The global pandemic witnessed an increase in online gambling since restrictions meant little to no access to traditional brick and mortar casinos. The result of the increase in online gamblers meant casinos had to be more innovative in coming up with ways to attract new customers, while at the same time keeping the existing ones happy. These lead to trends that were defined last year and are likely to go on to define the future of online casino gaming. Here is what you may expect in 2022 and beyond.
Use of tailor-made banking solutions for online gambling
The increased number of online gamblers will see an increase in tailor-made solutions specifically created to cater for the needs of online gamblers. Gamblers face unique challenges and risks, therefore tailor-made payment solutions such as MuchBetter casinos India cater for these unique needs to enable gamblers to securely and successfully manage their transactions.
Many more casinos will be accepting cryptocurrency
One of the reasons why cryptocurrencies are growing at an incredible rate is because it gives its users anonymity. Gamblers may thus feel safe since their transactions are untraceable, thus giving them financial freedom. Furthermore, its anonymity means gamblers can enjoy their favourite games even in restrictive jurisdictions. Cryptocurrencies are also ideal for gambling since they can be processed easily. They also do not come with the stringent measures your money may have to go through when processing it through banks. This means you can fast and easily process your virtual currency and convert it into cash when you need it. Casinos are also starting to embrace blockchain technology to promote fair casino gaming. This is because they are harder to manipulate and hack when compared to Random Number Generator (RNG). Blockchain transactions are also more secure and transparent since they can be verified on a digital lender. Furthermore, the increased prominence of Metaverse and NFTs will see the demand for blockchain casinos continue to grow.
An increase in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Gaming
With the Metaverse evolving and the demand for immersive gaming experiences continuing to increase, the future trend will be gamblers pushing for AR, VR and even Mixed Reality (MR) gaming. Such technologies will enable gamblers to interact and have experiences as they would in traditional brick and mortar casinos. However, it is expected to take a few more years to catch up, since the costs of headsets and other gears aimed to create these experiences are prohibitive for most gamers.
Esports
Casino gaming and sports gaming usually go hand in hand. This is because most online casinos also offer sports books as one of their options. When the global pandemic struck, it meant that most sports events around the world had to be postponed or cancelled. While this robbed fans of the adrenaline rush of supporting and betting for their favourite teams, it also led to an increase in the popularity of Esports. This is where gamblers can bet on popular video games such as DOTA 2, Counter-Strike Global Offensive and FIFA among others. This led to some online gamers becoming superstars overnight, and the Esports phenomenon has been growing ever since, with the trend expected to continue.
Safer and secure gambling
Cybersecurity experts are always working hard to ensure the internet is a safe place for users. This has resulted in the use of technological advancements such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to improve internet security. With most jurisdictions imposing laws and regulations such as Know Your Customers (KYC) verifications, online casinos will be able to leverage more on the power of AI and Machine learning to detect malicious practices such as laundering, fraud, unfair gaming and underage gambling. While there are minimum security policies that online casinos are required to comply with, stiff competition in the industry means that some will even be willing to go further to give their customers a safe, secure, reliable, fair and responsible gambling environment. Other trends that will be adopted more in the future include enhanced security features such as facial recognition, two-factor authentication and other advanced login features to ensure user accounts are a lot safer.
More casinos and more gaming selections
The online casino market is ever-expanding, especially given that jurisdictions such as the USA and Canada are beginning to lift restrictions on online gambling. This means that when such markets start opening up, they will have unique needs they will need to be met. This will thus see new casinos coming up to fulfil those needs.
Wearables
With the popularity of wearables such as smartwatches increasing, and the fact that they are becoming more powerful, online casinos will consider adopting them for gaming purposes. For example, Playtech has already set the pace by powering slot machines for Apple Watches. It is even easier and more convenient to play games on wearables on the go since they are close to the body. The future promises more innovative designs and casino companies will be eager to take advantage of these trends.
