The global casino gaming industry has witnessed a growth surge in the past couple of years, fuelled by the increase in the availability of gambling apps and social gambling.
In 2018, there’s potential for greater sync between offline and online casinos. In the United States alone, the casino gaming industry is worth more than 70 billion. Given the proliferation of online gamers, states like New Jersey also have state-regulated online gambling options, with New York, Pennsylvania and California expected to follow suit. Additionally, as of August 2017, 16 of the top 100 grossing iPhone apps in the USA were social casino games. Game development companies are now focusing on creating engaging online casino experiences that can keep players coming back for more.
Here’s a look at 3 key trends casino gaming industry trends in 2018
1. VR
The use of virtual reality in gaming is on a rise and we’re likely to see that trend continue into 2018. VR in casino games can lead to a more immersive, realistic experience and as a consequence, result in better player retention. With the popularity of mobile VR headsets, this trend will let players enjoy the thrill of the casino experience from within the comfort of their homes – the experience of being inside game rooms, operating slot machines or interacting with other players and dealers via avatars.
2. Live Casinos
Live casinos have been very popular in 2017 and the trend is expected to continue into 2018 as well. Live dealers and real-time feeds help replicate the experience and feel of a real-world casino. This has reportedly been popular with high-end paying customers using real money in the past and is also likely to continue to draw a large audience in social casino games that use both real and virtual currencies.
3. Gamification
More online casinos are starting to use game-like elements such as storylines and narratives, avatars, leaderboards, power-ups, tournaments, unlockable content, etc to increase player interaction. Features like these have resulted in improvements in the sign-up rates and this trend is likely to continue into 2018.