With augmented and virtual reality anticipated to be mainstream within the next decade, many have speculated how it could affect the online casino industry. One theory is that it will be used to enhance existing games and move traditional online casinos forward in their evolution. Another idea is that the new tech will create a separate offshoot, allowing today’s online casinos to continue in their current format. Let’s talk about how virtual reality brings subsector of online gambling.
Digital Games Are Set Apart from Physical Counterparts
In the early days of online casinos, it seemed that developers were trying to replicate the real-world casino experience online. However, it soon emerged that the internet version of gambling was its own brand-new entity. For instance, a promotion like Paddy Power’s offer with 100 free spins no deposit wouldn’t exist in the physical realm, and it has come about due to the enhanced competition online. This deal can be used with Daily Jackpot slot games, reel spinners that are much more advanced than the clunky offline machines that inspired them.
Now, gamblers view online and offline gambling as two separate sectors almost, with each one providing players with a wildly different experience and atmosphere. Online casinos have become so popular in this format that it would be risky for developers to mix things up too much. This means that they may be wary about introducing new technology that could completely change the way games are played.
AR and VR Could Offer a Brand-New Experience
Instead of progressing today’s games with AR and VR and leaving the current offerings behind, developers could seek to create an alternative sector of online gambling for users who want to experience it in this format. This way, the players who have grown to love online casinos can still enjoy them in the same way.
AR and VR technology could be used to bridge the gap between the online and offline versions of casino games, providing players with a hybrid experience. For example, the devices could essentially allow people to wander around a virtual casino, playing digitally rendered versions of the games that are made to seem real.
Microgaming has already come up with VR Roulette, so there is a possibility that table games like these could line up alongside one another in an explorable world. It could be reminiscent of The Four Kings Casino and Slots, an online social game from Digital Leisure that was released in 2015. This time, though, players would feel as if they are moving around themselves, rather than controlling an avatar.
When Could This Come to Fruition?
The concept of a new form of online gambling branching off from the existing offering is realistically at least ten years down the line. AR and VR are expected to start going mainstream in 2025, and the industry is projected to grow by more than $162 billion between now and then. From this point, more people will be seeking VR experiences, and the gambling industry is surely going to try to capitalize on this.
It seems like we have been waiting an eternity for AR and VR to go mainstream, but all the projections suggest it will happen in the next few years. At this point, it will be interesting to see if a new form of virtual gambling emerges. There is a strong chance that this could happen. If that happens be ready for virtual reality in subsector of online gambling.
