What Is The Future Of Casinos?
Casinos are almost inherently old-fashioned. Even in the film Ocean’s 11, which was about as cool as it could be, something about George Clooney and Brad Pitt strolling across casino floors in sharp suits and playing cards felt inexplicably vintage - and that was back in 2001! At this point ,while they remain very popular and have been modernized in countless ways, casinos still feel even older. Going to one in a place like Las Vegas, you almost feel like you’re enjoying the entertainment style of a previous era.
It may be partly because of this that people have been predicting the doom of the brick-and-mortar casino for many years now. It’s sometimes hard for people to imagine something that’s been around so long enduring into the future, even if that doesn’t make much logical sense. Furthermore, the arrival and rapid expansion of online casinos seemed at one point likely to drive people away from the real thing and toward their computers and mobile devices. However, at least on a broad scale, it just hasn’t happened. Casinos have remained popular, and will seemingly continue to remain so. However, it won’t happen without some fairly significant changes.
These are some of the changes that could come to define the future of casinos.
Virtual Reality
The last six months or so have brought about a turn that many didn’t see coming in the virtual reality gaming industry. Basically, VR is coming to arcades, as opposed to necessarily landing in people’s living rooms. In order to give people a way of playing games that require extra space and equipment, as well as to save them from having to buy expensive VR headsets, virtual reality suppliers are starting to design experiences for public venues, where people can pay to play. This is almost definitely going to wind up being a model for casinos, which are always looking for new modes of entertainment. Indeed, even now there are places set aside in some casinos where customers can watch virtual sports and bet on outcomes; making this happen in VR just makes for a richer and more modern experience.
Ordinary Video Games
As mentioned, casinos are always looking for new ways to entertain, and before even considering virtual reality, they’ve already gotten to regular video games. This is something that’s been generating headlines in Las Vegas for a year or so, and while it’s not happening on a major scale just yet, it appears bound to. The idea, basically, is that younger people are less interested in traditional slots and jackpots, and need more of a skill-based challenge to be incentivized to game. Thus, some casinos are bringing in recognized, regular video games and turning them into betting experiences.
Robotic Croupiers
As much as casinos will likely be adopting things like virtual reality and video games, traditional casino games will endure as well - they just might be conducted a little bit differently. The biggest difference that appears to be on the horizon is the arrival of robot croupiers. A Hong Kong-based tech firm has already created the first robot croupier prototype, named Min, and introduced her at casinos in both Macau and the U.S. Min is essentially a prototype, but the ideal version of this concept would be a robotic dealer who can deal cards, run a game, interact with players, and even detect cheating, all at once.
eSports
This goes hand-in-hand with some of the ideas already discussed here, but it bears mentioning in its own category. eSports arenas are beginning to emerge in Las Vegas, almost as add-ons to casinos, and they offer a whole new blend of entertainment. For those who may not be familiar, eSports is a term that basically refers to competitive gaming, often for cash prizes, and sometimes with spectators betting on outcomes. A lot of the time this happens primarily online, but in an eSports arena, people will pour into a venue to watch gaming competitions live. It’s actually becoming quite the phenomenon, to the point that some are calling it a sport, and it represents a major new avenue for casinos.
It may be partly because of this that people have been predicting the doom of the brick-and-mortar casino for many years now. It’s sometimes hard for people to imagine something that’s been around so long enduring into the future, even if that doesn’t make much logical sense. Furthermore, the arrival and rapid expansion of online casinos seemed at one point likely to drive people away from the real thing and toward their computers and mobile devices. However, at least on a broad scale, it just hasn’t happened. Casinos have remained popular, and will seemingly continue to remain so. However, it won’t happen without some fairly significant changes.
These are some of the changes that could come to define the future of casinos.
Virtual Reality
The last six months or so have brought about a turn that many didn’t see coming in the virtual reality gaming industry. Basically, VR is coming to arcades, as opposed to necessarily landing in people’s living rooms. In order to give people a way of playing games that require extra space and equipment, as well as to save them from having to buy expensive VR headsets, virtual reality suppliers are starting to design experiences for public venues, where people can pay to play. This is almost definitely going to wind up being a model for casinos, which are always looking for new modes of entertainment. Indeed, even now there are places set aside in some casinos where customers can watch virtual sports and bet on outcomes; making this happen in VR just makes for a richer and more modern experience.
Ordinary Video Games
As mentioned, casinos are always looking for new ways to entertain, and before even considering virtual reality, they’ve already gotten to regular video games. This is something that’s been generating headlines in Las Vegas for a year or so, and while it’s not happening on a major scale just yet, it appears bound to. The idea, basically, is that younger people are less interested in traditional slots and jackpots, and need more of a skill-based challenge to be incentivized to game. Thus, some casinos are bringing in recognized, regular video games and turning them into betting experiences.
Robotic Croupiers
As much as casinos will likely be adopting things like virtual reality and video games, traditional casino games will endure as well - they just might be conducted a little bit differently. The biggest difference that appears to be on the horizon is the arrival of robot croupiers. A Hong Kong-based tech firm has already created the first robot croupier prototype, named Min, and introduced her at casinos in both Macau and the U.S. Min is essentially a prototype, but the ideal version of this concept would be a robotic dealer who can deal cards, run a game, interact with players, and even detect cheating, all at once.
eSports
This goes hand-in-hand with some of the ideas already discussed here, but it bears mentioning in its own category. eSports arenas are beginning to emerge in Las Vegas, almost as add-ons to casinos, and they offer a whole new blend of entertainment. For those who may not be familiar, eSports is a term that basically refers to competitive gaming, often for cash prizes, and sometimes with spectators betting on outcomes. A lot of the time this happens primarily online, but in an eSports arena, people will pour into a venue to watch gaming competitions live. It’s actually becoming quite the phenomenon, to the point that some are calling it a sport, and it represents a major new avenue for casinos.
