The iGambling market’s record surge in popularity has made this industry the fastest growing segment of the economy in recent years. The online sector has already exceeded $ 66.72 billion in revenue, and the market is expected to grow more than 11.4% annually.
Interesting fact: it was online casinos that became a popular alternative to betting during the cancellation of mass sports and social events in 2020-2021.
The most popular new generation online gambling technologies
Online gambling is changing and improving much faster than any other industry in the online sphere. Over the past year, the profits of most online casinos have increased. Operators’ progress depends on how well they adapt to modern realities and trends. Let’s consider the most promising ones:
- A virtual reality. According to experts, by 2025, virtual and augmented reality technologies will occupy the online gambling market with a volume of more than 80 billion euros, while about 45 billion will be in the equipment sales sector and 35 billion in software products. These unique technologies maximize your gambling experience. The artificially modeled space becomes almost indistinguishable from reality: now you can find yourself in a chic casino hall and start a game with a live dealer, even while sitting in your pajamas in the kitchen.
- Live casino. Already this year, online gamblers have started typing the phrase “live casino” into the search line more often than ever before. Online casinos with real dealers operating in real time are becoming popular all over the world, so gambling operators will continue to develop this area even more actively.
- Artificial intelligence. Online casino operators are also planning to introduce artificial intelligence that will be able to authorize a user by voice and compile an individual list of games for each player and promises to be one of the most user-friendly gambling trends in 2021 and beyond.
- Virtual sports betting. Even sports have become virtual. A large number of bookmakers have begun to accept virtual sports betting. Players are attracted by this type of entertainment due to the simplicity and efficiency of obtaining results. The most popular bets in virtual sports are football ones. Other virtual competitions are also in use – horse and greyhound racing, motorsport.
Casino technology not only provides players with a completely new gambling experience, but also improves gambling security. The innovative FaceID / TouchID features allow online casinos to verify that the person who has access to the account is the actual owner.
Given the level of competition in the market, the main operator’s task is to offer customers unique gambling solutions. For example, the Shangri La web platform, which was launched in 2016, began with offering slots, live casinos and traditional sports betting. To date, the collection has a total of 2000+ games. They are offered by 50+ providers, including big brands and lesser-known developers. In the main menu, players are offered to choose slots with jackpots, games with bets on odds, scratchcards and much more. The live online casino section has developed in several directions: improving the design, expanding the range and switching to a multilingual interface. Special attention should be paid to the bookmaker’s section. Here you will find virtual sports and e-sports, as well as the possibility of live betting.
Mobile gambling
According to expert reports, in 2017, mobile users accounted for only 10% of the industry’s turnover. And at the end of 2020, more than 45% of the volume of digital traffic was attracted precisely through mobile devices. By the middle of 2021, the volume of the mobile market exceeded desktop traffic for the first time, reaching 50.8%. According to forecasts, by 2025 the turnover of the mobile sector will account for more than 58.2% of all digital traffic and the figure will continue to grow. This situation dictates new rules of the game. Developers are adapting their games for mobile devices, and online casinos are releasing mobile applications.
Following trends in early 2021 Shangri La Casino and Sports website launched its own mobile app. From a functional point of view, it does not differ from the full-size desktop version and allows you to run all your favorite games.
Modern payment methods
The modernization affected not only the technologies for creating game content, innovations also happened in the financial sphere. The most popular trend of 2021 is the full-scale transition of the online market to payments in cryptocurrency. According to experts, in the near future, the trend will radically change the global online gambling industry foundations. Blockchain technology provides players with a range of additional benefits:
- Financial transactions full transparency.
- Simplicity and high speed of calculations.
- Minimum commission fees.
- The ability to maintain anonymity.
Therefore, Bitcoin can be considered a worthy alternative to existing banking systems.