8 iGaming Trends for 2018

Technology is bringing a lot of changes in the iGaming industry now.  Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain technology, and Virtual Reality are changing the landscape of the iGaming sector.

New regulations are increasing more acquisitions and mergers in the industry. Therefore, the competition is at all times high level now.

 Below are some of the latest trends related to the iGaming industry.

1- Artificial Intelligence:

Bots and AI assistants have the potential of bringing many changes in iGaming. The existence of bots is not that new. In China, there are apps such as Weixin which is like a single utility app by combining multiple use cases.

It is found that users spend about 70 percent of their time using messenger apps, therefore such Chinese apps allow them to perform any task without leaving that app. Their popularity is not that high for now as users prefer chatting where they are rather than in a standalone app, however things are expected to change.

A new age of AI assistants is seeing the light of day now. It is mainly due to advanced computing and neural networks which are bringing quite a change in AI.

Now the big companies are fiercely competing with each other in order to dominate the AI landscape. Amazon has come up with Alexa, Apple has Siri and Microsoft can boast about Cortana.

This natural language approach could be very appealing for bettors who then can enjoy the sports while interacting with their devices in the easiest way possible.

2- The popularity of live casinos:

Nowadays, players prefer playing in live casinos. The extra human interaction in the live casinos is the reason it is getting popular. It makes the players feel like they are actually playing in a real casino because of the presence of live dealers and real casino equipment etc.

Many online casinos have now started increasing the number of their live game offerings. This popularity of live casinos is expected to continue increasing.

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3- Blockchain and Smart Contracts:

Everyone is familiar with Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency in the blockchain technology. The blockchain is aimed towards greater transparency and trust and is powered by cryptocurrency. Smart contracts are supported by this blockchain technology. 

This blockchain technology could solve many of the problems of the iGaming industry. Fraud, identity, and compliance are some of the issues that the iGaming is facing right now.

It would be a big move forward if one could place a bet without an account through instant verification. This instantaneous verification would be possible by using the blockchain technology.

Additionally, blockchain opens the peer-to-peer market thereby removing the bookmaker from the equation. Right now, there are many systems which are centralized but the shift is very likely.

4- Use of Bitcoin:

Gaming operators currently use many different currencies in order to run their businesses. This system is in place so that customers could have a lot of choices for uploading and withdrawing money. However, it creates the problem of costly conversions.

Also, the operators could be exposing themselves to the risks of serious devaluation in this way. Therefore, performing the transactions by using bitcoins could a perfect solution for gaming operators.

Since Bitcoin is not associated with any central bank, therefore it is not affected by any market shock. Bitcoin is a solution to prevent identity theft and other related problems as well.

5- Gambling Regulations:

In most European countries, the gambling laws are relatively lax as compared to the US where in many of the states it is illegal to participate in such games. This uneven legislation around the world is one of the problems which is preventing the growth of the iGaming industry. It compels operators to target markets on the basis of government regulations rather than economic considerations.

Some areas of the world have very high levels of taxation thereby giving the governments more control over the gaming companies and hence limiting their growth.

However, looks like things are now changing. Imitating the state of Nevada, many other US states are now trying to capitalize on the popularity of sports betting. In December, the US Supreme Court even heard a case in which the court mulled over New Jersey’s bid for pro sports gambling. It is expected that the decision would be made by June while 20 hopeful states are supporting New Jersey in this case.

While in countries like Japan and Brazil, many steps have been taken towards the legalization of casino gaming. Both countries have a large number of people with a particular propensity towards gambling.

6- Online Bingo:

It is been a few years that the popularity of online bingo has increased a great deal. Now a huge number of bingo games are available on the internet that people love to play. Through these bingo games, people also interact with a huge number of bingo players from around the whole world.

The online bingo sites have something to offer for every type of player. Plus, they have great customer service that takes care of all the queries and complaints of every type of customers. They offer quite a realistic bingo hall experience. And after just logging on to the bingo site, players are offered with all their best games.

7- Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality:

Virtual reality is often used synonymously with augmented reality. Though they are somewhat similar, both VR and AR offer very distinct experiences. Virtual reality is experienced through a headset while augmented reality requires a mobile phone to be experienced.

For now, augmented reality is limited to niche applications. However, there is a lot of potential for AR as it combines with AI. On the other hand, virtual reality is getting popular day by day. Now boxing, NFL, NBA and Wimbledon are all being broadcasted in virtual reality.

8- Gamification:

Including game-like elements in video games is a trend getting popular nowadays. It has been found that games with interesting storylines, avatars and power-ups etc are more enjoyable for players and hence they are more likely to play for a longer time. Therefore, online casinos are now coming up with such games that are thought to hold the player’s interest for a longer time.