Tech has transformed almost every aspect of the way we live our lives. From how we work, to how we spend our free time and socialise through media, it’s had one of the largest man-made impacts on human civilisation — and continues to evolve at an incredibly rapid pace.
Of course, this has also had a huge impact on almost all entertainment industries, including the gaming industry. Here are some of the top ways that technology has revolutionised the sector, including online gambling.
Mobile gaming
Advancements in mobile have revolutionised our ability to stay connected at almost times. It’s also shifted the gaming and gambling sector as people play on their smart devices during their commute, at friends’ houses and at work through apps. The accessibility of mobile gaming has meant that more people than ever are playing, going well beyond the hardcore console-consumers and online gamers. It’s also taken the experience of playing your favourite casino games into the palm of your hand!
Many players are now signing up for online casinos as they can easily access them via a mobile or handheld device. This has led to many sites now competitively entering the gambling market, offering their best discounts and offers to attract people to sign up with their site. As the market is already fierce, players are advised to seek the best deals to make sure they are choosing the right site for them.
Cryptocurrencies
The rise of cryptocurrency payment methods such as Bitcoin has had an impact on the gaming industry. Online casinos in particular have taken advantage of this digital payment with many ‘crypto-casinos’ now entering the market, allowing their players to pay solely by cryptocurrencies. It is argued that these online gambling companies have integrated cryptocurrency technology into their platforms as it is a safe and secure way to transactions, with no third parties which means faster deposits and withdrawals.
Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality
Virtual and augmented reality are some of the most exciting tech advances out there; especially when it comes to gaming. VR headsets for huge consoles like PlayStation are becoming ever more popular, and the popularity of augmented reality games like Pokémon Go have inspired more companies to start integrating the technology into their strategies.
Both VR and AR have some really interesting applications for online casino games; and while they’ve yet to be put into place, it’s easy to imagine the possibilities. In the future, you could have a VR immersive experience where you get the atmosphere of land-based casinos from the comfort of your home, with a VR headset and ‘live’ dealer. Or, you could bring elements of the atmosphere projected into your living room with AR, a perfect way to host your own casino night. It may be several years before it happens, but the potential is definitely there.
Wearable gaming
From smartwatches to smart glasses, entertainment has made it easier to play games on what feel like extensions of our bodies. What used to be primarily for fitness applications is now gone into the gaming space. Look out for more wearable-friendly casino games coming to apps in the future.
Facial recognition
Facial recognition technology and 3D scanning can bring you into the game – at least a likeness of you. This is an incredible way to make an avatar look almost exactly like you without having to spend hours customising them — or to transfer your own expressions on to other digital creations and avatars. There’s so much for potential for facial recognition to have both security benefits for online casinos, too. It will allow only access by the user to casino apps or sites via facial recognition to prevent hacking issues.
Voice recognition
Voice recognition has already been integrated into many of our devices. Alexa, Google and Siri are already popular and used by people all around the world. Voice controlled gaming has also been around for a while, but mainly in the form of turning on and off consoles, adjusting volume and the like now, voice recognition is being used to control gameplay, search the web or interact on social media.
The impact on providers, and the future of gaming
As tech has made online gaming more and more popular, it’s become very in demand – and thus profitable, for providers. This includes the casinos themselves as well as the game developers and the people who make the tech that support them. Some of the top land-based casinos are trying to increase their presence and make a move to online as the digital space becomes more utilised.
But what are some of the big future tech trends that will impact gaming, and will they benefit it? Take 5G for example. Having lived in the era of 3G and 4G, with a move into 5G, the fastest speeds available will make it so that games no longer buffer, and game makers will have to make better games that can respond to these incredibly fast load times. New smartphones and tablets will also mean that game makers will have to respond to the latest and greatest in tech, constantly upgrading their apps and having a broader option. Publishers will have to invest in the best talent around to stay on top of their game as audio, graphics and overall gameplay improves.
But one thing is for sure — tech is going to keep being propelled forward. And the industry will need to move along with it in order to keep up and keep casino game lovers entertained.
