Is virtual reality hindering or reshaping online gaming? There’s a fine line between the two. For many a year we’ve been promised a future of virtual reality, a future in which cars drive themselves and not too long ago we were even promised the invention of flying cars, but thankfully, we’re a long way away from that! We went from playing casino games on a computer to playing on smartphone, so anything is possible! We may not be at the same level as holodeck from Star Trek but virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are becoming more and more advances with each passing day.
What’s the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality? Virtual reality is a simulated experience which can be tailored to the individual; whether that be similar to real-life events or the complete opposite. To benefit from this, a headset is required providing the user to look around the artificial world, but they don’t come cheap.
Augmented reality in the iGaming world allows players to play a virtual game with realistic graphics. It is effectively a system which combines both reality and virtual reality, so you can fight battles or capture mythical creatures in the real world. The best applicating of AR is in geolocation and adventure games. It also has the advantage of not requiring an expensive headset. All you need is an AR-enabled smartphone or console.
The iGaming industry is fast moving and unless operators are clever, they get left behind. It’s a very competitive market where the very latest advancements in technology are required to give them the edge over the competition and one such edge is virtual reality. Consumers are craving more of an immersive experience and operators and developers are having to adapt fast – take the live casino for example, these games are beamed live from recording studios and allow the player to pull up a seat right in the heart of the casino, all without leaving their home! According to online-casino.com virtual reality is starting to play a bigger part in online gambling, Evolution is proof of that!
1. The Personal Touch
VR casinos launched back in 2015 as a way of offering more of an immersive experience, but is it any different to launching a live casino game? You bet! VR will place you in the heart of the action and offer a sophisticated gaming experience like no other, but we’re yet to see any major break-through with this five-years down the line.
2. Pull in the Punters
VR can provide more of a relaxed gaming environment for those who rarely have the time to visit a physical land-based casino. VR casinos can provide plenty of thrills and big winning opportunities – just like a bricks and mortar casino.
3. Something New
If you’ve the readiest o splash out on a VR headset, VR online casinos allow you to take a tour around the premises to find something that suits. There may be several games to choose from, but compared to your good old-fashioned online casino, the choice is minimal.
4. Interaction
In rare circumstances, VR casinos allow the player to communicate in real-time with the live dealer and the other players at the table, but we’re able to do this with standard online casinos nowadays! Okay, so there may be a difference; one offers an immersive experience while the other requires you to watch the live stream and type into the chat feature.
5. Put Your Stamp on It
As the casino gets to know you and your style of play, your behavioural patterns will allow the casino to offer more of a personalised experience. This in turn will transform the way you view the casino with the games you’re more likely to play being housed directly in view.
To sum up, VR is having very little effect on online casinos – a quick search online will show you just how popular this technology is; there are very few sites offering this service. However, it is anticipated to be the reason for many a change in years to come, but it will be many years down the line. In a heavily regulated market, obtaining a gambling license for such a casino will be difficult and until all major operators jump on board with this, it’s not going to have a major impact on what we’re seeing (and loving!) today.
