2017 was quite a year for online gambling – turbulent, innovative, revolutionary and groundbreaking in many ways, but also troubled and uncertain in others. Our friends at Slotegrator – prime content aggregator and iGaming visionaries with whom we did an interview, are eager just like all of us to see what 2018 holds in terms of online casino trends. They didn't sit around waiting for others to make prophecies, instead they've analyzed bygone trends and and where things stand now. The times they are a changin' and so is the industry. Here are Slotegrator's predictions for 2018:
This year could be pivotal for the development of Virtual Reality technologies and their implementation in the gambling industry. Some of the operators have already gone down this route but they're still considered avant-garde for their efforts. However, there's no doubt it's a looming future – VR tech gadgets are more affordable nowadays and could become the next big thing in online gambling.
Cryptocurrencies were a big deal in 2017 and, despite some of the enthusiasm about them seemingly wearing off in 2018, their advantages over other currencies remain undisputed: Slotegrator cites anonymity, speed, convenience and minimum fees as main reasons while Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and co. could extend their domination well into this year.
In order to provide a “competitive edge to the operators and increase brand's visibility,” developers and casino operators may start offering custom-tailored slot games in order to rise above the masses, become more distinguished, and recognized. Also, with the soaring usage of mobile devices for engaging into online gambling, tools like ‘Messengers’ will be gaining further popularity as a communication option with the casino representatives and other players – the aggregator has developed their very own Telegram casino with the integrated messenger within the gaming platform.
Also, as a consequence of new technologies and faster internet, live table games are cementing their place as players' favorites. Last year, they were in high demand and this will keep the momentum in 2018. A mash-up of VR and live games is expected to become all the rage, as developers continue their quest for introducing more realistic environments and broadcasting games in real-time mode.
The aggregator is also of the opinion that skill games, as opposed to luck games, is where it's at this yearas more and more developers begin supplying casinos with strategy games. Having to apply their skills is what players worldwide cherish and embrace and that, again, implies that we can expect a new breed of skill-driven gamblers to flood the iGaming scene.
A few other trends that may sweep the gambling market this year are gamification – the concept that asks players to solve marketing tasks using game dynamics through providing missions, competitions, bonuses and rewards – and entertaining content, other than gaming itself, which may be used in order to keep the punters occupied, like TV shows, music videos etc.
Finally, 2018 may see Big Data technology and mergers and acquisitions make all the major headlines in the world of online gambling. The former is invaluable for its advent as it provides means to adapt and adjust games to the needs of target audiences via the huge amount of data and information it stores. Mergers are just the way of the world right now as gambling companies will be increasing their capital this year – and will exceed $60 billion in volume by 2020, according to experts.
What do you think of these forecasts? Is there something you think they left out and you'd like to add? Do so in the comments below..
Source:
“The Main Trends of the Online Casino in 2018”, slotegrator.com
coolsongss
5 years ago
In a smaller scale, I think that a new trends in slot games is smaller winning chances, hahaha :) Most of new games of many softwares are developed to give a small and medium range wins only. Or, rather higher RTP just keep the balance in a slow down curve. Even if the games have higher line wins, the actual wins are much...
In a smaller scale, I think that a new trends in slot games is smaller winning chances, hahaha :) Most of new games of many softwares are developed to give a small and medium range wins only. Or, rather higher RTP just keep the balance in a slow down curve. Even if the games have higher line wins, the actual wins are much smaller than before.
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Vanenhox
6 years ago
I am not sure that cryptocurrencies are cheaper and more convenient than other forms of payment. Cash for example is more convenient and has no fees associated with it when one is for example at a brick and mortar casino. And bitcoin and others like it seem to be crashing right now. I look forward to the wonders of gambling...
I am not sure that cryptocurrencies are cheaper and more convenient than other forms of payment. Cash for example is more convenient and has no fees associated with it when one is for example at a brick and mortar casino. And bitcoin and others like it seem to be crashing right now. I look forward to the wonders of gambling with virtual reality enhancement. I bet that this will grow and grow in coming years if not 18.
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Andreas_V
6 years ago
You're welcome, Jade - and thank you for the valuable comment, I know exactly what you mean. It's sad, but most of our technological advancement does come from our own sense of self-entitlement. We get easily aggravated when our internet is slower than usual, as if radio waves communicating with satellites in planet's orbit...
You're welcome, Jade - and thank you for the valuable comment, I know exactly what you mean. It's sad, but most of our technological advancement does come from our own sense of self-entitlement. We get easily aggravated when our internet is slower than usual, as if radio waves communicating with satellites in planet's orbit is the most ordinary thing in the world. So yeah, overall we have it good. :)
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jade
6 years ago
It is amazing sometimes that we can even play in a casino, on the internet, halfway across the world, from inside our own house, let alone know that all the things I just read in this story actually do exit, or will soon! What a life, we are able to live nowadays and, "FORGOT ANYTHING," OMG, just half of these things,...
It is amazing sometimes that we can even play in a casino, on the internet, halfway across the world, from inside our own house, let alone know that all the things I just read in this story actually do exit, or will soon! What a life, we are able to live nowadays and, "FORGOT ANYTHING," OMG, just half of these things, only a short time ago, would have seemed very unlikely. I feel like George Jetsons wife, ( from the TV show, THE JETSONS ) Jane! I think that the only thing left too invent is the flying automobile! Thank you Andrej, this story has taken me from being disappointed, losing $20 at my favorite online casino, to remind me, just how lucky we all are, to even be alive today.
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Sylvanas
6 years ago
I'm pretty hopeful for this and the next several years to come! I'm not too big for Virtual Reality or the crypto madness, but I am very excited about the way slots are changing, kinda getting closer to modern PC and console gaming with the missions, levels and unlockables, which I think is great. And of course the laws!...
I'm pretty hopeful for this and the next several years to come! I'm not too big for Virtual Reality or the crypto madness, but I am very excited about the way slots are changing, kinda getting closer to modern PC and console gaming with the missions, levels and unlockables, which I think is great. And of course the laws! UKGC, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia seems to have gotten more serious about iGaming and better regulations.
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