Is Deal or No Deal (DOND) a Gambling or Just a Pure Game Show?

[Sonia_123]

This is likewise a bet but in different way, since it has almost all the features of gambling then it is gambling.

Money, wins and losses are involved and remember that gambling has to do with all these which their actions are gaining attention which means they are having fun and if you look at this properly the persons involved are having their fun and at the same time entertaining others and we all know that gambling is all about having fund and entertainment therefore I see it as pure gambling.

[danherbias07]

Kind of. But I believe it's not because no money was staked.

It's a game. Although there's a sense that it is gambling because you are making a choice that would make you win or lose. But in my own opinion, it is not gambling because even if you lose, nothing was taken away from you. Just the chance to make some easy money through a game show that offers it. We cannot even compare it to a lottery because you buy tickets there. So somehow, you will still lose something even if it's a small price. That's the rule. It's gambling if we are staking something.

[Hispo]

I think those kind of games in which those contestants do not necessarily have a stake of money, but still have a chance to win a significant amount of money could be classified as pseudo-gambling or quasi-gambling. The only thing which separates it from gambling is the fact they do not need to pay anything in order to participate, but they need to invest some of their time and also be in front of a camara, so the hosts of the show can make money off of all of it...

By definition, it is not gambling, but it is pretty close.

[STT]

Legally it wont be classed as gambling but psychologically yes its all about that kind of unknown risk to reward type gamble.   I consider gambling a normal human event we take a chance on all sorts of things and I think that's why its instinctive and in built compelling hence why this gameshow went around the world successfully, they know what they are doing but would never label it so plainly and get peoples back up about it.

[rbynxx]

I recently bumped into watching the Deal or No Deal in the BBC Brits channel at my friend's house and it got me thinking whether it should be classified as a gambling game or not because the contestants do not place bets with their own money but the entire game revolves around chances, risks and deciding whether to accept the banker's offer or continue with playing the game hoping for a bigger prize. When I had this discussion with my friend, it almost turned into an argument, he said it is not a gambling game and just a pure game show since it does not involve the player staking any money. He said this is what differentiates it from gambling substantially but I on the other hands believe that this DOND game shares same psychological elements with gambling such as the taking of high risks, chasing of higher rewards and making decisions under uncertainty. I believe these are the major things that define gambling. But this is just my opinion, I would like to hear from you, what's your own opinion when it comes to this game?

It was meant for entertainment because people are selected to participate in it with no money involved. I think your friend was right because it was really for entertainment that was brought by the game show, and even if it has some elements of gambling, it doesn't mean it was gambling. Can you say that head and tail selection to start a match is gambling when, in fact, it was just to select who gets to start first?