Online gambling and technology have a history that dates back more than two decades when the first online casino, InterCasino, launched in 1996. At that time, it would have been impossible to think that this industry would evolve into a $45 billion industry.
There were just 15 online casinos in practice in the first year. This increased to more than 150 within 12 months as traditional casino industry leaders realized the sector’s potentials.
Since hitting the $1 billion mark in value in 1998, there has been a steady growth within the sector as more innovations and features have been introduced with successful results during this period. This article will explore some important features that technological innovation has brought into the casino industry.
Multiple Payment Options
One area that has greatly ensured that online gambling takes a major foothold is the integration of multiple payment options. Gamblers are able to deposit within minutes on online platforms easily. Several platforms have also made payments very easy for users and offer cashless options like debit cards, credit cards, and popular payment processing platforms like PayPal (News - Alert). OLBG.com provides a list of popular casinos that offer PayPal payment option; you can check out the page here.
Although one can say that with land casinos, you can use just about any amount to bet, but online casinos have been able to expand on this. One advantage of technology is that you can adapt to new trends. Cryptocurrencies have become popular in the past decade as a form of payment due to their anonymity and security.
Popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoimakees it difficult for governments worldwide to track owners and have become a popular tool for payment across the world.
Several online casinos have adapted to this trend by offering crypto payments on their platforms to expand their operations internationally. Gamblers from restricted countries can easily enjoy their favorite games in complete anonymity and also get paid their winnings in cryptocurrencies.
There has also been a gradual shift towards online casinos launching on blockchain technology, which offers better security features and offers a glimpse into the future. Some land-based casinos offer cryptocurrency payments for their VIP customers, suggesting that this trend is extending to the traditional casinos.
Choice and variety
Technology has introduced a multi-dimensional approach within the casino industry. There has been a rush towards developing games that offer better features to gamers.
Online Casinos have redefined the notion of gambling experience. Several platforms design their user interface to ensure users have a surreal experience gambling from the comfort of their homes. The aesthetic touch towards gambling games has also made it appealing to many as there are cool visuals and tense atmosphere that mimics real-life situations.
These changes have come in the form of redefining existing genres and incorporating new options. This is evident in the growing number of gamblers that prefer the online experience to the traditional land-based casinos.
For example, eSports has been added by most online gambling sites; this shows the potentials of technological innovation in the gambling sector.
The variety of options has also spurred an increasing number of gamblers, with some online casinos offering more than 2,000 games to choose from. This vast amount of games ensures that gamers are never bored and experience different features during their time on the platform.
New technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality have further helped to propagate gamblers’ gaming experience. Virtual reality has been used for a while and has given rise to the growth of live casinos.
The use of these sophisticated glasses offers gamblers a surreal gambling experience as they are inserted into a different world. Users are able to see the real dealer in live casinos and have real-time interactions based on the land-based casino experience.
The advent of Mobile Gaming
The mobile gaming industry has been the fastest-growing sector of the online gambling market worldwide. More than 40% of the gaming sector is concentrated within this niche, as mobile phones have become easily accessible globally. This has subsequently seen the value of the mobile gaming sector rise to about $50 billion.
Most online casinos have leveraged this fact by developing mobile-friendly sites, with some going the extra mile to develop mobile apps optimized to ensure a similar gaming experience to the web version.
You can quickly play a slot game from your mobile phones while walking by the sidewalk or quickly play other card games while waiting for the train. Mobile gaming developers have also developed the mechanics and graphics of these games to be appealing, with some casinos offering over 1000 games to mobile users.
All these have been made possible due to technology, and more innovations are being proposed towards introducing newer features that would attract more gamers.
Customer Support systems and security
Despite the uniqueness of online gaming and gambling, it also comes with its dangers as they are faced with a frequent amount of attacks on their security systems than traditional land-based casinos.
Since digital information is very sensitive, it is important that casinos well keep it lest it falls into the wrong hands. Personal information can be used for identity theft that could lead to the victim losing money to hackers. Online casinos have used technology to fortify their security with secure systems and back-security, all aimed towards securing users' data.
Some online casinos also use artificial intelligence to detect weird movements on their platforms, which has proven to be effective. There are also options for users to integrate 2FA authentication, which prevents unauthorized persons from accessing user’s data.
Customer support has also evolved due to the technology’s advent with new advanced ways casinos use to resolve customer issues. Online casinos have integrated options like call centers, emails, and live chats in recent years. Some casinos even go the extra mile by offering 24/7 services to assure customers that they are gambling in a safe environment.
These customer support options have also been why casinos have been able to expand globally and run 24/7 essentially.
Conclusion
We have not seen the end; the future promises to be more fantastic. Casinos will continue to leverage technology in the coming years, with more innovations expected within the industry.
