A man makes bets on an online casino.

AI, VR, and 5 other technology advancements adopted by online casinos

Written by:
July 21, 2023
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This story originally appeared on The Game Day Casino and was produced and distributed in partnership with 麻豆原创 Studio.

AI, VR, and 5 other technology advancements adopted by online casinos

Online casinos are nearly 30 years old, but thanks in part to a 2018 Supreme Court ruling to , the size of the industry is on a steady increase. That same year, more than online or in person, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. And after the deregulation of online gambling in more states, the exponential advances in technology, and  introducing more people to betting apps, the market size of online gambling is predicted to continue growing, up to by 2030.

The advances in online gambling technology can solve some of the problems that brick-and-mortar casinos can't easily. Technology can , pinpoint to ensure they can seek treatment, and protect payments through more secure, decentralized banking.

While online platforms can always present challenges like scamming, gambling technology is stepping up to the challenge with machine learning and artificial intelligence. These technologies can not only analyze vast amounts of data that are compiled from online casinos, but they can also troubleshoot possible regulatory issues by using 鈥攚hile improving the experience of players.

 

rounded up news and academic research from across the web to showcase the leading technologies changing the game in online casinos. Read on to learn more about how innovations are creating more secure ways to play, designing more realistic experiences, increasing accessibility for players, and more.

Man playing in an online casino with tablet, fingers crossed.
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Artificial intelligence and machine learning

While it may feel like artificial intelligence has only the technology landscape, over 20 years ago, at his own game.

Since then, (the computer methods that support AI) have been used to complement the way humans solve and perform complex problems, like how to improve player engagement and experience at online casinos. AI and ML have been used in everything from creating more interactive and tailored game experiences, especially when paired with augmented or virtual reality, to . AI is also the engine behind 24/7 customer service chatbots.

On a larger scale, data modeling and predictive analysis allow online casinos to learn what aspects of their games need tweaking and what their users love, helping online casinos ideate effective marketing strategies and new game ideas.

Bearded man wearing virtual reality goggles.
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Virtual reality

鈥攁nd the costs of headsets and accessories remain unaffordable for some鈥擵R brings more authenticity and accessibility to online casino gambling. Instead of just experiencing online gambling through a screen with your keyboard and mouse, VR experiences provide recreated brick-and-mortar casino experiences鈥攐r completely imaginary ones鈥攚ith fully immersive playing that appeals to your senses.

The online publication News Anyway reports that to integrate VR and live dealer games that allow players to interact with dealers and players via a live video stream and chat rather than playing against avatars.

Gesture control technology further emulates the real-life experience, as players can use gloves that act as their controllers, and haptic technology provides tactical sensations to really feel like players are interacting with their cards鈥攐r shaking the hand of the person "next" to them鈥攊nstead of pushing buttons.

Man with spectacles sitting on couch while looking at mobile phone.
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Augmented reality

Augmented reality technology extends your physical reality, using your smartphone or tablet to add to the real world around you with a virtual layer of sounds and simulated visuals like a 3D-animated slot machine or roulette wheel. Pok茅mon Go was a well-known example of AR gaming in 2016, but it was only in 2021 when the , according to Innovation & Tech Today. The technological breakthrough was partially due to more powerful mobile processing, like 5G, to support the technology.

Woman hand holding credit card and using laptop.
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Tokenization

Tokenization technology allows online casinos to improve the security of online transactions and reduces the risk of fraud while providing players with another option to fund their accounts and participate in loyalty and reward programs.

Tokenization technology produces tokens鈥攐r digital representations鈥攐f the physical and digital assets a user can access. The tokenization process to speed up transaction speeds and usually uses cryptocurrency as the medium of exchange, enabling credit card details and other sensitive information to be swapped for tokens to make payments. Online casinos can issue token sales, even using cryptocurrency as payment; however, tokens can also be earned by engaging in the casino and redeemed for all kinds of rewards, including tangible goods.

Close up of Binary codes on screen and WEB3.0 word in the middle.
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Web3

Web3鈥攖he newly-evolved version of the internet based on decentralization and peer-to-peer transactions鈥攈as the with faster, fairer, more transparent, and secure platforms. The blockchain technology that underpins Web3 means that online platforms do not have to rely on a single server or company; it can protect user information, ensure game legitimacy, and be than traditional web applications.

Since Web3 gives users greater control over the internet, online casinos can also bolster their efforts to become more inclusive and transparent in the way they develop or operate, for example, by allowing users to vote.

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Geolocation tracking and optical character recognition

As gambling regulations differ by state and locality, is being applied by online casinos to verify relevant information like players' ages or addresses from documents that are uploaded to the platform.

However, a trend towards no-verification or no-account online casinos purposefully does not require/collect ID to verify users' ages or addresses. To combat this loophole, the has become law in some states, allowing online gambling operators the ability to pinpoint where a user is physically located before gambling online, using one or more types of geolocation (IP address, Wi-Fi geolocation, cellular positioning, GPS).

Illustration of a web of digital devices connecting to a phone.
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Convergence of edge computing and the Internet of Things

If you've ever wondered how technology could possibly support the computing and networking power to facilitate enjoyable online casino experiences for a massive amount of people, you can look smart in front of your friends by pointing to the convergence of edge computing and the Internet of Things.

This IoT is a growing network of smart devices that collect and process data. The increasing amount of data processed through IoT leads to slower processing times, which is solved by edge computing, or processing data close to where it originated rather than data centers that may be far away. This as demands for more real-time, data-intensive, and speedy computing intensify.

Data reporting by Jared Beilby. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

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