It’s easy to believe that slots have reached their peak. After all, it’s virtually impossible to think of anything else they could do that would make them even better when they are already so much fun. The truth is, though, that technology never just stops and it won’t stand still, and if people are still able to come up with ideas for online slots, they will.
And they do. That’s why virtual reality slots at Vegas Paradise have started to be rolled out. Yet there is a question to be asked about these slots. Are they gaming or gambling? Let’s see.
The History of Slots
In 1895, Charles Fey released his Liberty Bell slot game. It was a ‘one armed bandit’ so a lever had to be pulled instead of pushing a button like the majority of games today. Yet the basic principle was the same; symbols lined up along the reels, and if a winning combination was found, money was won. Not a lot has changed in the grand scheme of things when you think about it that way; slots are still slots.
Yet a lot has changed if you step away from the details of how the game works and look at the bigger picture. The mechanics have changed, computers are used, themes are added, there are online slots and video slots and slots with progressive jackpots. And there are virtual reality slots which may sound impossible and yet is something we might all need to get used to.
Virtual Reality Slots
Developers were clearly looking for something new to do with slots when they cam upon the idea of virtual reality. People had grown used to the way things were, and it is at this stage that chance is most likely. So virtual reality seemed like the next step along in terms of the evolution of slots.
Of course, VR itself has been around for an age now. It’s been used in games, movies, and even in workspaces for decades. However, incorporating it with online slots is where things changed and got different. When it comes to slots, virtual reality is brand new. Of course, the downside to this is that you might not be able to find it in all casinos, so you might have to search around, but when you do find it, it will be worth it.
If you’re wondering whether enough people own VR headsets and controllers to make any casino invest in this technology, it’s not a problem. In 2017, over one million controllers and headsets were bought around the world, and today the figures are growing quickly. This is because of the abundance of VR games, and the fact that prices have dropped dramatically. VR was extremely expensive when it first came out, but now it’s much more affordable.
So is playing a VR version of a slot game gaming or gambling? It’s both. You have to pay to play the games just as you would with a standard slot, but the added VR experience makes it a lot more fun, and this is the gaming element. Combining the two seems to be working well.
