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No matter how many games you play, they are not considered gambling as long as you do not bet money there. So when you play a game online with friends without betting any real money, it will not be considered gambling. So I do not think that gamblers will express interest in this concept. Usually there are a lot of games online and offline but playing them is not as much fun as playing them by betting money on casino sites. Gambling is always fun because everyone gets financial advice here. Sometimes, when you read social media or various articles, you see stories of winning millions of dollars from gambling. And seeing these, gamblers are more attracted to casino sites. So I do not think that anyone will express much interest in gambling with free or fake money.
Any game that does not involve betting anything is not called gambling, so I agree with you. The interest in free play is definitely there, that is why some casinos consider adding a demo feature to some games, for example slots. This feature is ultimately just boring, but it is still good to entertain some customers who might want to try to enjoy the game.
I agree that the average gambler is not that interested in demo play, but I have spent over 30 minutes playing one out of curiosity. I really wanted to see how much I could win if I maxed out on the slot, but this was just for fun. People who gamble for money will certainly try to get money to gamble, but if they just want to get the experience without spending a dime of their own, then they can play the demo.