Undoubtedly, technology has had a profound effect upon humanity over the past decade. Changes in technology have dramatically transformed the ways people acquire information, purchase goods and services, and communicate with each other. Because most people find better deals when buying both basic necessities and not-so-basic luxury items, and everything in between, from an online platform, consumers are more likely to shop from their electronic devices rather than make the trip to a physical retail store.
Gone also are the days when people would play two-person shooter games with a recently acquainted stranger in a dimly lit yet phrenetic arcade. In 2020, gamers can don a VR headset and join a team of other passionate gamers located across oceans, from the comfort of their homes. For traditional arcades and brick and mortar retailers, technology’s effect has been devastating, as people prefer to shop and game at home. The effects of technological development have also ushered in major changes to the casino industry, leading to the development of technology-embracing casinos. So, to what extent has technological development already changed the casino industry? How will technology continue to develop and optimize online casinos?
Over the past 20 years, internet connectivity has drastically changed not just video gaming, but all gaming. In the early 2000s, the engineers and developers of popular games like Starcraft and Counterstrike integrated internet connectivity into their business models, resulting in gamers from around the world competing against each other or working together during game play. Seeing ripe opportunity, developers of online casinos quickly leveraged the internet to reach large swaths of people on a global scale. A closer look at financial data reveals the levels of popularity which online casinos have gained over the past decade. According to The Economist, online gaming (which includes casinos, sports betting and esports) generated revenues just shy of $25 billion in 2009. Yet, recent data suggests that the online-gaming industry, already at about $60 billion in 2020, will explode to over $127 billion by 2027. The technology that drives online gaming—from graphics to processing speed—is one of the major fomenting points for online casinos’ proliferation.
Technology has improved at a breakneck pace over the past 15 years. This means that the performances of everything from TV screens, computer processing power, and semiconductors, just to name a few, continually improves as a result of advances in computer science. Online casinos are no exception. In the early days, rudimentary processing power limited most players to the simple online blackjack and poker games. Today, online casinos follow a software as a service (SAAS) model: consumers either download the casino app to their phone or create on online account. Furthermore, once user’s login they can join live games. A popular live casino game is live roulette which is complete with live dealers and is available on https://ca.888casino.com/roulette/, a site that has transformed with the advancements of technology. The existence of live human dealers in online casinos is a recent innovation.
Due to the multitude of cameras on smartphones, tablet, and laptop devices, online casinos can more easily recognize their patrons. The players’ faces are screened via facial recognition technology when they arrive at the game. This aids online casinos by verifying that the users are indeed who they say they are. When players join a game, they are live streamed too. The speed at which players are live-streamed is real-time, as any significant lag in the game could seriously affect the outcomes. Live streaming has optimized the game of roulette, for example. Because the casino sends data to the consumer in real time, the users can watch the results pan out in real time, and they can also record results should the player want to.
While the advancements of the past decade have increased processing speeds and brought a more human element to the game, the potential advancements on the horizon will continue to have significant impact on how online casinos interact with consumers. Many online casinos are currently working on integrating Virtual Reality (VR) onto their platforms. By doing so, consumers will only have to put on a pair of VR goggles to enjoy a casino experience from the comfort of their own home. Online casinos are also tinkering with the idea of applying their games to wearable devices; thus, players won’t have to access their mobile in order to continue play, they can just press a few buttons on their smartwatches.
Online casinos will continue to grow, develop, and capture more of an audience. This may put some traditional brick and mortar casinos out of business. With that said, however, casinos in places like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Macau will continue to thrive, as these offer a destination experience for all. The future for online casinos is definitely a bright one.