Source: Unsplash

People often associate casinos with mega-structures, housing hundreds of slots, tables and music, where the atmosphere is rife with excitement. Even though these gaming halls have often maintained their stereotypical player and location images, they have also had to adapt to the changing world.

The gambling industry continuously needs to stay up to date with the latest trends in order to satiate the market of players who are one with the digital world. It therefore needs to accommodate a technological shift, to bring itself into line with this appetite for taking normal life into another dimension. But what recent technological innovations could be implemented that would transcend live table game streaming or vivid 3D game graphics?

Virtual Reality application

As the use of VR technology becomes a market staple casinos, too, can find it a viable medium through which to bring games directly to players. Virtual reality presents online casinos with the ability to immerse players in a fully constructed world without the hassle of having to be present at the casino. This could mean that players interact with each other via both online chat and “in person”, in the virtual world, feeling as though they are right there with the action wherever they may actually, physically be.

The current market is geared toward live casino streaming designed to increase the environmental aspects of playing on a live roulette or blackjack table. However, this is still a one-way feed, made interesting only by the comments and interaction of the dealer with the players through chat. VR is set to create an alternate experience, whereby walking, talking and interacting is part of the experience. Societal changes, which include no smoking in public places, could mean players can engage in these activities in a virtual casino. It presents people with an unrestricted space in which they can pick and choose the finer details of their entertainment, creating a very personal – and therefore more enjoyable – experience.

There are certain things that aren’t as likely to change, namely how casinos attract new players: mobile and online casinos currently rely on welcome bonus, free spins and other promotions for this. Location is also key in targeting potential customers: Canadian casinos, for example, cater specifically to Canada, with themed slots that tap into local preferences or additional services such as sports betting on Canadian sports. These elements will be easy to tweak to fit the new parameters VR has to offer and casinos who can adapt their bonuses and themes to present and future needs of players are likely to survive.

AI/humanoid croupiers

Casinos could also expand into artificial intelligence where dealers might not be human anymore, but robots programmed to perform their roles quickly and efficiently. Rumour has it, Hilton is trialling an AI-powered concierge and the concept of AI bartenders mixing drinks in hotels and casinos has also been floated – suddenly, the idea of AI croupiers doesn’t seem so far fetched. The requirements of successful dealers, including mechanical, analytical thinking skills and consistency, can be classed as automated… but the human smile and communication itself is already being mimic by humanoid robots like Sophia.

Source: Unsplash

Only time will tell what the future holds, but these latest developments in technology look set to infiltrate and diversify the gambling scene in the not-so-distant future.