Games v. Gambling
 

I've read the Basic entries for Games and Gambling one after the other several times (they're on the same page). I'm still not sure which skill I should be using to play cards for money. Or craps.

Related: two characters decide to let a coin flip resolve a question. Should I do a quick contest of Gambling skills or flip an actual coin?

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

I think the card games referred to under Games are games such as Magic the gathering, not poker or similar, that would be gambling.

As for a coin toss, there relay isn't any tactics to it, so i'd say just flip an actual coin.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

Pure Casino games (and any game in general where the strategy is mainly about betting and odds) should probably use Gambling. If you are playing Munchkin for a prize use Games. If it's something of both like many forms of Poker, I'd let you roll a Contest of Games to get that +1 to +5 bonus for "familiarity with the game" on the Gambling roll.
You can roll Gambling to know that you have a 50% of winning, but you can't actually influence the coin flip without cheating. I'd just roll 1d2.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

I'd require the appropriate Games skill to know the rules of the game, though I wouldn't require a roll unless the player is playing some sort of Stunt Poker. I'd have him roll Gambling to play it.

And if two Players flip a coin, I'd totally require a Gambling roll to flip a coin. Only I wouldn't go of their character's Gambling stats, but those of the actual Players.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

This is what Kromm said about poker:

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

ha! I work at a casino; specifically I deal table games. Whatever the skill would be, you would have to slap a penalty on it to represent the house edge. Any casino table game you play has this and it produces a very real mathematical edge against you. Depending on the game, certain games actually have better odds (eg: craps has better odds than roulette) so I might represent that with a numerical penalty. It can't just be an unmodified skill roll; not with the way those games are designed.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

You can also give the House a very high effective skill and make it a Regular Contest.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

Gambling modifiers include -1 to -5 if the game is rigged against you. That would probably apply. Also, I think most people who enter a casino play from a default level.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

ain't that the truth.

Re: Games v. Gambling
 

What about a game of pure chance, like craps. Could craps be merely a familiarity of gambling, and not a separate skill?