There are a few industries, like the iGaming one. Certainly, few that move at the same fast pace as this one does. Over the past few decades, it’s gone from a niche that perhaps only a couple of people you know enjoy to one worth tens and tens of billions of dollars, adopting the latest tech and being as easy to play on your smartphone as it is at home on your desktop.
It’s long been an industry to look to for the next big thing, from social casino and how games are becoming more of a community space for players, without having to wager real money, to how the likes of virtual and augmented reality are being adopted. That will continue too as more tech enters the fold and the industry itself looks to expand and develop more. But what can we expect over the next 12 months?
The Continued Rise of Social Casinos
Well, we can expect an even bigger growth in social casinos, which continue to gain traction and follow a similar pathway to the likes of cloud gaming. Rather than wagering real money, players use virtual currencies and in-app purchases.
This actually allows them to operate in jurisdictions that are more tightly regulated or where gambling is restricted completely. This accessibility means that they continue to go from strength to strength and allow players to connect to a much wider community and be more social in their gameplay.
Growth is accelerating due to the fact that it is so accessible and appeals to both casual gamers and more established gamblers alike, while the casinos themselves can be played cross-platform, whether you want a session on your laptop at home or a game on your phone while you wait for your bus to turn up.
Its innovation continues to be the key driving factor behind growth, though, particularly due to how you stake, with many casinos using social casino as a gateway for players before trying the real thing.
Enhanced Personalisation Through Artificial Intelligence
Of course, how can we talk about the next 12 months and not discuss AI? While AI isn’t new to online casinos at all, the technology is becoming more sophisticated, and there’s no doubt we’re going to see it used to create more personalised and tailored gaming experiences.
It will analyse and monitor behavioural patterns and game preferences to create bespoke game suggestions, bonuses and loyalty incentives. Essentially, your own personal gaming dashboard rather than the one-size-fits-all approach that we’re used to today.
There are so many benefits this will bring and will certainly ensure player retention, as well as attracting new players and keeping them on board. Importantly, it’ll also have a big impact on responsible gambling, too.
AI can detect problematic patterns and solidify cybersecurity, ensuring player welfare is a top priority, which again is only going to make players feel more confident in playing online.
Regulatory Pressure and Responsible Gaming Focus
Speaking of responsible gambling, that will continue to be at the fore, particularly in countries such as the USA and UK, where regulation is becoming tighter and tighter to protect players.
There will be a greater emphasis on player safety, with stricter limits on spending, mandatory cooling-off periods and a more enhanced age verification process, to ensure players are of legal age and spending within their means.
Alongside this, how gambling sites can advertise is going to develop too, with blanket bans during certain hours and reform in how and where it can advertise too, with the UK Government facing increased pressure to make changes.
The Emergence of Blockchain and Token Rewards
Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology have been threatening to join the party for some time in the casino space, and while several major casinos have adopted the method of payment, it’s never really taken off.
The next 12 months could be the period in which it does, and it’s expected they can play a growing role in how casinos manage payments, thanks to their lower transaction fees, faster withdrawals and higher security.
It’ll make gaming more transparent, while there may be tokenised rewards for using this, including loyalty achievements, community engagement and more.
Immersive Experiences: AR, VR and Live Gaming Evolution
Finally, making online casinos even more immersive is going to be at the top of the agenda for many gaming software providers. We’ve seen virtual reality make its moves, but again we expect it, eventually, to be as commonplace as a live casino, for example.
Movement can certainly be expected over the coming year, creating more advanced live casino offerings, as well as dedicated AR and VR rooms, essentially making it as close to playing in “real life” as ever before.
While we won’t see this technology peak in 2026, acceleration will certainly occur, and by a few years time, there’s no doubt it’ll be the norm, just as video slots or live casino rooms are today.
A Transforming Landscape
The next 12 months could see huge changes begin to emerge in the space, which will start the transformation of casinos forever. Additional security and player welfare measures will be thrust upon casinos, but it’ll be of their own volition that the new technology develops and immerses the gaming experience further.
For players, that’s exciting news, and it’ll be well worth keeping your eye on over the coming months to see just how much will change and what impact it will have on players.
