In 2024, iGaming goes far beyond gambling online. The experience that accompanies playing online games carries more value now than ever.
iGaming operators are increasingly under pressure to meet the personalization demands of players while maintaining responsible gaming practices and other regulations.
So, how will they leverage tech to meet up with these demands?
Here are some emerging ways to expect in 2024.
Image Source: Unsplash
1. The Use of Chatbots for Customer Support and Virtual Assistance
AI-powered tools like chatbots and virtual assistants are set to revolutionize customer support services in iGaming. With the worldwide chatbot market poised to reach 454.8 million dollars in revenue by 2027, its activities are expected to pick the pace starting in 2024, and iGaming represents one of the industries it finds the most applications.
By 2024, they will drastically improve personalized gaming experiences by serving as the ultimate customer service crew. Many operators will provide 24/7 customer support by using chatbots to tackle simple customer queries while reassigning major issues to human agents.
In addition, they’ll also serve as in-game virtual assistants or what many gamers would rather call the “ultimate wingman.” This trend is expected to improve the player experience in iGaming in 2024.
2. Crypto Payments
More and more players are choosing to play at a Bitcoin casino this year thanks to the many benefits of paying with Bitcoin and other cryptos. Using crypto to gamble allows players to enjoy bigger bonuses, higher stake limits, and the opportunity to stay anonymous while they play. That’s because many Bitcoin casinos don’t require players to submit their ID documents for verification before they play – they simply have to connect their crypto wallet to their casino account and start playing. We can only expect crypto gambling to continue rising in popularity – gambling-related cryptocurrencies are currently worth over $150 million, and the number of crypto bets increased by 2.2 in Q1 and Q2 of 2022.
3. Gamification
Casino games will no longer just be about counting cards or spinning wheels in 2024. Towards the end of 2023, we noticed many casinos presenting a blend of gambling and gaming, making it hard to distinguish. This fusion is due to the fact that bettors want more thrilling gambling experiences. And gamification of the entire casino experience is one of the ways we expect most operators to do that.
We’ll see more game incentives like trophies and badges. Consequently, players are expected to feel like they’re on an adventure just by being a regular player at an online casino. Aside from playing the actual casino games, they’ll be a part of a bigger gaming adventure tailored to their preferences using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
4. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR and VR) Will Improve User Engagement
iGaming operators are expected to hook players up using dynamic and interactive gaming arenas created by AR and VR technologies. Some emerging examples of these include AR racetracks and VR casinos. These are already inspiring the creation of AR/VR games that engage the senses and trigger player imaginations in interesting ways.
5. WebRTC Real-Time Streaming Will Become the Industry Standard
Technological advancements and sophistication in iGaming have led to the development of high-quality games that require real-time interactions and top-notch streaming. Likewise, many bettors have gotten used to these games. In a bid to place correct bets, they deliberate on strategies like Magnum 4D prediction and often tend to leave their betting decisions to the last minute. And even then, they expect to place their bets using accurate and instant data.
As such, in 2024, we expect both operators and bettors to use Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) technology for the best experiences. This will help all parties capture and stream audio, video, and other forms of data across browsers without an intermediary. This practice will become more commonplace in 2024.
6. 5G Internet Connectivity Will Drive the Rise of Mobile Gaming and Use of Progressive Web Apps
Mobile gaming has been on an uptrend for years now. Many iGaming brands are designing more mobile-optimized versions of their casino games to tap into 60% of the global population who use mobile phones. In addition, emerging AR and VR technologies are also getting in on the action as operators are now creating mobile versions of AR and VR games.
Nonetheless, we expect mobile games to solidify their dominance in 2024 further. One of the key drivers of that dominance will be the growing adoption of 5G internet connectivity.
Before this current rave of mobile gaming, mobile games were limited by the capabilities of mobile devices and internet connectivity. However, with 5G internet connectivity, mobile casino games will be able to deliver more immersive experiences due to reduced latency and higher speeds.
Progressive web apps (PWAs) are another category of apps benefiting from 5G technology. These are apps that enhance user experience by combining the features of conventional mobile apps and mobile web.
They are all likely to become mainstream in 2024.
7. Leveraging AI for Enforcing Responsible Gambling
While many countries are looking to maximize the benefits of the iGaming industry, they are insistent on ensuring robust regulatory practices, leaving iGaming brands to turn to AI for the maintenance of responsible and safe gambling.
In recent years, we’ve seen many countries, like the Netherlands, Germany, etc., rethink their stance on gambling. They’ve now chosen to regulate the industries themselves, as opposed to letting operators use international licenses alone.
As a result, more emphasis has been placed on responsible gaming practices, and we expect AI to play a greater role in this enforcement in 2024.
It will be used to monitor player behaviors in order to spot patterns of irresponsible gambling. Likewise, it can be used to enforce self-exclusion further by ensuring that players don’t just get back into the game after opting for self-exclusion.
8. Application of AI and ML for Game Development
Since the emergence of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in recent years, there have been many hints at the capabilities of these technologies. However, the tech-savvy iGaming sector is one of the quickest industries to embrace the opportunities. And game development is one of the ways they are likely to be applied in iGaming by 2024.
Firstly, we can expect developers to streamline the game development processes using these technologies. It has been proven that AI can run tests and identify bugs and glitches more efficiently than humans can. So, more developers will automate that aspect of game development.
In addition, we can also expect developers to create more lifelike dynamic characters with certain levels of emotional intelligence so that they are capable of dynamic interactions.
Joshua White is a passionate and experienced website article writer with a keen eye for detail and a knack for crafting engaging content. With a background in journalism and digital marketing, Joshua brings a unique perspective to his writing, ensuring that each piece resonates with readers. His dedication to delivering high-quality, informative, and captivating articles has earned him a reputation for excellence in the industry. When he’s not writing, Joshua enjoys exploring new topics and staying up-to-date with the latest trends in content creation.
Author
