We understand that online casino gaming is still quite clearly sticking to the ways that are growing the market. Given that lateral growth is seeing the industry integrate its products in newer and newer jurisdictions that are slowly but surely opening up their legal boundaries for digital gambling, new technologies are natural additions to how things progress.
There have been numerous breakthroughs in how technology gets into a good place for the progress of the iGaming market. From the distribution of device-related gambling into the mobile sphere, to the integration of the newest fintech, there are plenty of frontiers that have a lot of bearing on how things go along.
Virtual reality (VR), together with its AR cousin, is one of these frontiers, powered by the fact that it can create a fantastic state of immersion that would bring down quite a few barriers. The fit with casino gaming can be seamless, as we will explain later. Given that data sourced from slotscalendar confirms that plenty of online casinos have live dealer games that try to push the boundaries of immersion, it feels a bit inevitable.
However, there are quite a few things to sort out before we crown VR as casino gaming’s technological heir apparent. There are things to understand about this technology, how it fits with casino gaming, and why there are certain applications that are much more feasible than others. In this sense, we also need to mention if there are concerns.
Read our article for a savvy breakdown on how VR technology can be the herald of a new boom that influences the continuation of online gambling’s rise.
VR Technology Is Still In A State Of Limbo
The truth about VR in the current level of popular usage is that it feels in a state of limbo. Plenty of voices on the internet are saying that the technology isn’t going anywhere, and the reasons that are invoked generally refer to the fact that it has no bearing in popular culture.
However, before we think about popular culture and entertainment, VR is most certainly a thing in fields like medical research and therapy, teaching, and other areas that provide interesting applications. This is not enough to invest in it to the degree that some people would want, so that it becomes applicable.
Some of the issues that people bring up are the cost. The expenses caused by buying VR hardware are quite significant for someone trying to enjoy casual entertainment. There’s also the fact that immersion is so deep that it creates discomfort, especially with elaborate headsets.
Motion sickness and the weight of these headsets make it hard to find feasible for something simple-minded, which can lead to the idea of stepping away from it. As such, there is quite a difficult reality in which VR is a feasible option.
The thing with VR, like any other technological piece, is that it can always have a breakthrough. Lower costs, better mass production, and a more feasible overall model can always lead to an increased interest from the masses. This is why VR still feels like a hope that can lead to confirmation, especially when we can consider it at the precipice.
Discussing The Fit With Casino Gaming
Casino gaming is open to all kinds of things, as long as the games and the atmosphere feel familiar. The demographics of casino gaming are certainly growing younger, but there is still a huge mass of consumers of this activity that would rather retain a sense of familiarity. Classical, casino-based gaming is still a format of entertainment that has a very strong sense of identity.
The idea of online gambling has already ruffled some feathers and attracted some concerns and lobbying from the resort-based part of the industry. The ‘problem’ with VR gambling is that it would create an even broader sense of overlap.
Online gambling is a completely different experience because it generally feels much less interpersonal, even when you play against other players (if the game allows it). With VR-based online gaming, that frontier would be much less stiff, especially if you were able to feel like you are at the table, seeing people around you (even if they are avatars).
As such, the immersion factor is a very significant advantage for VR gaming, even if it creates the type of environment that is so disconnected from reality that it can lead to addiction issues. In fact, while there are no regulatory measures yet, VR gaming enhances the incentive of remaining at the table and gambling because of the atmosphere, with factors like reality checks becoming obligatory.
You need to understand that VR gaming comes from the fact that it brings color and wonder to the mix. Additionally, bringing the casino experience into your home without the lack of connection that we’ve discussed would be much cheaper. Rather than going to the casino and having to buy a drink or two while sitting at the table, you can put on the headset or take it off whenever you want, enjoying the hospitality of your own home whenever you are not actively betting.
This type of convenience is what made online gambling such a popular activity and such a huge market, and VR, in theory, can only enhance it. However, we need to return to matters related to comfort, which are beyond significant.
Poker Rooms And Blackjack Tables, And Interactive Lobbies
One of the most important things to understand is the sliding scale of application. Some methods are more visible and feasible, while others require a lot of work, which means more investment and even more emphasis on innovation. This is direct proof of difficulty, which is particularly difficulty to attain.
This is why table gaming is the best way to attribute the benefits of VR. While slots are the most popular part of online casinos these days (by volume and popularity), table games, especially in the age of high-fidelity and low-latency streaming, are making a thunderous comeback.
So, when poker tables and blackjack tables are in the mix, why do they fit so well with VR, to the point that some operators are even actually trying to integrate them, sometimes doing so successfully?
From what we’re seeing, it’s the idea that they create a sense of partaking in that exact atmosphere. Starting from the point where you can feel that you can feel like you are peeping the cards that you have, or that the dealer places your blackjack card right in front of you, the environment feels exactly like the one that you expect from physical casino gaming.
Additionally, using an avatar that you can customize would allow you to show up in the lobby and sit at a table while looking your best, but without having to spend a lot of money on pieces of clothing that may not have too many applications in other areas of your life.
The general idea with table games and VR is that they create a world in which you enjoy the way gambling at a casino makes you feel, not just the act of playing itself.
Conclusion: Future frontiers
The foremost frontier that we can identify as a straight ambition is the day when slots will enter this field. It’s not a given, but it’s a possibility that would welcome you into the world of the reels while maximizing the theme and atmosphere. However, this is the kind of environment that feels like something coming from science fiction, such is the nature of technological progress.
Regardless of what you consider VR to be, issues regarding self-control and reality-breaking immersion are real, and they can become causes for regulatory intervention. However, the reality is that you can have issues with too much gambling at any time. As such, please remember to gamble responsibly!
