The casino industry has been through some major changes in the last couple of decades. After spending over a century relatively unchanged – offering the same games in the same kind of setting – the invention of the internet and the digitalisation of gaming in general has meant that casinos have had to adapt to a completely new landscape.

With games moving online and players finding it easier to access online casinos like Winkslots, the interest in gambling games and online casinos has dramatically increased. In the early days there was a question over whether online casinos and land-based casinos could coexist, or whether one would dominate the other. Happily, for the industry, it seems as if both sides of the sector have managed to play to their strengths and cultivate their own sets of customers.

Innovative Moves

The first online casinos were very basic, offering pixelated graphics and simple card designs. This worked for table games like poker and blackjack but wasn’t very practical for porting slot machines online. However, the technology soon caught up with what people wanted and fully animated games became the norm.

Now customers at online casinos can create their own avatars, customise their layouts, and play exciting games on their pcs, tablets, and smartphones. Online slots involve eye-catching animations with fully spinning reels, dynamic symbols, playable bonus levels, and much more.

The most recent innovation to capture the interest of players has been the introduction of live casino games. Players stream games from a casino location and can interact with a live dealer as they draw cards or spin wheels. It’s a more sociable way of playing and the closest online casinos have been able to get to the experience of the real thing.

Virtual Reality Casinos

VR technology is quickly taking over the gambling industry with many players interested in what this can bring to enhance gaming experiences.

The latest innovation to interest the online casino sector is the use of virtual reality technology. Virtual Reality worlds let you explore places as if you are really there, meaning you can walk through fantasy worlds or replicas of real places, all without leaving your home.

Introducing virtual reality into online casinos would give players an even more realistic experience. You could walk from table to table before picking your seat, pick up your chips and cards and use hand gestures to signal your intentions to the dealer. You could even take a seat at the bar and chat to other players – a function which would finally give online players the social aspect of casino gaming which has so far been difficult to reproduce online.

How Virtual Reality Casinos Could Be The Future?

So far there are only one or two virtual reality casinos in operation, but as more players purchase VR headsets, the demand will increase. VR casinos offer a unique opportunity for real world casinos to create digital versions of their iconic buildings and allow players from all over the world to visit them virtually. Famous settings like Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, The Venetian in Macau, and The Hippodrome in London could all welcome virtual customers and spread their appeal to players who would otherwise be unable to visit them.

Virtual Reality has been designed to give players an immersive experience. For some games this works really well, for example horror games where the atmosphere is heightened by having enemies jump straight at you. However, there are critics who wonder how well casino games will transfer to a VR format, because sitting at a table playing poker doesn’t offer the same thrills. Yet, as online casinos have proven, being slightly removed from the action hasn’t turned players off the games. And it might lead developers to take an even more creative approach to their game designs.

Virtual Reality Slots

There are already some ground-breaking online slot designs, with non-linear reels, fluid lines, and fully animated symbols. VR offers slot developers the chance to really flex their creative muscles. The possibilities for slot designs are endless. VR players could find themselves playing from inside a giant slow machine, having to spin the reels themselves. Or slots could include playable bonus levels, with VR players having to fight monsters, navigate mazes, or solve puzzles, all for extra winnings.

Online casino games have already become more animated and taken on the look of video games. With virtual reality now opening up further probabilities for development, it is exciting to see what online casino designers do with this next step in technology. For gambling fans, the prospect of being able to visit some of the most famous casinos in the world without forking out thousands on airfares will be a big draw. Hopefully some of the casinos are already working on their own digital versions, ready to make that breakthrough.

In Conclusion

There’s no reason why virtual reality software and slot machines cannot work in conjunction with each other. We could see a return to the one-armed bandit style of machine, where VR users can crank the lever to spin their reels. Or developers might take the technology to a more futuristic level, with in-built playable mini games and the chances to interact with online slots in completely new and exciting ways. We won’t really know until VR casinos have become more established, but it’s exciting to imagine what might be.