Trends in tech and gaming are rarely too far apart. The two industries have held hands throughout their lives, and one is seldom affected without ripples reaching the other before long. Tech trends shape the gaming industry, and trends that take hold in the gaming industry demand changes in tech.
Online casinos offer calming games and a way to take the mind off day-to-day, humdrum activities. They change and shift with the waves of trends that come through both the tech and gaming industries, but they retain a number of classic components that keep gamblers returning for a flutter year after year. Classic games like roulette, poker, and blackjack have been played in casinos, online more recently, and brick and mortar for hundreds of years since they were first established and legalized.
Trends come and go, leaving permanent change in their wake, but some aspects of the online casino world will never fade! Luckily for online gambling fans, some trends come along to better the classics that are loved so much. Some trends in tech and gaming that are currently reshaping the industry will lend a little extra luster to the experiences and invite punters further into the world of online gambling. Let’s take a look.
AR and VR
Augmented and virtual reality are sweeping all tech and online-related industries. It may be a slow sweep, but these two technologies will undoubtedly be a bigger part of life as time passes. Several online casinos are already implementing AR-based options: bringing the online casino into the gambler’s world by overlaying casino objects like a roulette table or slot machine on phones or tablets using its camera. VR tech may be a little further behind as it will rely on separate tech (from headsets to gloves and, one day, eventually, body suits), which are currently not within the budget of many gamers and online gamblers. This tech will continue to become more accessible as it is developed over time.
The goal here is total immersion in the gambling process. A full-on gambling experience without ever leaving home. The feeling of being at a casino without any social anxiety, without needing to get all dressed up or take a long drive to wherever one’s favorite casino is located.
Crypto, Blockchain, and NFTs
Many believed that crypto (and blockchain) and NFTs would be a passing trend and not make any real ripples or waves in the pond of the online finance and property world. The fact is, these technologies have reshaped many industries in huge ways, and they are not going away any time soon. Cryptocurrency has become a recognized and valid payment form and finance in most places in the world. Though it has yet to assert as much dominance as traditional currency, it is fast growing, particularly within the younger generation, and many casinos are now accepting crypto as well as traditional currency.
Blockchain tech, which has been implemented to great effect to keep cryptocurrency safe while being used or transferred, can also be used to safeguard the sensitive personal information that gamblers share with casinos. It is by far the safest method of storage known thus far and has given peace of mind to millions of people across the globe. NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens, are ways of owning online “property,” usually in the form of visual art. Casinos may one day utilize this tech to offer limited edition chips or commemorative paraphernalia of some kind to loyal customers who have been with them for a long time.
New Game Engines and Better Animation
Modern game engines are so powerful that entire films could be created in them using the best animators and animation techniques. This technology will not only be used in gaming and film but will flow through to every industry that utilizes animation of any kind. The better the animation in any slot games, as they are currently the only online casino games that make use of animations, the more immersively and beautifully these games can be rendered. Better animation techniques and the option for animated welcome and instructional videos will open online casinos up to a generation who has never lived with black and white televisions and has never lived without the internet or social media.
RNGs
Though RNG (random number generator) tech is hardly anything new, it must constantly adapt and evolve to stay on top of its game. Random number generators are why casino games, whether online or in person, remain fair. The tech determines the next card that comes up or the numbers and symbols that appear when an online slot machine is spun. Naturally, the house retains a certain advantage, but this tech must operate well all the time, or what may result is an unfair advantage either for the house or the gambler. Every card dealt, every spin of the roulette wheel, and every roll of the dice in an online casino is dictated by an RNG.
AI
Artificial Intelligence is currently being utilized in online casinos to great effect. It works to improve a user’s experience and personalize it as much as possible by tracking habits and references. The AI used by a casino will not track anything the customer doesn’t want it to, but it will track metrics that help the casino anticipate what clients might want and offer it more effectively. For example, suppose a customer plays slots more often than other games. In that case, the newsletter may inform recipients about the new slot games coming in or even offer exciting bonuses and free spins to make the experience more enjoyable.
Wrap Up
These technologies are making the online casino industry better every day. They offer more immersive experiences, bringing users further into the games and making online gambling safer and more inviting for those who already enjoy it.