Online casinos were a technological marvel for enthusiasts of the hobby back in the mid-1990s. And even the online platforms we have today are a far cry from those in the 90s. As technology rapidly evolves throughout our digital age so do online casinos adapt to use more advanced features. From live streaming and cryptocurrencies to artificial intelligence and virtual reality, online casino platforms have seen their fair share of technological innovations.
Each year, they are becoming more entertaining, accessible, and convenient to use, not to mention more secure and regulated. Today, we are going to explore these technologies that online casinos utilize increasingly more and talk about the future of the hobby.
Innovative Live Dealer Games
Live casino games are not necessarily anything new but over the recent years, they have continued to evolve in various ways. While playing live dealer games, players are immersed in a live-streamed experience that feels like an actual Las Vegas land-based casino.
They are able to interact with the dealer in real-time and chat with other players at the digital table. Playing blackjack, poker, or roulette with long-distance friends from the comfort of your home has never been more immersive. This technology has been especially useful socially during these times when we are isolated due to the pandemic.
Those quality-of-life features aside, there are also the actual technological innovations made by developers. For example, recent games by Playtech allow countless users to play the game at the same time. This system works by making it so that all players share the same hand or board, but their decisions in betting are separate.
Furthermore, Evolution, Ezugi, Playtech, and various other studios are blending multiple games into one. Players can experience live game shows or hybrid games like Mega Fire Blaze Blackjack where you are playing blackjack and a slot machine at the same time. Live dealer games will only continue to evolve with extra features and innovations and we cannot wait to see what the top iGaming developers have in store.
The Rise of Mobile Gaming
We have talked about being immersed in an actual casino from the comfort of your home. But how about playing casino games from anywhere? Mobile gaming has been a huge boon for the online casino gaming world as an increasing number of titles are getting mobile-supported versions. Smartphones and tablets are becoming as powerful as personal computers so as long as you have a stable internet connection you can play casino games from anywhere.
The rise of casino mobile apps has also contributed to this as each operator is creating a dedicated mobile app version of their platform. Furthermore, it is not just the games that are being increasingly available on mobile but payment options too. Some of the most popular online casino mobile payment options are:
- Google Pay
- Apple Pay
- Boku
- Zimpler
- Payforit
- Siru Mobile
These allow you to completely eschew computers and laptops so that you can both pay and play using your mobile device. Furthermore, the graphic restrictions for mobile games are swiftly being remedied as devices develop to utilize better components.
Soon enough, the entire online casino experience will be translated to your mobile device so that you can have a portable option. As we mentioned, the mobile experience will still heavily depend on a stable internet connection to avoid any malfunctions. But with developments in 5G, the vast availability of Wi-Fi hotspots, etc., this problem will slowly fade into the past.
Virtual Reality Casinos and 3D Games
A slightly more niche but quite exciting area of online casinos that has a lot of potential are Virtual Reality platforms. These VR casinos have seen a rise in development in the past several years. Essentially, with the use of VR headsets like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, the player is able to step into a digital online casino world. There are not many examples of these platforms as they are still in development. That said, there are a few websites that demonstrate the potential of VR casinos:
- SlotsMillion – Considered to be one of the first VR casinos, SlotsMillion theoretically allows players to walk around a virtual casino playing games and interacting with other players. There are a few kinks to work out and the casino games are not strictly cutting-edge, but it is a great start.
- Casino VR Poker – This VR casino experience focuses strictly on poker games by allowing players to sit at a digital table and play against each other. A live chat option is also available for interacting with other players.
- VR Casino OKO – A relatively new project that, besides casino games, offers players the option to create their very own avatars and interact with other users in a virtual casino setting.
Just imagine what this technology can do as it develops alongside other platforms like VRChat or the Metaverse. An immersive and dynamic VR casino world where you can meet up and play modern games from top developers with your friends in first person. It is quite exciting to think about and we might just be on the precipice where this experience is soon possible.
Cryptocurrency Casinos and Blockchain Technology
As for financial technologies for online casinos, the emergence and evolution of blockchain technology has brought various benefits to casino players. Those who utilize cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals can enjoy lower fees, faster transaction times, and increased security and privacy. Among other advantages, there is also the disadvantage of volatile values but doing some research allows players to strategize better with crypto.
Furthermore, an increasing number of operators are launching crypto-dedicated casinos. Veteran online casinos are also implementing cryptocurrency banking options. Some popular ones include:
The use of cryptocurrencies for casino gaming is strictly tied to blockchain technology. As we mentioned, this fintech provides players with a private and secure way to conduct their payments. Though using crypto might seem intimidating at first, the communities behind each respective currency are quite helpful towards beginners. From guides found on forums to YouTube tutorials, you can learn a lot about the how-to’s of crypto casinos. After all, all it basically requires you to do is buy some at an exchange using fiat currencies and then store it in a crypto wallet which are similar to e-wallets.
Our guess is that with the development of blockchain technologies, online casinos will begin utilizing cryptocurrencies increasingly more.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
Advancements in artificial intelligence are widely being used in numerous markets. With the development of chatbots and AI analytics come many uses in the online casino industry as well. Online casinos you know and love today are already using AI in various ways you may not know about.
- Personalization – For starters, AI is useful as an analysis tool that can help tailor the casino experience specifically for your needs. It might notice games and genres you like and recommend you more of the same. Through predictive analytics, it can recommend new games that feature elements you like in games.
- Responsible Gaming – Likewise through personal analysis, it can also warn you when you are stuck on a losing streak or making suboptimal choices.
- Fraud Detection – AI is also useful for fraud detection as it can detect the patterns you usually make and warn you if something abnormal happens. It can detect suspicious behaviour and identify malicious activities in real-time so as to keep you safe and secure.
- Customer Support – Building on this positive customer experience, it is also vastly useful as a support tool. An increasing number of online casinos are implementing chatbots. These chatbots can help find solutions to your problems in real-time and much faster than filling in a ticket.
As this technology is tested, an AI live chatbot might be able to offer you instant customer support. And this can be for specific problems you are describing to it. Of course, this will take some time to implement as AI needs a large database of player inquiries, problems, and solutions to be useful.
In any case, there are various uses for artificial intelligence and we are only scratching the surface currently.
The Future of Online Casinos
The online casino industry is set to continue to evolve in the coming years, with these outlined technologies advancing steadily. Software developers for online casinos are always looking for new ways to improve their games. The evolution of crypto casinos also brings a new and safer way for transactions. Between blockchain innovations and artificial intelligence, online casinos have a bright future. We are most excited about an immersive VR casino world where we can interact with our friends in real-time. What are you looking forward to the most?
