Technologies are changing almost all industries. We don’t need to queue at the bank anymore as anything can be done on the banking app; we are streaming movies instead of renting DVDs from a physical shop and we play video games on our PCs and smartphones instead of going to gaming arcades. Brick-and-mortar casinos still have a charm and most likely they will never cease to exist, however, much of the global gambling has already gone online.
But online casino development is much more than a casino simply being available online for punters. There are several advantages of online gambling to land-based casino gambling when it comes to security, convenience and user experience, and in this article, we are going to discuss them. As Swedish casinos and game producers are pioneers in casino technology development, we were happy to have a chat with Swedish iGaming expert Dominic Andreasson, whom you can read more about here.
Online vs land-based casino gambling
The biggest advantage of online gambling is that the casino comes to you. If you live in the Northern part of Sweden, the closest Cosmopol casino might be over 1000 kilometres from you. But with a few clicks and keystrokes, you can get on a website like https://cvasino.se/ and find a long list of casinos that accept players from Sweden.
Another reason why many punters prefer online gameplay is, for example, not having to adhere to any dress code. Many are simply shy to walk up to the roulette table or feel intimidated by professional-looking poker players at the poker table.
Mobile gambling
Again, just like many other industries, gambling is moving from PC to mobile devices.
Smartphones are getting better and better every year and the resolution of screens can be really awesome. Game developers, like Swedish NetEnt and Yggdrasil, mobile-optimize their games and/or make them available in casino apps so players don’t have to compromise on the quality at all.
You can play casino games or place bets easily on your phone while sitting on the bus or sitting on a bench in the park. According to statistics, in Sweden already more people play casino games on their phones than on PCs and laptops.
Anti-money laundering compliance
Brick and mortar casinos are often places where people go to launder their money. Although in most European countries they check customers’ IDs before they can play, in American casinos often this is not a practice. We have all seen movies where the mafia or bank robbers launder their money at Vegas casinos.
Online casinos have strict anti-money laundering regulations in place. Those who want to wager large sums will have to show their source of income as in payslips or tax returns. You must make an account to play at online casinos and you will have to submit your ID card where a specialized department checks whether it is a real one or not. Withdrawal methods must be the same as the deposit methods to prevent, for example, the use of stolen credit cards.
Data analysis
When a player creates a player account, every decision he makes and every wager he places is registered and analysed by computers. This can help the casinos figure out which games the player likes to play most. So they can offer tailor-made options for him that he is most likely to take.
Artificial intelligence
AI is used in a variety of ways in online casinos. When you come to chat with a customer support agent, first you might be talking to a bot. These bots can solve complex issues immediately without taking the customer support agent’s time.
AI is also used to detect suspicious behaviour. There have been reports of fraudsters using poker bots to win unsuspecting players’ money. In other cases, casinos detected suspicious sports bets with the help of AI, reported it to the police and uncovered match-fixing in the making. AI can detect bot behaviour and suspicious betting patterns making the casino a safe place for everyone.
Advanced graphics and VR
The boring-looking 2D fruit machine games are of the past. Nowadays players can play 3D games and some casinos even offer virtual reality games if you have your own headset. Ultra HD resolution, realistic graphics and sounds are just as enjoyable as they are in video games.
This makes the games much more immersive and can make players want to keep playing longer.
Live dealer games
Evolution Gaming and Swedish NetEnt make the majority of live dealer games and they are getting more and more popular. They are kind of in-between online gaming and land-based casino gaming. When you participate in live roulette, blackjack or poker, you are in real-time video connection with a gaming studio where a host or hostess is dealing the cards or spinning the roulette wheel and you can communicate with her/him by text. You are playing alongside other players whom you can also chat with and still this is all from the comfort of your home.
Conclusion
There are so many new technologies in casinos and they are there to make our gaming experience more enjoyable and the casino itself a safer place to play at.