Online casinos have been popular since their very emergence. After all, they were cost-effective (no commute), pragmatic, and simple enough. Most importantly, the concept of online gambling provided people with the chance to gamble on-demand.
In 2020, we were faced with a pandemic that the world has never seen before. This made people reluctant to leave their homes, which made even the most ardent of casino-goers try gambling from home. A lot of them will not be coming back to physical casinos, seeing as how they’ve found their place.
Now, while this trend is currently huge ($50 billion in 2019), there is so much room for expansion. Here are some online casino trends worth following in 2024.
Paying With Cryptocurrency
The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to casino gambling is the ability to pay with crypto, as well as get paid with crypto. This means that you could get your rewards in Bitcoin or Ethereum, which further leads to decentralizing cryptocurrency.
This is far more important for those who are looking for more anonymity. Also, crypto offers faster withdrawals with no fees. Overall, this is convenient for those who are already investing in crypto, which is a rapidly growing population.
The volatility of crypto may be terrifying to some but keep in mind that it also poses as great earning potential. Just think about it, you’re already risking in order to make a profit. This way, you can easily maximize your gains.
Mobile gambling
Online casinos are almost as old as the internet itself, however, never before was it so convenient to use your mobile device for gaming. Just think about how convenient it gets. All you need to do is download an app, register, and make your online casino deposit. Then, when you have money in your account, you can play a quick game whenever you have the time.
In the past, in order to gamble, you had to go to a casino. Also, unless you had enough time and funds, going all the way to a casino was not worth it. Now, you can do it on a coffee break or while taking a ride on public transportation. If you are having problems with choosing which online casino is for you, there are places such as AskGamblers, where you can read all the unbiased casino reviews which will definitely help you.
Even without an app, the majority of online casinos are making their browser experiences mobile friendly. After all, mobile users are a vast majority of internet users, making them the most significant demographic out there.
VR and AR
Another trend to watch out for is definitely VR and AR in online gambling. You see, a lot of people go to a casino for more than just gambling. They see it as an overall experience worth trying out. Well, while it’s not exactly the same, VR and AR can amp up the immersion to a whole next level.
Now, VR is a bit problematic, seeing as how the majority of headsets are quite expensive and even those that aren’t (Samsung Gear VR or cardboard VR glasses) are not a common item. In other words, not a lot of people have access to VR. At the same time, all you need for an AR is a smartphone.
While this concept is a rapidly-growing trend, it’s important to bear in mind that it might take years until it lives up to its full potential. As VR technology progresses, devices will become a lot cheaper, and more people will be able/willing to afford them.
Esports Betting
Now, this is a concept that’s still relatively new. For years now, esports have been competing for their rightful place in the community. Gamers in esports are starting to lead lifestyles of real athletes with boot camps, strict schedules, etc. Now, as more and more money and attention get directed towards them, this field will become more interesting for bookies and betters alike.
After all, you have an event in which two players/teams are pitted against one another and the outcome is undetermined. This is a scenario that makes bets not just possible but also pragmatic. Also, there are so many parameters to bet on – the KDA of players, their performance, who gets the first blood, etc.
Keep in mind that, like with any other type of betting, your ability to enjoy and make money depends on how well you understand what’s going on. So, what you need to do is start following esports, if you are to increase your odds at making a profit this way.
Social Betting
There are apps out there made to help you make your own bets. Sure, you can make bets with friends based on the honor system but why not expand this to a broader audience? Why not take your friendly bet online?
This market is expanding relatively slowly (compared to some other trends discussed online), however, with more attention and more betting platforms, it’s bound to take off.
Social betting online also increases potential gain, seeing as how all the betters are adding to the prize pool. In a way, it’s a betting-meets-crowdsourcing trend worth checking out.
Wearables
In one of the previous sections, we’ve discussed the importance of smartphones in the field of online gambling. Well, the industry might be ready to take the next step by enabling some of its features on wearables like smartwatches.
Sure, their primary function is messaging, GPS support, and monitoring of biometrics but their role in entertainment is growing by the day. Now, the biggest challenge here is that their hardware and OSs greatly differ between manufacturers.
As far as the specific games go, slots seem to be the most obvious choice for the majority of smartwatch users. This is why slots apps for smartwatches are developed in greater numbers.
Wrapping up
In the end, it’s important to understand that there are so many technical improvements to the concept of online betting. For instance, apps are getting better than ever, cybersecurity is reaching new heights, and as more people opt for online gambling, the amount of money circulating in this industry will increase. The reason why we chose the above-listed trends is due to their unique and innovative nature, which indicates a major industry shift. Some of them are yet to unleash their full potential.