Advancements in technology since the turn of the century have driven a massive shift in bettor habits in the global baling industry.
Before the internet arrived on the scene, anyone who wanted to wager on sports was forced to visit their local betting shop or place bets with on-course bookies.
It was a similar story for casino players, with iconic games such as roulette, blackjack, poker and slots only available in brick-and-mortar establishments.
Fast forward to today and the landscape is different. Sportsbooks dominate the landscape for sports fans, while online casino platforms offer easy access to a ton of games.
In the spirit of ‘time and tide wait for no man’, what passes for the norm in 2024 is unlikely to still be in vogue in a few years as technology powers forward.
Having been widely tipped to be game changers in the iGaming sector, we assess how artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) tech will impact the industry.
Bonuses & promotions
The integration of AI and machine learning technologies into iGaming will fire the user experience into another level courtesy of personalised marketing campaigns.
AI allows operators to take a deep dive into how bettors interact with their sites. They can then use this data to tailor their marketing more effectively.
By analysing the information garnered by AI, businesses in the iGaming sector can improve their chances of attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.
From generating offers tailored to a punter’s favourite sport to bonuses aimed at slots players and more, AI will serve to strengthen relationships between bettors and operators.
Operational enhancements
Running a successful iGaming business can be hugely rewarding, but this does not happen unless all the key operational elements run smoothly.
Customer support is a key area where operators must invest significant resources to ensure that every query is handled a swiftly as possible.
Chatbots powered by AI have become increasingly prevalent in the sector over the past couple of years, and will likely grow in popularity as the technology becomes more sophisticated.
AI will also influence several other operational elements in the future including responsible gaming, payment processing and cybersecurity issues.
VR in iGaming
While AI has already made significant inroads in the iGaming sector, VR has been a little slower to take off due to the previous limitations of the supporting headsets.
However, things have taken a massive leap forward in the past couple of years, with some leading iGaming software developers making significant inroads with the tech.
Evolution Gaming’s launch of a VR version of Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt in 2021 which blended live casino games and slots fired things to a whole new level.
Further VR innovations are guaranteed to have a major impact on iGaming over the next few years, potentially leaving traditional digital games trailing in their wake.