Gambling has been around since forever. Although its fundamentals haven’t changed an inch, digital technology has changed the way we interact with it. From online betting platforms to virtual reality casinos, tech is making gambling more engaging each year.
The Growth of Online Gambling
The internet has caused a rise in online gambling, in part because it’s now more accessible. Virtual casinos and sportsbooks are now available all the time, letting players enjoy their favorite games from their phones while commuting, or on the laptops on vacation.
Mobile apps allow people to place bets with just a few taps. This convenience has attracted a broader audience, especially younger players, but it’s also altered the way we shop for a betting platform. Before, it would be a matter of going to whatever shop is on your closest highstreet or town.
Today, there are thousands of options, all equally easy to sign up with. The result? Fierce competition and the rise of welcome bonuses. Experts have collected instant casinos, and this is now how people shop around for them.
The fast pace of online gambling doesn’t come without its risks either. Quick and easy betting can lead to impulsive decisions. The ability to deposit money instantly may cause players to chase their losses or get carried away. To address these risks, online gambling platforms have introduced responsible features like self-exclusion tools. In some ways, they’ve fought technology with technology.
Gamification and Skill-Based Gambling
In recent years, online gambling platforms have started using gamification to attract new players. They add features like leveling up and leaderboards, or something akin to the battlepass, which are common in video games. In fact, this trend has even taken off within video games if we compare the latest Call of Duty and such with their old counterparts.
A big part of this is the introduction of skill-based gambling games. Traditional casino games rely mostly on luck besides the odd one or two, like poker and to some extent, Blackjack. Players like these because it lets players use their abilities and have a sense of agency over the outcome. But, these skill elements are now being introduced to slots and other games, making them more akin to mini video games.
The move toward skill-based gambling is designed to attract younger players, like millennials and Generation Z, who prefer interactive games where they have more control. They’ve grown up with video games, and they want some semblance of that when playing at the casino. Plus, it’s more attractive to streamers, because it creates more jeopardy and interactivity from the streamer. This, of course, only helps to promote casinos.
AI and Big Data for Personalized Gambling
Artificial intelligence (AI) and big data are having influences on all industries, and gambling hasn’t escaped this either. The primary change has been in making the experience more personalized. Online casinos collect data on how players act and what they like, so this information can drive divisions and customize the experience for each individual.
One major use is personalized game recommendations. AI algorithms study a player’s history and compare it to similar players, then discover what games those similar players were also attracted to. Suggestions can then be made to match their tastes, and this helps keep players on the platform for longer because they’re seeing games they like on their “feed”.
AI can also change the game’s difficulty to match a player’s skill level, a little bit like the adaptive NPCs in FIFA, as well as offer personalized promotions. One thing we are yet to see come into the picture yet is AI’s reading of players’ emotions through facial recognition. This could be used in a variety of ways, such as having the first ever legitimately rich Player vs Computer experience.
Live Streaming and Social Gambling
Live streaming has changed online gambling by offering a more social experience. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming now host live dealer games, where real dealers manage games like blackjack and baccarat in real time. Players can chat with the dealers and other players, creating a lively and competitive environment.
Beyond the games themselves, online casinos are looking increasingly towards gambling streams hosted by popular influencers and streamers. These hosts share their strategies and essentially do play-alongs. This is a primary marketing method now for video games, and we may see this become more pushed by casino operators. The regulation over this type of content, though, has yet to mature fully.
New Betting Markets Driven by Technology
Technology has opened up many new betting markets too. This is because games around the world can be more accurately tracked and reported on, meaning that their real-time feed of information can be wagered internationally.
It’s not just 2nd division Serbian football that can wagered, but Esports and video games themselves. Esports has matured recently into a fully secure, regulated tournament environment and there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work for a betting market. And it has. This rapid adoption is all down to the digitisation of every process along the way.
Final word
The essence of gambling may never change, but technology is doing its best to broaden its horizons to become not only more inclusive of more games, but to be constantly evolving. At this rate, nobody can predict what we may be betting on in five years.
