release of Grand Theft Auto Online’s new casino update, Los Santos denizens now have a new go-to joke.