6 Trends Changing the Face of Gambling in 2022 and Beyond As far back as recorded history goes, gambling and gaming have been popular pastimes. In fact, there is even reference to ‘casting lots’ in both the New and Old Testaments of the Bible. While it wasn’t exactly gambling in the sophisticated way in which we know it today, they gambled against who would get the short stick, leaving them the loser.
Over the years, gaming has changed as well. Think about the lions in ancient Rome and the gladiators who competed to please the emperor of the time. Many of our current board games find their roots in ancient Rome and like the ancient Romans, bets are still the backbone of literally every game. Is that any different from the modern warfare video games that have such a wide following today? The difference is quite simply, technology. If you want to understand the trends which are changing the face of gambling, maybe it helps to start with technology for a bit of insight.
1. Online Gaming and Gambling Have Taken Over the Industry
As recently as 2015, more people chose to gamble in land-based casinos than online. A part of that was due to a lack of trust in the online industry but another factor revolved around the fact that more and more countries began legalising gambling to some extent. By the year 2018, more than 1.2 billion people gambled regularly online and as a result, those countries saw a huge jump in revenue. From American firms such as Caesar’s to Asian firms such as 188BET, the growth is monumental. And a new mega-industry is being formed.
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Unfortunately for those land-based casinos, a global pandemic hit in late 2019, which drove more and more people to Online Casinos to place their bets. And one of the reasons so many players are drawn to these online casinos is for the bonuses they receive to begin playing with. One site, Online Casinos, lists various casinos, the minimum deposits, and the bonuses they offer. Being able to compare all in one place is a lot easier than searching casino after casino on Google. As country after country passed mandates requiring shutting down public venues. As a result, the online gambling industry literally exploded, and the popularity of bonuses was an added plus.
2. AI Brings Sports Betting to a New Level
While some players love to visit online casinos to play the slots or join a game of poker. Others primarily like to place a bet on their favourite sport. Sometimes it’s the horses and other times it’s football, baseball, or even hockey. One of the amazing trends in gaming or gambling forecast to grow in 2022 is the use of artificial intelligence to literally predict what will happen based on a statistical analysis of past plays in a similar set of variables.
In fact, AI has become such a powerful tool that gamers can place their bets even in between plays. Any sports betting casino using AI will almost always let bets be placed in the moment instead of before the game or at half-time, for instance. With the use of Artificial Intelligence predicting what will happen based on that statistical analysis, both players and casinos benefit.
3. Cash Bonuses
As mentioned above, there is also a growing trend to seek online casinos that offer enticing welcome bonuses. While each casino will set its own rules regarding who is eligible for these bonuses and how those welcome bonuses may be used in play, most casinos now offer some sort of new player welcome bonus. Sometimes it’s welcome cash freely offered to be used for bets and other times it’s a matching amount of money placed in a bet. There are various types of bonuses with welcome bonuses being the most popular. Even so, the point is that everyone likes something for nothing and so it is with betting. Wouldn’t it be nice to win the jackpot on the house’s money?
4. The Rise in VR Gaming
Gamers everywhere have been enjoying the use of virtual reality in the games they play. Sometimes these games are played on local game systems and other times they are played in cyberspace. Hundreds of players can join the game from countries all around the globe. If you ever wonder why online gaming and wagering has become such a popular pastime. Moreover, just step into a virtual reality game of warfare or a car race at Daytona Beach, Florida in the USA. With the right technology, you will feel like you are in the driver’s seat. Or in the stands cheering your driver/car across the finish line.
5. Growing Use of Live Dealers
As mentioned, sometimes new players are still leery of technology doing the dealing in a game of poker, for example. Although random number generators are used and tightly regulated by gaming commissions, there are still those who believe that there’s a chance the hands being dealt are rigged. The same holds true with slots and any other game based on numbers or suits. No, online poker is not rigged. But new players seem to be comfortable with human dealers. So it has become a growing trend expected to continue throughout 2022 and beyond.
6. Smartwatch Gaming?
Believe it or not, some casinos and interactive gaming sites now offer smartwatch gaming and gambling. Most often favoured by anyone who needs to place a bet on the run. Business professionals and college students often place a bet through smartphone apps. Not all online casinos offer this feature, but it is a growing trend we expect to see used more and more often.
It’s Really All About Technology
When it comes down to looking at trends changing the face of gambling going forward, perhaps two things stand out against all other trends. The first would be the use of artificial intelligence to map and assess data from previous games or events. This type of computer intelligence is able to compare past wins and losses within milliseconds. So that players can now wager in the moment if that option is available to them at the casino taking sports bets.
In looking at the history of gambling, the only real difference between placing bets in the past and wagering today would be the use of technology. Online games wouldn’t be available if there wasn’t an internet. And the video graphics would not bring that feeling of reality into the equation. If you want to know about the trends changing the face of gambling in 2022 and beyond. Lastly, go no further than looking at the latest in gaming technology.
6 Trends Changing the Face of Gambling in 2022 and Beyond
