People are always on the lookout for new and better methods to achieve their objectives and improve every aspect of their life. Thanks to constant technological advancements, we are, more than even ever, able to accomplish these goals. In almost every industry, technology is constantly being updated, and this trend seems to be far from over. In most fields, the internet is one of the most important and influential technologies –– and the gambling business is no exception.
But what can you expect in terms of casino trends and developments in years to come? Let’s see how the gaming business is evolving and what kind of future it’s facing.
The Next-Generation of Online Casinos
During the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gaming sector, like most other industries, suffered a blow. And with the whole world coming to a screeching halt, laptops, mobile phones, and internet activity helped people adapt to sudden changes and the “new normal.”
In the casino business specifically, this meant that while brick-and-mortar casinos were unable to operate, gambling enthusiasts were still able to enjoy their favorite games online. Players turned to internet casinos to continue playing poker, blackjack, etc. all without jeopardizing their health. These platforms are accessible via computer, smartphone, or tablet, and thus provided people with versatile entertainment options.
As a result, the future of the gambling industry is even more geared toward the online experience than it once looked to be. We should note that with COVID now far less frequent, in-person casinos are making a return. This past summer in fact, Las Vegas broke its record for revenue in a month, in a sure sign that casinos around the world are likely to bounce back. Even given this sign though, momentum toward online gambling is significant.
Expanding Legalization
The gambilng industry in the near future is also likely to benefit from expanding legalization of activity. While this is a little bit tricky to outline with respect to full casino activity, it’s something we can already see beginning to happen with internet poker in the U.S. As of this writing, there are only five states with legal online poker throughout the country. But a few years ago that number was just two –– and even now there are more states inching toward legalizing the game.
It’s reasonable to expect that a significant portion of the U.S. will have legalized online poker within a few more years, with broader casino activity likely to follow. These aren’t developments we can forecast exactly, because they do still depend on state governing bodies. But the momentum is clearly toward legalization and regulation, which will affect the future of online gambling simply by massively expanding the market.
Emerging Technologies
The gambling industry is working hard to make online gambling look as authentic as possible. Remote gambling already allows a gambler unprecedented convenience and an ability to access any games he or she wants with minimal effort. To make the experience even better though, the industry is going to rely on emerging technologies.
One such technology is virtual reality, which has already begun to come into its own in the gaming world. While some were skeptical that VR gaming would catch on, there are now a lot of popular games in the category. More such games in the casino category are inevitable as we move forward (with some VR poker games in particular already looking awfully impressive).
Another emerging technology the gambling industry will be looking to take advantage of 5G. Right now, 5G networks are still in their nascent stage, and it’s difficult to know exactly how they may impact online casinos. What we can say with some certainty though is that 5G will provide faster and more widespread access to all online activities. It will also allow casino games to operate more quickly and reliably than ever before, making online gambling even more convenient than it already is.
Payments in Cryptocurrency
Finally, it is also highly likely that we’ll begin to see cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology exerting more influence on the gambling industry. Already there are some gaming sites that accept crypto deposits and return crypto rewards to players. As cryptocurrency continues to become more relevant in mainstream society, however, further integration is virtually inevitable. Already some gamers express preferences for the security and anonymity provided by cryptocurrency, making the new-age digital token, by some estimations, perfect for online casinos.
Undoubtedly, there will also be some advancements and changes we don’t see coming! But as of now, approaching the end of 2021, these developments likely comprise much of the future of the gambling industry.
