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June 29, 2017

Live Casino: History and Future

While, given the chance, many of us would speak highly of a life spent swaddled in the warm embrace of blankets and a Netflix subscription, the reality is that we’re actually very social creatures, a trait that’s visible in the growing number of ways that we can talk to each other; it’s no coincidence that nearly 2bn people – just under a third of people on the planet – are Facebook users, while 400m call the 140 characters of Twitter (News - Alert) home.



Image via Pixabay

Human Contact

With the above in mind, the introduction of social functionality to games, websites, and mobile apps is something of a growth industry – even if it’s just giving Web users the option to share an article about the first meat and potato pie in space with their friends. The obvious example is multiplayer gaming, both in the guise of MMOs like World of Warcraft and more conventional, team-based shooters like Battlefield 1.

However, online casinos have also pounced on our innate need for a little human contact, introducing “live” versions of classic games. Based around a webcam feed of a dealer, live casino is an attempt to bring the activity closer to its real-life counterpart in terms of the number of opportunities for social interaction. Players can talk to the dealer and watch their cards being dealt by hand from a shoe, eliminating computer odds.

For instance, the live casino games at William Hill let the player choose from poker, baccarat, roulette, and blackjack, as well as several unique variants like Vegas or Macau-styled options. The games themselves play out in much the same way – bets are placed and the player can “hit” or “stand” in blackjack just like in the regular version of the game – but the high definition feed creates a more authentic casino experience for the player.

Image via Pexels

TV Gaming

The appearance of live casino games was, of course, the product of technological innovation outside the industry. The development of HTML5 made broadcasting without third-party plug-ins a reality for developers, while affordable broadband, long a thorn in the side of multiplayer gamers everywhere but South Korea was a painfully late development in the world of technology. Put another way, live casino followed much the same trajectory as Netflix and Twitch.

And much like Netflix, the next step for live casino is TV. While nothing particularly revolutionary (TV casinos simply upscale the smartphone experience to a smart TV), the option to play on the big screen is nevertheless a new paradigm for the industry, representing another way for casinos to get their product in front of players. Similar to live casino, TV-based games aren’t on-demand; games simply start every few minutes.

It’s likely that virtual reality (VR) will be the next step for casinos and players chasing more immersive environments but, until the price of headsets like the Oculus Rift comes down, VR gaming will remain a niche hobby, the domain of PC enthusiasts in particular. Still, the casino industry’s penchant for innovation is encouraging, and something that will help it attract younger gamers, a critical concern given the emergence of the millennials.




 
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