When is gambling not gambling ?

Is there any form of gambling that isn?t really gambling? This may sound a nonsensical question, but there are a few areas of life where the ?players? would argue that what they?re doing isn?t gambling.

One obvious one is the stock market. Many simply classify investing in the stock market as a form of glorified gambling, but it isn?t really. It can be, but most people would see this as investing in that it isn?t a closed or ?zero sum? game. In other words, the overall pot is gradually increasing in size ? unlike more traditional forms of gambling which are usually zero-sum based.

Perhaps more interestingly; one of the fastest-growing areas of ?gambling? isn?t really gambling at all. Instead, it?s free gaming, or virtual gambling. And within this area, the fastest-growing of all forms is that of virtual slots - and particularly slots via Facebook. People play slot games either directly with providers or via Facebook (and it?s this latter area that is growing most quickly) for virtual cash only. So they?re doing so purely for the fun of playing as opposed to any attempt to make a real cash profit.

One example of a slots provider that is seeing an explosion in free slots is that of Jackpotjoy ? the gaming brand made famous by its use of former ?Carry On? films and Eastenders; Babs Windsor.

The actress fronts the site as the ?Queen of Bingo?, but it?s really in free slots on Facebook that Jackpotjoy is seeing big growth. Since the site was launched on the world?s favourite social network around a year and a half ago, over eight million people have played.

What seems to attract the non-cash gamblers to this world of virtual gambling is the fun and creativity built in to all the slots games ? as well as the social possibilities. No longer is playing slots a solitary pursuit. Instead, players can chat with each other as they play, they can enjoy a little competition with their friends to see who can amass the most virtual cash most quickly, and they can invite other friends to join in (and even donate some virtual cash to them). There are also tournaments with many players playing free slots at the same time. These cost a few virtual coins to enter, but players have the chance to win large amounts.

Whether this is gambling or not is something of a moot point.