Originally launching in 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 remains a very popular title thanks in large part to the game's online multiplayer. Rockstar Games has continually updated Grand Theft Auto Online with free content, updates, and expansions with the latest one having arrived earlier this week. The Diamond Casino & Resort update adds new activities and a massive gambling casino. Unfortunately, many players have quickly discovered that they're unable to partake in much of the new content and virtual gambling.
Reports from users on the GTA Online subreddit have indicated that they're blocked from purchasing chips to use inside of the casino. As it turns out, whether or not players get access to these features is determined by local gambling laws for the country they're located in as Rockstar appears to have restricted these features in countries that take a harder stance on online gambling.
The discovery was found after one user received an error message when attempting to buy virtual chips to spend on various games like Blackjack or Slot Machines. After contacting support, they were told that the gambling related content in the update was blocked due to the region they were located in. The subreddit has since started to compile a list of countries where the new content is locked and includes places like China, Iceland, Cyprus, Poland, and more. Unfortunately, some players from countries like Argentina and Portugal have also been blocked, which has caused frustration as lootboxes and online gambling remain freely available there.
The Diamond Casino update can be played using in-game currency, though players do have the option of spending real money in order to purchase more to use. The virtual chips have a 1:1 conversion rate for in-game money, and considering that players are given $1,000 daily for logging in, it's fairly easy to amass a large sum of money over time to use without purchasing money directly. Some players have resorted to setting up a VPN to work around the restrictions, though this is practice is risky as Rockstar may ultimately decides to make it a bannable offense.
Grand Theft Auto Online is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One as part of Grand Theft Auto 5.
Source: Reddit
