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Technological innovation is becoming a pivotal factor of any enterprise nowadays. Whether it is a product that needs placing or a service that needs to find the targeted group of customers, the top priority is that it is in step with the current technological achievements and trends. Online gambling is no different, and this vast area of entertainment is looking to incorporate the latest tech innovations for the users.
VR (or virtual reality) and AR (or augmented reality) are the newest additions to the variety of technological perks one can entertain themselves with, in multiple areas like design, gaming, fashion…but also in gambling.
VR and AR – The Basics
VR, or virtual reality, is a tech that depends on certain hardware (the VR goggles, for instance) to create a completely new virtual environment for the user. So, a person wearing goggles, or some other kind of hardware, can perceive virtually constructed environments, cut aliens with laser swords, or jump from buildings, all in a designed 3D setting.
On the other hand, AR – augmented reality uses the existing world as its background. This technology changes the world around us by adding visual and/or audio objects that we can perceive or manipulate. It, therefore, requires much less hardware (or less complicated hardware) to perform its task. Usually, smart devices are enough, but there are specialized glasses that can augment our environment, add objects, animations, or useful information to what we see and hear around us.
AR and VR – Implementation in Online Gambling
It’s all very exciting, being able to wear helmets that take us to Neverland or hunting Pokemon across the town square with our smartphone, but how does that change our Sunday at the bookies when we just want to place a bet on our favorite football team?
Well, to be frank, that change has already been made. Since the pandemic, remote gambling and online betting have become the only option when it comes to our favorite games of chance.
All of the best betting sites have recognized the demand for remote tech implementation and switched to mobile platforms. They offer various apps as a substitution for the traditional experience. The results were beyond satisfying – the global online gambling market is growing at a fast pace and is projected to stand at $127 billion by 2027.
The growing demand for online and remote entertainment platforms is a basis for AR and VR tech to be implemented in online gambling. In July of 2021, we saw the release of the first multiplayer AR casino platform. The technology is being applied to roulette, blackjack, poker, and slots games where players can interact from remote locations, while the game itself doesn’t suffer in quality.
Virtual casinos remain one of the most represented forms of online gambling because it offers the players the closest thing to the original experience. The players can interact with each other through augmented reality environments while playing from separate locations. The virtual casino platforms are one of the fastest-growing areas of online gambling, even more so in the last year and a half because the demand has been higher than ever.
VR or AR for Online Gambling?
Arguably, AR is a better choice because it requires less hardware; it is already being used with smartphones and tablets, and it enables the player to experience the full variety of sensory stimuli that make them feel like they’re in a real casino. The feeling of sitting at a slot machine with coins falling from the roof every time they win or at a blackjack table with displayed cards in front of them is so real that one easily forgets they are actually snuggled up in their room, under a blanket.
However, users are demanding that the technology should be further developed and more available. We still haven’t seen the full potential of AR in gaming and entertainment, but the market demand is growing by the day. Considering the fact that online gambling is becoming a staple platform for this area of entertainment, the implementation of this tech is only going to grow, the apps are going to be even smoother, and we are closer and closer to playing any game we can imagine online.
VR, on the other hand, is not without its merits. While it does require more hardware and is less user-friendly, certain betting activities and gambling games would blossom with a full sensory immersion approach.
Imagine watching a sports event that you’ve placed a bet on, but the VR hardware is placing you at the stadium as a virtual environment. Or being able to play your opponents face to face in a virtual poker room, being able to perceive their reactions, see and hear every detail, and interact fully during the activity. This kind of technology will enable passionate players to immerse themselves in the experience without it being diminished in any way because of the physical barriers.
The ever-growing market of gambling entertainment can certainly afford the luxury of implementing new and fun technologies like AR and VR that bring down physical barriers. Furthermore, it is guaranteed to profit immensely from such technological evolution.
For the players, it just means more fun and more ways to engage in what they enjoy the most.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
