The VR-race in Online Casinos

Virtual reality casino, a look at the future

At Canada Casino Hub, we closely monitor developments at online casinos and sportsbooks. These developments are partly related to progress in the field of the Internet. We increasingly see and hear original sci-fi terminologies, such as Virtual Reality, the Metaverse, and haptics. We dive into the future of casinos. Are you diving?

What will online gambling look like in the future? Are we doing everything in the Metaverse? Is Virtual Reality… Reality? Can you visit The Sands in Macau or The Bellagio in Vegas in one evening from your couch?

It's high time to dive into the wonderful world of Virtual Reality, of course, in conjunction with the developments in iGaming! For this, we have to go back in time… to 1993. To know where it is going, we first want to know where it all started.

The Origin of Online Gambling

In the beginning… there was nothing. Before 1993 there was no internet. We can hardly imagine it anymore. If you wanted to game, you had to go to a physical casino, sit behind your Nintendo or play board games.

With the advent of the Internet, a new world opened up. And the gaming companies were there like crazy! The gaming industry immediately saw the opportunities of the Internet and was at the forefront of developing online games.

Microgaming, still one of the leading gambling developers, was among the first to launch an online casino. Many others followed.

Growth of online casinos in numbers

The online casino market is one of the fastest-growing sectors worldwide. In 1997, five years after the launch of the World Wide Web, there were already more than 200 online casinos worldwide with an annual turnover of more than $1 billion.

By 2021, total sales had already grown to nearly $60 billion. This concerns online casinos, live casinos and sports betting.

The total turnover of online gambling is expected to be around USD 150 billion by 2030. That is more than doubling in the next seven years!

Casino innovations necessary

Competition in the online gambling market is increasing, and with it, the need for online casinos to distinguish themselves. This distinction is made, among other things, through the casino bonus and new casino games.

The developments in the field of the Internet also offer opportunities to distinguish yourself as an online casino. That is why various casinos and game developers are already responding to the development of the Internet's next opportunities.

From the Internet to Metaverse

How the Internet will develop is not yet clear. There are pioneers who are leading the way and are trying to develop the new Internet. Think of Microsoft, Facebook and Elon Musk.

These parties are developing a new way of connecting and being present online. This is also referred to as 'The Metaverse.'

The Metaverse is (Oxford Dictionary):

A VIRTUAL REALITY SPACE IN WHICH USERS CAN INTERACT

WITH A COMPUTER-GENERATED ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER USERS.

What does Metaverse mean? The Metaverse is the name for what is expected to be the successor to the Internet. A virtual world where you can enter and work, shop, learn and connect. For example, think of "Ready Player One" or "Free Guy" as fictional examples.

A virtual world where you can enter and do anything you want by means of a 'connecting tool,' such as Virtual Reality glasses. At the moment, however, the Metaverse does not yet exist.

We are already seeing things similar to it, such as:

• Fortnite: the most popular interactive game in the world, playable on multiple devices and with your own avatar (online personality).
• Meta (formerly Facebook) is developing its own virtual reality platform/world.
• Microsoft is also on its way to its own VR platform with Microsoft Teams.
• Neuralink (Elon Musk) is working on a brain chip that allows you to communicate and see.
• Various parties are developing Virtual Reality technology, such as headsets and haptics (gloves and suits) and Augmented Reality technology (an example of Augmented Reality technology is the display in the windscreen of newer cars, so you see more than Reality).

• The increasing use of Avatars, for games and social media, among other things.
• Social trends lead to more and more 'working' from home. Where you used to play Nintendo with your neighbour, today's youth sits in their own gaming chair with a gaming headset to play interactively with players from all over the world.
• Crypto and NFTs as ways to value and trade in a virtual environment.

Virtual Reality Casino

We also see Virtual Reality emerging in the online casino world. Casino games are becoming more interactive and more often in real-time; just think of the live casino and live sportsbook.

There are even VR Casino sites, such as SlotsMillion and Pokerstars. At these VR casinos, you need a VR headset, for example, the Oculus Rift. With that, you can then play your 3D game. In addition to the headset, you also need a lot of computer power and an app.

Software Developers are already making VR slots and table games. Leading the way are Microgaming, Lucky VR and NetEnt. The latter has a VR version of the well-known and popular online slot Jack and the Beanstalk and various other slots.

Who will win the race?

Exactly what the new Internet, or Metaverse, will look like depends on who wins the race. As with other major technological developments, such as Android versus Apple, it will depend on who can offer and market the best solution the fastest.

In this race, we expect the online casinos to lead the way. Just like they did at the start of the current Internet. And that legislation and related aspects such as privacy, reliability and security will follow.

We are closely monitoring these developments. Virtual Reality is not yet 'reality,' but it is certainly coming. We will keep you informed!