The Chinese zodiac tells us we’re entering the Year of the Tiger, an animal that represents strength and courage. It’s a fitting metaphor for a casino industry looking to roar back after two years of “stay home, stay safe” Covid mandates. But rather than waiting for gamblers to venture back to our neon jungles, an unprecedented convergence of new technologies allows us to bring the party to the people via online gaming. Far from an existential threat to brick-and-bling palaces, it’s an opportunity to expand your brand like never before.
Covid released the Kraken that is online gambling, and it’s quickly becoming a monster industry. The proliferation of handheld devices (who doesn’t own a smartphone?) and lingering Covid restrictions are expected to snowball into an estimated 17.35% compound annual growth rate for online gambling in the U.S. through 2026, making it the fastest growing piece of the casino player pie.
An accelerated pace of innovation – in technologies ranging from virtual reality and cloud streaming to 5G, blockchain and more – presents past and future casino patrons with new, imaginative ways to bet, win…and have fun. We’re still years away from a time when rubbing elbows with other avatars at virtual reality 3D blackjack tables is the norm. But the days of casinos and bookmakers being the only sites where gamblers can get their groove on are already in the rearview mirror.
Here’s a quick summary of some technologies that are contributing to the rise of online gaming – and tectonic shifts in the gaming and leisure industry in 2022.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY ANN NYGREN IN THE 2022 SPRING EDITION OF GAMING & LEISURE MAGAZINE.