It’s safe to say that iGaming is one of the healthiest sectors of the gambling industry as a whole. It was never going to be possible for iGaming to maintain the incredible spikes in growth and prosperity that it saw in the first two years of the 2020s. However, the slight downturn that 2023 brought and the levelling out of the industry’s rise were merely indicators of a return to normalcy.
One of the primary factors in the iGaming industry’s ability to remain competitive is the constant innovation that the leading brands display. The tech world thrives on innovation and rapid improvements and developments, and the partnership between tech and gambling has yielded some very impressive results.
We are still several years away from the fully-VR casino experience. We can hope to be walking the floor of a digitally recreated Bellagio, the Venetian Macao, or even the Casino de Monte-Carlo by the end of the decade but until then, there are plenty of other upcoming iGaming innovations to look forward to.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most anticipated iGaming innovation predictions for 2024 and beyond.
Emphasis on Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming has gone from a minor niche of the gaming industry to one of the most lucrative and widely played type of video game in the world. Mobile games have become more complex, with better graphics, and with mobile devices that are engineered to support continued, competitive play.
The iGaming industry has always been aware of the potential of mobile devices for iGaming. However most online casinos offer only a fraction of their games on their mobile sites and other forms of iGaming have similar limitations.
Between 2024–26, we’re likely to see mobile optimisation as one of the biggest innovations in the industry. This will come in the form of sites that are fully optimised for mobile devices and desktops. It will also mean more iGaming brands will launch their own apps for all operating systems. Instead of focusing solely on iOS or Android, which limits the potential player base, apps for both major operating systems will likely be released simultaneously.
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games have been the biggest trend in online casinos for the last few years. The novelty of being able to play your favourite table game with a real dealer was exciting for many players who missed the experience of actually going into a casino. Even once the novelty began to wear off, the appeal of these games remained and has, in fact, continued to grow. When discussing live dealer games, industry experts in online casino reviews IrishLuck, stated: “If you seek a more realistic and social gaming experience, live casinos provide an excellent option”.
The live dealer games at the newest online casinos give some insight into how these innovations will be put to use. We’re already seeing new games that step back from the standard table games and introduce new ways of playing. Some of the most popular of these are based on classic board games or game shows, with the dealer acting as the host. We’re likely to see this new genre of live dealer games expanding.
In 2024, we’re also likely to see increased options for interaction in these games. Currently, there are some online casinos that support a chat function for the player to communicate with both the dealer and the other players, but these options are quite limited. While gambling is usually a solo activity, being able to communicate with fellow players has a lot of appeal for many people and is likely to become a standard option.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency has been a controversial topic since the first Bitcoin was mined. Part of this comes from a lack of understanding, part from cryptocurrency’s potential to destabilise existing monetary systems, and part from the volatility of the market. Despite this, cryptocurrency remains popular and has a devoted base of investors, fans, and supporters.
There are already many iGaming brands that accept payments in cryptocurrency. Some of these companies are entirely crypto-based and employ blockchain technology to guarantee player anonymity. While this will not become the norm, the next few years are going to see a wider acceptance of cryptocurrencies as a payment method. This mirrors wider trends and the growing acceptance of cryptocurrency as a permanent part of the global financial system.
VR Casinos
As we mentioned above, fully VR casinos have often been discussed as the end goal of the immersive online casino experience. Each time that VR developments gain traction and catch mainstream attention, this topic re-emerges for discussion.
As high-quality headsets come down in price and become more accessible to wider audiences, the likelihood of online casino brands pursuing this starts to look more likely. What we are more likely to see in the near future are Metaverse-esque casino landscapes. These will be accurate digital scale models of the casino floors, lobbies, etc. that visitors can explore and chat in. They are unlikely to have working table games and slots as they will be more focused on the feel and aesthetics of the casino, not on the gameplay experience.
This will be an interesting intermediate step between our current online casinos and the fully VR online casinos we’re looking towards.
Increased Responsible Gambling Measures
Unfortunately, problem gambling will always be a part of the entire gambling industry. Ease of access is one of the major selling points of iGaming but that same ease can contribute to the development of problematic gambling behaviours. There has already been pushback against the iGaming industry from some governments and concerned organisations. iGaming businesses will need to find a way to address these concerns or risk stricter regulations being put in place to safeguard vulnerable populations.
Being proactive about the issue by implementing their own responsible gambling measures is a huge step that many iGaming brands have already taken. Putting measures in place to protect their players and to hopefully prevent a problem before it starts shows that the iGaming world takes the issue seriously.
In 2024 and the following years, we’re likely to see a more general adoption of responsible gaming measures across the industry. This includes features like self-exclusion options, daily/monthly deposit limits, scheduled and random reality checks, and cool-down periods. This will be the best way for the iGaming industry to protect its customers and itself.
Increased Security Measures
Between the massive cyberattack on the British Library in October 2023 and the disruption of LockBit’s operations in February of this year, cybersecurity has been on everyone’s minds. The general public is now aware that there are groups of cyber criminals offering ransomware as a service (RaaS) to any interested party.
The iGaming industry is an attractive target to cybercriminals because of the amount of personal and financial data that these companies hold. In order to protect themselves and reassure their customers, online casinos and online sportsbooks will have to increase their security measures.
Most iGaming brands already use some form of encryption to protect their data. This is ideal when faced with a hacker but something more powerful is needed to cope with an RaaS attack. In 2024, iGaming innovations will be partially focused on increasing security. While these developments will mainly be behind the scenes, they should have a positive impact on player confidence.
