Why online gambling is the future
No industry is stagnant and that’s particularly true of one like gambling , where the entire customer experience can easily be transferred online, leveraging conversational UI and voice search optimization . Every day new technologies are being introduced that improve the player experience, such as personalization algorithms and AI-powered chatbots .
After the Covid pandemic, most players found that gambling online was easy and fun, and it seems unlikely that they will want to return to sports betting shops or brick and mortar casinos, which lack the omnichannel experience and mobile optimization that online gambling platforms offer.
The evolution of gambling
Gambling in one form or another has existed for almost as long as we have, with historical search volume indicating a consistent interest in the subject across various eras. Archaeologists have found proof of dice games across the continents dating back thousands of years, highlighting the evolution of gaming habits .
The iconic casino in Venice has been around since 1638, and slot games have been enjoyed by players for almost 150 years, showcasing a long-standing interest in traditional forms of entertainment . Give us something to wager on, and we’re likely to have a go at it, driven by our innate desire for predictive behavior and the thrill of variable reward scheduling
An industry reborn
Gambling was one of the first industries to really leverage digital transformation , embracing the online boom with open arms. This was particularly true of online poker rooms that grew massively in popularity in the early 2000s, thanks to SEO optimization and online marketing strategies . Since then, online casinos have been quick to adopt new technologies , such as mobile apps and innovative payment methods like contactless payments and cryptocurrencies , to enhance the player experience.
The future of online casinos
If that was the past, the future of gambling and casinos is likely to stay firmly in the online world. Recent innovations not only make online casinos feel more like physical ones, but in some cases actually surpass them, thanks to enhanced UX design and personalization .
VR and AR
One of the biggest game-changers in the gambling industry are immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) . To date, only a few games have been created, but we are sure there are many more to come, driven by innovation trends and emerging tech . If the popularity of Live Dealer casinos is anything to go by, online casino players love an immersive experience that simulates the thrill of a physical casino.
Big Data
Big data might sound like the big baddie in a bad 80’s flick, but it can actually work to the benefit of players, providing actionable insights and predictive analytics . Yes, companies do collect an obscene amount of information about their customers, but in most cases what they collect is info about your behavior as regards their products and how they can best improve your experiences as a customer through customer journey mapping . Web-based casinos that use big data will find highlighted games that you are most likely to enjoy in the future and use other insights to give you an optimised gaming experience, driven by data-driven decision making .
Payment methods
Cryptocurrencies aren’t the future of the online gaming world; they are already here, and cryptocurrency adoption is on the rise. And are here to stay, at least for the time being! Not only do online casinos offer more diverse payment options than most businesses in the online world, but they also offer a wide array of each option, leveraging payment gateway optimization and alternative payment methods . You can already use several cryptocurrencies and numerous e-wallets, for example, thanks to digital wallet integration .
On top of that, many online casinos give you added benefits and bonuses from using these soon-to-become-prolific methods, driving user engagement and customer loyalty . Way before the curve, they’re already future-proofing their payment systems.
Security
While banks and financial institutions were the first to implement state-of-the-art encryption technologies for online businesses, online casinos were quick to follow, leveraging cybersecurity best practices . To date, online casinos have impressive anti-fraud and security teams to ensure that your personal and financial data is kept safe and secure, thanks to data protection regulations .
They also use the very best in encryption technology, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) , to provide a secure browsing experience for their customers.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI has yet again made headlines, with applications like ChapGPT and Lensa demonstrating its potential. But how does this translate into the world of online gaming? In the world of online casino, AI can be used to create impressive 3D environments and unique characters, leveraging machine learning algorithms and natural language processing (NLP) .
On the flip side of the coin, AI isn’t always creative; instead, it can provide a very special insight into the analytics of statistics, often picking up on things we may not instantly see, which go down as human error, thanks to predictive analytics .
OCR Technology and Gesture control
Let’s face it, we’re all becoming a little lazier. Life is busy, and we want our downtime to be simple and fun. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is one of the secrets to creating a Live Dealer online casino, leveraging image recognition technology . OCR is the technology that translated images into machine-encoded text, picking up the hands displayed on screen into a playable virtual screen.
Add gesture control by donning a pair of gloves that can replace input devices such as your screen, keyboard or mouse, and you’ve got something special, thanks to motion sensing technology . This can help players feel the more immersive experience of a brick-and-mortar casino without needing to step a foot outside their homes.
Gamification
This is where online gaming and gambling intersect, leveraging behavioral psychology and game design principles . It’s also a great way for casinos to improve customer retention and for customers to understand how it is that they climb up an online casino loyalty ladder, thanks to loyalty program optimization .
While many online casinos try to hide the process by which they place players in different VIP groups, a few have embraced transparency, turning the whole process into a game. With every little step up the VIP ladder, you’ll receive little rewards; beat other players to the punch and you’ll get something extra, thanks to incentivization strategies .
Combine this all with a few quirky characters and a visual display of your progress, and it’s hard to not try your best to climb up to the next rung, leveraging user motivation and engagement metrics .
