The Future of Casino Games Lies in Connectivity

Most people would agree that connectivity makes things better.

11:49 15 August 2019

It’s a broad concept, of course, covering everything from how you chat to friends on social media to how you control your heating at home. Even if you think that connectivity is a bad thing, as is cited, for example, in the spread of fake news on social media, one cannot deny that connectivity – usually facilitated by connection through the internet – defines our business and social lives.

One area where connectivity has definitely improved the experience is with online casino games. Nearly all variations of casino games have been improved to some extent by using tech to connect players and formats, and it’s worth further exploration because it’s likely that that connectivity will define casino games in the future. 

For a start, nearly every major online casino will be linked in some way, even if the casinos are rivals or if they are based in different countries. This is because many jackpot games are linked in order to grow the prizes into huge sums.

Connectivity facilitates bigger jackpots

Consider a game like the Age of the Gods: Ruler of the Sky at Casino.com. It’s one of most popular games at that casino, but it is only one out of around a dozen games in Playtech’s Age of the Gods series, all of which share the same jackpot. So, every spin played on any of these AOTG games feeds into the jackpot fund. But the same also goes for every spin on AOTG games at other casino and in other countries.

 

These jackpots are funded by taking a small percentage of each spin – usually 1% or less – which goes into the pot. You can appreciate how connectivity works with economies of scale here: If you have just one player paying into the pot, it will take a long time to grow that jackpot into a considerable sum; but if you have ten thousand players playing the game, then you can understand how the prize can quickly reach millions.

That idea of connectivity is also feeding into other types of casino games. Live dealer games, which are widely regarded as the next frontier in casino gaming. Live dealer casino involves streaming real games from vast studios with real croupiers deciding the action. The incredible technology that facilitates these live games is not just the cameras and video feed, but the console technology which allows players to place bets in real time – just like a real casino.

New gaming concepts will flourish in live casino

Playing roulette, poker and blackjack with real dealers from the comfort of your own home is exciting, but it’s only a small part of what live casino offers – and only hints at its future. Games will eventually connect players from all over the world, but players will be immersed in different concepts than the classic casino games. A future live casino experience with avatars and interactive boardgames is not only possible, but not as far away as you think.

One other area that will be influenced by connectivity is the idea of the idea of the individual getting a tailored experience. The technology is now there to personalise a casino gaming experience, so it is unique to you. Many games are now customisable and unfold like a storybook with your progress recorded over time.

All of this would not be possible without the internet, of course. But there seems to have been an acceleration of harnessing this connectivity in the last couple of years. Where it will all lead, nobody is quite sure. However, it has certainly created a buzz around the gaming industry not seen since the first casinos appeared online in the 1990s.