Online casinos have been around for almost 30 years now. Just like ecommerce and digital gaming platforms, they have revolutionized the way we play classic games like Blackjack, Roulette, and slot machines to name a few.
In the same way, virtual reality made huge headlines during the 90s. Except it didn’t kick off like the rest of the internet and video games due to lack of computer resources. However, we have seen it reemerge on to the scene about 5 years ago. And this time it’s immensely different.
VR and video games
The Oculus Rift made a huge impact back when it was first announced. All of a sudden, everyone who had seen The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest had a flashback to their childhood dream.
Ever since the Oculus Rift launched, we have seen a long list of games supporting VR technology. Some of them could be dismissed as mere tech demos, while others offered a unique and exciting new perspective to already established genres.
But now VR is slowly coming to other domains as well. Today we’ll be exploring how it impacts the world of online casinos. While many people still prefer the real thing where they can get free spins without wagering requirements and use it all day long, the number of digital gamblers has increased significantly. Could brick and mortar casinos finally meet their match? Let’s find out.
Sight, sound, and touch
A virtual reality casino is the closest you’ll ever get to experiencing the atmosphere of the real thing.
In regular online casinos, you can only click or tap your screen to perform actions. VR casinos let you walk around, show gestures, and interact realistically with players, tables, and machines.
Get some motion controllers and you can turn the lever on a slot machine. Similarly, you’ll have to hold the cards in your hand and keep them out of other players’ view. You can also reach out and place the chips on the table yourself.
Walk around the area and you’ll hear the familiar sounds. You’ll also see other players taking a stroll, sitting at a table, etc. The list goes on and on. But you can probably already imagine the difference between VR casinos and regular online ones.
Real-time communication
Forget typing on a keyboard and waiting for others to notice your message in the corner of their screen.
Get a headset and speak like you would in a real casino. Not only that, but you can also communicate through hand gestures. So, if you want to make a subtle reference to one of your friends, you can do it.
This feature is particularly useful in poker. It makes the experience more genuine. And you will be able to identify someone’s bluff more easily.
This feature is particularly useful in poker. It makes the experience more genuine. And you will be able to identify someone’s bluff more easily.
Tailor-made experiences
By combining virtual reality with artificial intelligence, the casinos will know what you like and don’t like.
Because of this, you’ll likely see a change in the casino layout every time you play. More specifically, each machine and table you play most often will get swapped around to make it easier for you to reach them.
The bottom line
Just like VR made a huge difference in gaming, it will do the same for online casinos. Virtual reality might eventually take over the real thing.
While the technology is still in its infancy and slightly too expensive, the potential is there. Any tech geek is looking forward to what VR has to offer.