What does the future hold for online casino gaming?

The online casino gaming industry has evolved beyond recognition during the last 25 years and today offers an incredible range of games, boasting high-end graphics, gameplay, and audio. The industry has adapted following the launch of the smartphone to offer gaming on the go and continues to expand at an explosive rate.

But what does the future hold for this exciting industry? In this article, we will speculate how the presentation of the games may evolve and what types of technology could be utilised to underpin those ambitions.

Global dominance

One of the reasons the sector is at the forefront of technology is its sheer global reach. The market gained momentum in Europe during its early days, although recent expansion has seen the industry penetrate markets in Asia, Africa, and North America. For example, online casino in Canada is scaling new heights, with many providers producing localised guides to help engage with new players. With a wealth of new technologies emerging for mainstream use, we can only speculate how the online casino industry may make use of them.

Augmented reality

Augmented reality refers to the digital manipulation of the world around you. Using your phone’s display and camera capabilities, or a specialist headset, players can add items to the real-life environment in which they are located.

Many modern smartphones already boast this technology, although it is presently used in a limited way. Google also launched its augmented reality headset, Google Glass, which offered integration with apps like Maps, but this was not a major success. Experts predict that augmented reality will evolve to become a part of the broader tech picture, and will almost certainly be used in the gaming sector. In casino terms, the technology could be used to plot objects and furniture from a real-life casino as players enjoy their favourite games.

For example, roulette players may be able to spin a digital wheel in front of them or have cards dealt virtually onto the table at which they are sitting – with player avatars sitting on the seats around them. The possibilities are already vivid, and it genuinely just seems a case of waiting for the technology to catch up.

Perhaps the key element here is the mainstream availability of augmented reality headsets and their gradual implementation into day-to-day life. As was the case with smartphones, once a technology becomes commonplace, the online gambling sector is usually well-placed to take advantage.

Virtual reality

Virtual reality is similar to augmented reality in that it transforms the world around the player, but it does this in a much bigger way. Delivered through headsets, players are immersed in a whole new environment. This technology has already been utilised heavily in traditional console gaming, with products like Oculus Rift designed specifically to harness VR. Mainstream platforms like PlayStation and Xbox also offer VR products to players and they do appear to be growing in popularity.

The technology isn’t as widespread in casino gaming at present, but the possibilities for its implementation are quite obvious. Players may be transported to a high-end Vegas casino or a high-stakes tournament poker table. Many casino platforms have worked hard to deliver an immersive experience to players, and VR could be the next logical step.

Technology like augmented and virtual reality offers exciting possibilities to the online casino sector, although there is more to the marketplace than delivering immersive experiences. The smartphone has created a new way to play and often casino gamers are seeking out a more casual experience that they can enjoy on the go.

So, while realistic, intense experiences could be a big part of the sector’s future, it’s just as likely that developers will invest time in boosting the performance of the platforms’ mobile apps.