The casino industry is rightfully considered one of the most dynamic and fast-growing commercial markets. To engage and retain their target audience, modern operators are constantly looking for new solutions.
AR and VR tools may become one of them in the near future. They are growing at an impressive rate: this year alone, about a dozen releases from such flagships as Meta, Google, Samsung, and Apple are planned.
Experts from the Casino Market company have prepared a detailed review of immersive technologies. You will learn about their impact on the industry and future prospects.
Please contact our managers for more information about the top iGaming innovations and to order the implementation of an exclusive turnkey project.
About VR, AR, MR, and XR
While many have heard of the first 2 concepts, mixed and extended realities are not known so widely.
Let us consider each of the terms:
VR
Digital reality programs immerse a person in a totally artificial environment. Players are isolated from the real world and interact only with digital objects in computer modelling.
For this, special devices are used. They are designed to convey the most realistic impressions from visual and sound signals, and sometimes from touch perception.
There are currently 2 main types of VR equipment in the market:
- 3Dof — with 3 degrees of flexibility. Clients turn their heads 360 degrees but cannot walk.
- 6Dof — with 6 levels of freedom and the ability to move around the available area. The most famous project in this format is the Oculus Quest 2 standalone helmet.
AR
It compares the physical environment in which customers are located and interactive elements. Unlike VR, gamblers always see the real world and are not isolated from it.
The tool has already found widespread application in modern smartphones.
The most popular AR services are:
- Snapchat mask filters;
- Roulette app on iPhone — one of the most famous projects in the entertainment niche;
- IKEA Place service, which places 3D models of goods in home interiors;
- Pokemon Go mobile game (it became a breakthrough in the field of AR).
MR
It combines elements of both of the above-mentioned technologies. This is a complex multi-level solution that allows people to interact simultaneously with physical and digital objects.
The option includes elements of VR and AR, creating a multi-layered tool that helps players to be in the real world and the digital environment at the same time.
The HoloLens 2 helmet by Microsoft can be called the best representative of the niche. This complex and quite expensive commercial headset is used in the automotive industry, architecture, medicine, and various scientific fields.
A cheaper device is the Meta Quest Pro. It was experimental for the manufacturer and did not have a continuation.
XR
It is a general term that unites all services of this kind.
The concept is practically not used in the everyday environment and is most often designed for narrow IT scopes.
Virtual Reality in Gambling
Casino platforms rather actively work with all available VR and AR tools. According to statistics, about 15% of the entire immersive technology industry is accounted for by online entertainment for money.
This is an impressive figure, given that digital simulations have not yet become a mass phenomenon and are not developing as intensively as expected in the early 2020s.
Let us consider the most successful VR projects in the niche:
SlotsMillion
The first online establishment of this kind was created by the Lucky VR brand and launched back in 2015. The platform contains hundreds of table solutions and slots. Players can move around the hall and interact with game elements and objects of the interior. The vendors tried to make the product as similar to a real Las Vegas casino as possible.
PokerStars VR
This is a unique multiplayer project with an excellent level of immersion.
The portal’s functionality allows users to:
- generate unique avatars that create the maximum effect of presence at the table;
- communicate with other people using text chat and voice commands;
- place bets in real time;
- act as an outside observer without directly participating in the session.
The solution was launched in 2017, and a year later, the provider organised the largest virtual reality poker tournament. Professional players, including the famous Phil Hellmuth and many popular streamers, were invited to the event. The winners received gift certificates from Amazon and Oculus GO helmets.
Microgaming VR
The project was presented at the ICE 2015 exhibition and became one of the first versions of a mobile virtual gambling hall.
The application is presented in the format of a social casino without the ability to bet real money.
Customers can spin the reels in several slots. The link between the games is a 3D background in the form of an alien base and characters accompanying users in this exciting adventure.
VR Entertainment
The technology has found application not only in live content and card products. Operators offer various original slot machines with AR and VR elements.
The most well-known options are:
- Gonzo’s Quest VR from NetEnt. The solution was released in 2018 and literally shook the gaming community with its impressive visuals. Clients are invited to take part in the campaign of conquistadors and overcome the obstacles of wild nature on the way to untold riches.
- Jack and the Beanstalk VR by NetEnt. The entertainment was released in 2019. This is not a slot in the classic sense but an interactive quest in which people need to climb a beanstalk, collecting as many artefacts as possible along the way. A 360-degree view ensures maximum immersion.
- Thunderstruck II VR from Microgaming. The version with virtual reality support was presented in 2021. The product is a direct sequel to the cult story about the Scandinavian gods.
Reasons for the Popularity of Immersive Services in the iGaming Niche
VR and AR tools have huge growth potential. Even at the current level of technology development, 70% of players participating in such entertainment note an impressive degree of interactivity and satisfaction with sessions compared to traditional online casinos.
Key benefits of using simulations:
- High level of realism. A large number of factors ensure deep immersion, from careful elaboration of visuals to a 360-degree view. This greatly enhances the feeling of presence and increases the pleasure of placing bets.
- Rapid growth in availability. Such products as AR roulette have become commonplace, along with beauty effects on social networks. Customers can launch a session and start working with digital objects at any time — the application is supported by every modern smartphone.
- Improved socialisation. Virtual simulators provide the audience with colossal communication opportunities. Clients can communicate with friends and like-minded people not only through chats but also by using language commands and even the gestures of their avatars.
- A new level of immersion in the environment. VR services offer a unique interactive experience. For example, on the SlotsMillion platform, it is possible to interact with game elements, move furniture, lift drinks at the bar, and even light cigars, thus creating the effect of full presence.
Trends and Prospects of VR and AR
A report by AnalyticsIQ notes that games with such elements are ranked fourth in accordance with the audience’s preferences. This content is only a few percent behind a traditional computer and mobile entertainment in the ratings.
At the same time, 36% of respondents said that they took part in VR or AR sessions at least once in the last 12 months.
Experts predict that the immersive technology market will reach $22 billion by the end of 2025. About 16.4% of the total capitalisation will be accounted for iGaming projects.
The expected average annual growth rate until 2027 is approximately 53.13%. Approximately 43% of the total turnover will come from the casino markets of North America. This region is recognised as the leader in terms of the population’s income, which directly affects players’ purchasing power.
Main Directions for the Development of the Niche
Mr. Jesse Schell, an expert in the field of immersive services, believes that the future of the industry is the modernisation and improvement of haptic controllers. These devices help casino visitors perceive touch sensations and greatly enhance the user experience.
One of the most successful models is the Teslasuit, with 68 built-in tactile dots. The device is not yet mass-marketed and is applied in a very narrow field — for training first responders, such as firefighters or divers. Valve Corporation is currently working on a similar project for wider use.
Another important aspect that can radically transform the global environment is the creation of the most autonomous and less bulky devices. So far, virtual reality helmets allow people to move in a limited space, and developments in the AR glasses segment are conducted relatively slowly.
Google and Samsung are actively working on niche solutions. Both companies are creating independent projects: Android XR and Project Moohan, respectively. The goal is to introduce a mass product with flat lens displays and a built-in eye-tracking function.
Meta decided to consider the other side of the market’s problem and announced plans to provide manufacturers with open access to Meta Quest cameras. An end-to-end API will guarantee a radical breakthrough for the mixed reality industry. Apps will better respond to objects and the environment. They will also adapt to user requests faster.
The enterprise is also planning a series of new releases with MR support:
- glasses with artificial intelligence that will display incoming messages from the phone, scan QR codes, and translate texts in real time;
- an upgraded neural bracelet, the flagship version of which was presented by Meta in September 2024 in addition to Orion glasses;
- smartwatches with an AI interface.
The Main Things about Artificial Reality in Gambling
The vertical is one of the most promising directions for the entertainment sector’s growth.
The popularity of VR and AR is explained by the following factors:
- Convenient and accessible social interaction. Players can communicate with friends and like-minded people using a wide variety of tools, from text messages and voice to gestures of digital avatars.
- Mass popularisation and implementation in everyday life. The most striking example is filters on social networks. Such applications are available to every smartphone owner. As soon as VR equipment becomes cheaper, it will quickly turn into a common phenomenon.
- Technologies guarantee gamblers maximum immersion and a unique experience. Even with the existing functionality of already available devices, 70% of customers say that they are completely satisfied with the range of capabilities and the realism of simulations.
You can learn more about the casino industry’s trends and order the implementation of an exclusive project from the Casino Market studio. We offer the best solutions for the independent launch of businesses and the rapid growth of a loyal audience.
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