The gambling industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, with revenues increasing each year at an exponential rate. In 2024, it is expected to rake in more than $94 billion, and this ballooning will be partly down to innovation. Developers are creating more and more ways to gamble, bringing in unique, modern ideas to attract younger players as well. The question is, will the next generation of gamblers still be interested in traditional casino offerings, or will they be seeking a totally different kind of gambling experience?
Esports could have a Big Influence
The eSports industry is set to take the world by storm in the coming years and could completely change the way people game, watch sports, and gamble. Competitive gaming as a sport was completely unheard of ten years ago, but now there are huge tournaments being watched by thousands that reward the best players with gargantuan payouts. One of the largest Dota 2 tournaments, The International, paid out a prize pool of over $25 million in 2018, and that number is growing each year at the huge event.
eSports is going to have a heavy influence on the gambling industry, and there are already betting markets from various bookies on the events as people take the sector more seriously. Casinos are beginning to incorporate their own eSports arenas, as well. This has been seen in the biggest gambling city in the world, Macao, and other gambling houses around the world are following suit. This will create a strong connection between gambling and eSports and could lead to a rise in casino games that are related to the competitive gaming sector.
Slots Will Still be at the Forefront
Slots have been the most popular form of gambling for many years, and the reel-spinning games are still likely to be at the forefront no matter what technological innovations affect the gambling industry. Millennials love playing video slots because they are easy to use and exciting, and they’re usually designed to appeal to a wide range of different people. This is because they each have their own unique theme, and each site tends to have an eclectic mix of casino games. These range from titles like Mermaid’s Pearls, which would appeal to Disney lovers who enjoyed The Little Mermaid, and Trigger Happy, which is designed to attract Wild West aficionados. No matter what a player is interested in, there is likely to be a slot game about it.
Developers such as NetEnt are working on the next stage of the evolution of slots, which will likely see more virtual reality elements used. The company has created offerings such as Jack’s World VR, which allows viewers to enter a virtual fantasy world and stand in front of life-size reels. The influence of the eSports market could lead to more skill-based side games within video slots. This would be another major step forward in the evolution of the games.
Older Games Will Have Modern Makeovers
More traditional forms of gambling like blackjack, poker, and roulette are likely to see modern makeovers in order to appeal to the next generation of gamblers. This has already been seen to an extent, as each of these games has been spruced up for internet audiences in recent years. Poker, for example, now has a greater number of fast-paced versions for mobile audiences who are used to pick-up-and-play style games. For these people, playing long tournaments is just not feasible, so there are snap fold versions available to speed up play, along with short-deck variations designed to generate more action in each hand.
Table games need to stay true to their origins but also use technology to add to the excitement. Leading software developer Microgaming has already created VR Roulette, which allows players to enter a space-like zone and stand at a virtual roulette wheel. This has given an insight into the direction that online casinos might be heading in. There are already live streaming offerings to bring players closer to the action and make them feel as though they are in a casino, but virtual casino games would enhance that experience further. If VR takes off as it is expected to, in the next ten years there could be full virtual casinos that allow players to walk around and play different games just as they would in a land-based gambling house.
Gambling games have always appealed to large audiences on an excitement level, but now they are offering a detailed gaming experience to go along with the thrills. The next generation of gamblers are going to have more options than ever, and there are going to be some state-of-the-art games for them to indulge in.