In the 21st century there are a number of sectors which have become most notable for their commitment to innovation. Tech is an obvious example, and an offshoot of this is the online casino industry.
This has been in existence ever since the 1990s. And, like the evolution of video games which it closely mirrors, it has constantly innovated. This is because as an industry it realises that players want more and more from it if they’re going to stay interested and invested in online casino gaming.
Now is a particularly exciting time for the online casino industry as technology in general is becoming more and more sophisticated. What’s more, artificial intelligence is a topic that is attracting huge levels of attention both for what it promises to do for us and the threat that some believe that it represents to humanity in general.
AI equals more responsive gaming
While the online casino real money operators, on the other hand, look set to embrace AI and the many benefits that it could lead to.
Playing on casino sites is a personal experience. So anything that can be done to personalize it even further is sure to be embraced. For example, machine learning is now making it increasingly possible to analyse how individual players choose to play, even what incentives and bonuses they favor.
So we’re not very far away now from dynamic games being developed with individuals in mind.
As they involve the handling and transfer of considerable amounts of money, as well as storing personal details of players, online casinos have always been aware of needing strong security.
AI is also coming into its own here by helping to identify fraudulent or criminal activity by hackers and other cyber-criminals.
Augmented reality comes to life
Another area whose potential is just beginning to be realized by the online casino sector is augmented reality. This promises to introduce a whole new layer to the player experience by making the playing of games from roulette to poker an even more immersive activity.
Combined with virtual reality it could be possible to “play” in any casino in the world. To meet up with friends, or their avatars at least, and experience the authentic casino ambience, something that has long been the aim of online operators.
On a more basic level, AR is a way in which game information such as the previous run of numbers in a game of roulette or the cards that the dealer may be holding can be presented dynamically. So not only would this add visual interest, it could also help the player have that all-important edge to help them calculate their next move.
For blackjack players it could even provide them with an easy way to always have the famous basic strategy at their fingertips giving the vital guide to whether to gamble on the next card.
Live casino gets much livelier
Ever since real-time streaming became possible thanks to advances in technology the live casino concept has been embraced wholeheartedly by operators and players alike.
The ability to play games like blackjack, roulette and baccarat with real dealers running them has proved to be a real gamechanger. It may even have drawn in many new players put off by the only previous option of playing against gaming software.
As time moves on the live online casino experience is set to become even more authentic. We’ve already mentioned how virtual and augmented reality could have an effect. There is also likely to be more communication between dealer and player via two-way chat along with many other elements of personalization.
It’s game on for gamification
The final strand in the field of online casino development comes in the form of gamification. This plays into the fact that having a competitive nature is key to enjoying online casinos.
So players may not just want to do well themselves. They may need to know that they are doing better than others. In some games like poker this is obvious by the size of their winnings, in others it’s not so easy.
A solution being explored right now is the introduction of leaderboards of the kind that old-style arcade games used to feature. Alongside in-game challenges it’s hoped that these could help to scratch that itch for extra competitiveness and, already, some slots games are using skill-based challenges as a bonus round.
So these are undoubtedly exciting times. With the coming together of new technology and the operators’ total commitment to innovation it also promises to be the perfect time for anyone with an interest to check out the online casino world for themselves.
Also Read: The Development and Impact of Community Jackpot Features in Online Slots
