The COVID-19 pandemic saw a radical shift in the gambling industry. With the Las Vegas strip and other brick-and-mortar casinos closing their doors in the wake of lockdowns, gamblers are moving online to play.
As a result, the online gaming industry saw its biggest boom in revenue ever. Many of these platforms used the money to upgrade the gaming experience for customers hoping that they'll retain their client base when the pandemic subsides.
Let's unpack some of these new technologies and how they're changing the face of online gambling.
AI and Enhanced Graphics for Better Gaming Experiences
Gaming companies like EGT and NetEnt are leading the way in new gaming technologies. From introducing virtual casinos to improving slot interfaces, these companies are working on enhancing the gaming industry.
Technologies like Artificial Intelligence help with producing new games with compelling interfaces. The companies realize they need to improve the experience if they want to retain players when real slots and tables open in the future.
Cryptocurrency Transactions to Circumvent the Financial System
If you want to gamble online, you still have to deal with the taxman when tax season rolls around. However, with the rise of cryptocurrency, you can gamble in BTC or ETH and collect your winnings in these crypto-assets.
If you're depositing and withdrawing in crypto, you don't have to involve the taxman in your winnings. Instead, you keep everything, and you get an instant withdrawal. A central issuing authority or bank does not regulate cryptocurrency. Therefore, the financial system has no control over your assets, and they can't tax you on any crypto earnings you make gambling online.
It's only when you convert the crypto to fiat currencies like the Euro and Dollar, where you need to involve the taxman and give them their cut.
ChatBots for Better Customer Support
Online casinos receive thousands of players – and thousands of support requests. By implementing chatbots on their sites, online casinos improve the customer experience.
Chatbots designed to answer FAQs help gamblers fund and withdraw from their accounts without the hassle of calling a line that's always engaged or waiting for 48-hours for an email response.
Online casinos implementing customer support chatbots find they have fewer customer service issues, leading to a better gaming experience for their customers. As a result, they benefit from a boost in player retention to its platform.
Verification by Robots like Jumio
As we all know, one of the biggest hang-ups in getting your casino withdrawal is the hassle of sending your KYC information. Some casinos require you to comply with KYC to prevent money laundering. Typically, KYC is only an issue in casinos dealing with fiat currencies like the Dollar and Euro.
It takes time for the casino staff to vet your KYC information. In the past, these delays led to a severe amount of customer dissatisfaction and delays in withdrawals. As a result, more people lined up to play at no verification casinos.
However, the introduction of bots and AI systems to do the work of verifying your KYC information dramatically sped up the process.
Live Dealers to Relieve Lockdown Stress
With the pandemic causing the closure of live casinos, many gamers miss the atmosphere of the venue and the crowd's action. Some online casinos saw this as an opportunity.
To gain customers that were missing the live effect and atmosphere in a real casino, these companies instituted "Live Dealers." Live dealers let the gambler know they are playing a real game. They have camera access to the dealer as if they were standing at the table in a real casino.
Mobile Gambling Platforms for Easy Access to Gaming
The introduction of mobile gaming was a game-changer for the online gambling industry. With cellphone access, gamblers can play anywhere they have an internet connection.
Most online mobile platforms come optimized for mobile devices, giving players the best mobile gaming experience possible.
Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences
AR and VR are changing the way we interface with casinos online. Several gaming developers are working on AR and VR experiences for players.
We expect that these new tech innovations will start appearing at online casinos in the coming years.
Tighter Security for a Safe Gambling Experience
Along with tech improvements to the player experience, online casinos are increasing their security. New security protocols help the operator run a tight ship, preventing hacks from bad actors.
Author’s Bio:
Taylor Glickman is the author of My Gambling Diaries and My gambling odyssey. He lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife, Cathrin Soren, and their three children.
