Virtual Reality is booming, more and more people are getting excited by what it can offer. For people who like to gamble in casinos and cannot currently, do read on, because VR casinos is the next big thing.
What do we know about Virtual Reality (VR) today?
Well, for the purpose of this discussion we would describe ‘VR’ as computer generated imagery and hardware designed to fully immerse someone into a designed surrounding.
Simply put by wearing a headset you can see into 360° altered reality, specifically designed for entertainment.
Today you can go online and buy a VR headset for around £300 and head into a WW1 battlefield or touch gloves in a boxing ring. So, it only makes sense that you can walk into a Casino too, without actually going to a casino.
Many Casinos are opening their doors to VR – a complete gaming experience with slots, roulette and card games all available.
Digital avatars for dealers as well as players; the interactive experience means it will be very similar to the real thing – in game chats where players can talk to players from all over the world in the lounge or at the bar. You are able to walk around in an actual Casino with the scenery changing around you, even outside the windows, you can choose which game to play slots by walking there. Obviously, VR has its limitations in its realism, however, its developing fast.
VR in the future
With the way the world is nowadays it seems like a no brainer – the possibilities are literally endless. It won’t be long until real casinos are loaded into the software.
Imagine strolling into Casino de Monte Carlo or the Bellagio, on a Friday night sat at your home on the other side of the world. You’ll certainly save money on transport and leisure.
Moreover, all the entertainment that comes with the experience such as attending concerts, Vegas-style shows etc will soon be a part of the VR casino experience. The games will become more immersive and realistic.
The global Virtual Reality in gaming market size was $5.12 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $45.2 billion by 2027, according to market research from Fortune Business Insights. In gambling however, the market is expected to generate $400 million by 2022. The main challenge at the moment is the high cost of VR headsets.
It is a new experience, and although developers will try and make it similar to the real thing, it’s still a novel one.
Eventually however, customers will come to enjoy a more affordable cost once investing in a VR system. Tech pioneers such as Mark Zuckerberg are buying into VR which might suggest it’s here to stay.
Virtual Reality Casino Games
In less that a decade, analyst predict that more than 100 million people worldwide could be active VR users; developers are breaking the ice on these new virtual frontiers. SlotsMillion was launched in 2015 as the world’s first virtual casino. It allows users to wander around a casino floor and interact with other players. The actual games are the same as those you would find at any other typical online casino.
Stockholm-based developers NetEnt recently showcased a virtual reality version of their hit online slot Gonzo’s Quest, where you could wander through Gonzo’s world in between spinning the reels. It looked great but still failed to get any real traction
NetEnt, BetConstruct, and Microgaming have all released VR casino prototypes, where players can enjoy a game of blackjack and wander off to the roulette table in a virtual environment. Unfortunately, the appetite for virtual reality is limited and the technology is still a case of ‘close but no cigar’. The virtual casinos are yet to catch on.
Meanwhile in Las Vegas…
In the land of real world casinos, virtual reality is making an impact – but not on the gaming floor. In Las Vegas, immersive gaming is the hot ticket and developers Zero Latency are the masters of the game. The company has 35 venues in 19 countries around the world, where players can battle zombie and alien hoards in a virtual world. In Las Vegas, the MGM Grand hosts the game where up to eight people can play simultaneously. If you have had more than enough of the roulette and blackjack tables, now you can take it out on the undead.
Virtual reality is a perfect example of a platform looking for a train. In 1969, BBC2 started broadcasting television shows in colour. The programmers were looking for content that would showcase the new technology. They decided on snooker. Snooker had a renaissance; becoming one of the most popular sports on British television in the 1970s and 1980s. Virtual reality will eventually find its snooker and we will all be hooked.
Watch this virtual space!
