Technological innovations have been at the forefront of transforming many sectors for the better. The online casino industry is one of the biggest beneficiaries of tech advancements. Additionally, the sports betting industry has also grown dramatically thanks to technologies adopted by online sportsbooks. In this sense, platforms such as the Betway virtual sports betting site have become very popular globally. Currently, two technologies are taking the virtual casino industry by storm, i.e., VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality).
Industry experts argue that these two technologies are poised to cause probably the most important changes in the virtual casino industry. Through the technologies, online casino operators and platforms will be massively transformed, which will enable them to offer a superior user experience.
What Are AR And VR?
AR and VR technologies are similar in that they both change the way humans perceive their environment and how they interact with it. The difference comes in hardware requirements and the extent to which they change the surroundings.
Augmented Reality usually enhances the user’s existing environment by overlaying a layer of virtual objects and sensory experiences over the physical reality. Practically, this means that you can use AR to add characters, items, audio, and user interface to your usual surroundings. With AR, you can envisage a dragon sitting on your couch.
A popular AR application is Pokemon GO. The smartphone game uses AR to render Pokemon in your surroundings based on the information gathered from the camera, local time, and GPS location. Additionally, AR does not require players to have specialized hardware apart from their smartphones. AR software is also easier to develop compared to VR software.
As for VR, the technology creates an almost fully simulated virtual environment. It aims to immerse the player into the virtual world completely. This results in a unique experience as the players find themselves detached from their actual surroundings completely. But, you need specialized devices such as headsets and speakers for the technology to work. As a result, only a limited number of users can access this technology.
AR And VR Can Revolutionize the Industry
The application of AR and VR technologies in virtual casinos is still in its initial stages. Therefore, it is not very clear how the technology will be used in the industry. But, in the past few years, top online casino operators like Betway have started adopting the technologies on their online platforms.
Based on the initial applications of AR and VR in virtual casinos, it is clear that the two technologies will mainly be used to improve user experience. This is achieved by recreating the land-based casino atmosphere in the players’ homes.
Obstacles Standing In The Way Of AR and VR
While the two technologies promise a better future for the gaming industry, they have to overcome several obstacles. For example:
- Hardware. The technologies require specialized hardware, which is expensive to buy, making it hard to reach more people.
- There are not enough AR and VR casinos that would allow for a large-scale test of the effectiveness of the technologies.
Bottom Line
There is significant interest in AR and VR technology amongst the virtual casino industry stakeholders. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to make the technologies widespread in the industry. If the stakeholders can overcome the few obstacles, then AR and VR have the potential to take the virtual casino sector to the next level.
