Mixing virtual worlds and virtual money creates some very real risks, to be sure.
He used an Australian outfit called Karma Currency, that sends out virtual money through its website and then lets people pick an organization to receive the donation.
Players may choose to purchase premium items as status symbols, invest their virtual money into income-generating businesses or use the money to improve their pets or avatar characters.
The prime minister wanted to initiate a privatization that ultimately would lead to much of that virtual mattress money going to capitalists and thus to economic growth.
When I first heard of people exchanging real money for virtual goods, I thought the world had gone mad.
Using the bar, players can also directly purchase virtual currency with real money.
These stored value cards give kids without credit cards a way to buy the in-game virtual currencies with real money.
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Players can go on music-related quests, listen to live virtual concerts and spend money on goods and services in the game.
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It means they will spend more money on virtual goods, for example.
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Young consumers can buy special clothing and accessories for their avatar, spending more money on virtual outfits even as they spend less on fashion in the real world.
The game will open a virtual store later this week, says Gerson, where players can use real money to buy the virtual coin currency.
More importantly, Second Life users are willing to spend lots of money in the virtual world.
The study indicates that age directly correlates with amount of money spent on virtual goods within social games.
Each player was given a number of virtual tokens, redeemable for money at the end of the game.
The company announced that in its first month, Street Wars already has had 500, 000 unique players, and that 4% of those players have spent money on its virtual currency Moco Gold.
Billions are already made from in-game purchases of virtual items that are little more than code, but with amounts like this being shelled out, we could see a bigger push toward virtual goods being worth real money.
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Singers, teachers, or other people using the service can earn money on YY via virtual goods.
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Like most other social games, CityVille is free-to-play, but the game makes money from users purchasing virtual items in the game.
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Facebook earns a percentage of the money paid by users for virtual goods in games on the site.
Android smartphone users can try Kids Shopping Calc, which teaches budgeting by shopping in a virtual store with a set amount of money.
Instead, criminals are often using virtual currencies like the Russian service Web Money and, until its founder was indicted last year, E-Gold.
You also get Microsoft's Home Essentials 98 (which includes Word 97, Encarta 98, and Works 4.0), Bookshelf 98, Encarta Virtual Globe, Hallmark Greetings Workshop, Money 98, Trip Planner 98, and Streets 98.
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And while some virtual worlds have discouraged the exchange of game money for dollars, Linden Labs condones the practice.
The ECB (European Central Bank) has produced the first official central bank study of the decentralized cryptographic money known as bitcoin, Virtual Currency Schemes.
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Arthur, the virtual landlord, said he doesn't make money from his transactions.
Unlike most successful virtual stock pickers, however, Rees has a unique money making opportunity thanks to a new program from Marketocracy.com and Foliofn.
In addition to engaging the fans, the team expects the game to make money through product placement sponsorships and fans purchasing virtual tailgate items.
Its 150 news, music and entertainment channels draw to the site customers who spend real money for real goods at NetRadio's virtual music and software stores.
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