In 2024, Internet gambling will hit a sizeable milestone, as this sector’s existence will stretch to three full decades next year. Naturally, over this extensive period, loads of things have changed in this sector. Almost everything here looks vastly different from when things began in the mid-1990s. Today, the gaming variety far overshadows the simple reel-spinners available there, and online casino wagering requirements are more sizable, with bonus terms featuring more diverse game contribution rates.
As technology evolved, this sector underwent seismic shifts that transformed how people enjoyed games of chance, casino-style ones. In the subheadings below, we delve into the evolution of this sphere and how exciting technological advancement reshaped it. So, let us get to it.
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The Rise of Diverse Spinners
The first few sets of virtual slots implemented 3×3 or 5×4 grids, which held for all of them. However, over time, the number of reels and rows in titles from this genre substantially expanded, reaching previously unimaginable sizes. Moreover, these games moved beyond listing only one bonus round, implementing multiple extra modes and mini-games that dramatically enrich the gaming experience they provide. These include reel-modifying engines, unique gameplay systems, expanding symbols, sticky tokens, and more. As hardware developed, so did the visual presentations of products from this category, as did their gameplay capabilities.
Streaming Tables & Presenter Games
Nowadays, live table options are all the rage in this industry. Yet, few know that streaming betting options were pioneered in 2003 when Playtech soft-launched its first live studio targeting Asian gamblers. After its launch, this genre hovered under the radar until tech caught up, and these games could get played on smartphones. That primarily gets owed to advances in internet speeds and penetration, plus mobile device hardware. At writing, this genre is moving away from casino table classics like blackjack, baccarat, and roulette, shifting towards presenter options or game show-like picks that blend RNG and live gameplay.
Attempts to Implement VR/AR Technology
In 2016, VR/AR would take over the electronic consumer market by storm. While headset devices did fly off the shelves, they did not become household mainstays like popular video game consoles. The interactive gaming sector also tried to capitalize on this in-vogue global movement. And it did so by Microgaming attempting to develop a VR version of roulette in 2016 and Playtech creating a VR slot in 2017. Unfortunately, this technology somewhat drifted away from the industry after an unsuccessful try for a VR casino (Slots Million) to remain active in this landscape. But now, it is making a comeback via the Gonzo’s Quest VR Slot returning to gambling sites in multiple regions.
Chatbots & Blockchain Implementation
We are sure that many readers will get stunned to discover that chatbots initially went live in 1966, with the debut of ELIZA, the brainchild of MIT computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum. Nonetheless, concerning gambling platforms, they broke through in the past few years, assisting gamblers to access information easily and helping them resolve issues quickly.
On the blockchain incorporation front, we can tell you that Bitcoin casinos appeared in the early-2010s, with the first collection of licensed crypto-gaming hubs popping up in 2014. At first, most of these sites were one or two provably fair games. Current crypto betting websites that permit digital coin deposits and casino withdrawals boast libraries of thousands of products. These include modern slots, high-end software table games, live ones, and specialty (primarily lotteries) titles. Plus, premium video poker choices.
Metaverse Gambling Venues
When you glue the words meta and universe, you get a portmanteau describing a 3D environment where people, utilizing avatars, can travel and interact with each other. In this virtual arena, they can also transact using native fungible tokens, acting as money equivalents. Therefore, some individuals with entrepreneurial spirits have decided to open gaming venues inside many platforms, such as Decentraland and the Sandbox, which list impressive user counts. These digital properties permit patrons to bet on traditional and novel casino games with Ethereum-based tokens.
FAQs
When Did the Online Casino Sphere Get Birthed?
It existed in 1994 when the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda chose to legalize Internet gambling through the Free Trade and Processing Act.
Who Created the First Online Slots?
Going by the available data, that honor falls on Isle of Man’s legendary online casino software supplier Microgaming (Games Global now).
Who Created the First Live Table?
UK’s Playtech is responsible for the initial streaming casino studio, established in 2003.
What Is the Current Most-Dominant Game Provider?
Without question, that is Evolution, which owns multiple notable providers, including NetEnt and Red Tiger Gaming.
What Kind of Revenues Does This Sector Pull in Annually?
Per figures featured on Statista, this market should rake in around $95 billion in 2023.
To Wrap Up
Expectedly, in time, technology has substantially modified how people test their luck on casino-inspired betting products over the World Wide Web. The latest trend in this field is metaverse casinos, virtual gambling establishments that offer a more immersive betting experience than regular casino sites. Some of these implement VR technologies, and nobody knows just how many more authentic levels of gambling these platforms will supply in the future.
