In the last couple years, virtual reality products have been moving forward at breakneck speed. It seemed like the James Cameron movie Avatar was the beginning of just another virtual reality fad like the one seen in early 1990’s, however, this time the technology stuck around.
There are plenty of reasons why virtual reality seems to have finally found its rightful place in entertainment. Perhaps the most significant reason is that the price of personal VR gear is no longer as prohibitive as it once had been. Products like the oculus rift can bring effective VR experiences into your home for around $400, this same technology used to require giant virtual reality pods and thousands of dollars.
The Rise of VR
This boom of consumer-level VR has led to the development of a wide assortment of games that take advantage of the technology. One of the biggest so far is the immensely popular Fallout 4 being re-released as a virtual reality product.
As has been the case many other times, the gambling industry is quick to take tech cues from video games. Both sectors are among the first to adapt to new technologies, and virtual reality is no different. Much of the same technology used to create virtual game worlds, is being utilized to create virtual gambling locales. The Virtual Casino is one of the newest digital betting offerings to begin to catch on.
Virtual Casino
The idea of a virtual reality casino may seem gimmicky at first, but the same was thought about VR movies and games. VR seems to have turned the corner into a medium of its own, and we should not ignore the implications this can have on the industries we are apart of. There is a lot of incentive for the industry to make this work. One being that, players more fully immersed are likely to spend more time and money on the game. Another includes the selection of games available online, other incentives and comparisons such as comfort and ease can be explored here. As we have seen more gambling elements being added to video games as a form of monetization, we similarly see the immersion ability of games bleed into gambling.
Do a quick Google search, and you will find a handful of these virtual casinos already exist. Many allow you to explore a digital space, as well as play different slot machine types and table games. Some even have their virtual table games ran by a real dealer. Though the quality can vary quite a bit between these different offerings, it is clear that the virtual casino is here to stay, and will likely continue to grow in popularity as VR gear is adopted by more substantial portions of the population.
Already you can feel the difference between a virtual reality card game and one on the computer screen. It just feels more real. Even the subtle movement of looking down at the cards and back at your virtual opponent adds something visceral to the gambling experience that was lost when it moved to a flat screen.
What To Expect From The Future Of VR Casinos
As competition grows, so too will the quality. If there is one thing the gambling industry is known for, it is the intense wars that are fought for the attention of gamblers. We have already seen the attention economy, the same one that turned the Vegas strip into a carnival of lights and sound, begin to take hold of online casinos.
Sites are constantly one-upping each other with exclusive deals and offers – and the virtual reality casino is just another weapon in the arsenal. This means you can likely expect incredibly intricate VR experiences to be provided by these online casinos in the relatively near future.
VR casinos present opportunities for more people to get involved, as newcomers are able to learn as they go. As opposed to the traditional online casino where learning a game required newcomers to turn to a page such as Prime Slots guide to find out how to play.
Ever wanted to play a hand of poker inside a western saloon, or perhaps on the deck of a ship orbiting a distant star? It is likely these sorts of playing atmospheres are already in development.
It is not yet at the point where a digital casino is enough to warrant the purchase of something like an Oculus Rift, but that time is coming. If you are an avid gambler, this is the technology to keep your eye on.
We are getting a bit closer every day to creating the old Star Trek holodeck, and if you are anything like me, you’ve wanted that since you were a kid.
By Alex Walker