- (Virtual) casinos can be fun, but always play responsibly...
A Virtual Casino is one, where you create an avatar and explore something like an open-world environment. Think of it in terms of contemporary games like GTA, Red Dead Redemption, Roblox, etc.
In this world, you get to explore different games, approach slot machines, play them, and even go to virtual dealers and blackjack tables. These casinos exist now, and it is only a matter of time before we see major changes in how we play in online iGaming facilities.
The question is: what is the future of virtual casinos in the gambling industry?
Avatars and the In-Game World
The first thing that will happen in virtual reality casinos is the introduction of a virtual world. Users can create avatars, similar to how gamers create in-game characters in role-playing games.
This technology already exists, and one good example is Decentraland. In it, you can create a character, buy plots of land, put up a business, or simply roam around the world.
The avatars are the role-playing characters that the players can manipulate. It represents their identity. The way it goes now is that players have limited access to how they can dress up these avatars. If they want better clothing, they must buy it from the Decentraland store.
Here are some key pointers to know about virtual reality worlds:
- You may have to buy in-game tokens.
- There is a limit to the number of characters you can create.
- There are rules of engagement and interaction.
- Not everything you do is free.
As far as in-game tokens are concerned, it seems like creators of VR worlds and casinos are gearing toward cryptocurrency. In Decentraland, for example, the money or currency you can use is called MANA. It is an actual cryptocurrency that you can buy in crypto exchanges.
You can also earn MANA if you do some activities, like mining. However, this is too tedious. If you are a gamer, the best thing to do is to buy the cryptocurrency and then enjoy it.
In this case, the casino may also pay you cryptocurrency. It is up to you to wait for its fiat value to go up before exchanging it for real cash.
Social Interaction
The next expectation we have for the future of virtual reality casinos is social interaction. Just like Roblox, people who play can do the following things:
- Make friends.
- Send them invitations to a server.
- Participate in chat.
Some virtual games even allow people to sell stuff or share stuff. The thing about this feature is that the developers and operators need to exercise caution.
People will always find a reason to make a place toxic, even online. As such, the operators of the virtual reality casinos must put in place clear rules about engagement. They must ban people who:
- Attempt to scam people.
- Are rude.
- Violate other rules.
- Make the place a toxic environment.
There is no way we can list all the possible violations people can do. What matters is that virtual reality casinos must be a safe place for everybody. We can expect operators to be responsible enough to make this safety and security happen.
Access to Live Environments
Perhaps the most anticipated of all the possible futures of virtual casinos is access to live environments. Right now, all VR games are 3D environments. Most of these are cartoonish, to say the least.
The future we are talking about is access to a real environment. Just imagine going to a real casino — a land-based casino, but instead of going there physically, you are exploring the casino through your VR device or headset.
As you walk through the facility, your headset will give you access to interact with objects, like slot machines. With your handheld controllers, you can manipulate the slot machine and play with it. Your view, of course, is also jot cartoonish. Instead, you can view the real thing — an actual environment that exists physically somewhere, like a studio.
With this access to a live environment comes the ability to interact with people. The people who operate the casino in person, like the dealers, will also wear headsets in order to communicate with you.
While this idea may sound too good to be true, the technology already partially exists. For example, Pokémon Go became so successful. The phone takes data from what the camera sees, and then the program makes a Pokémon appear. It is up to the player to capture it.
The virtual casino is the next big thing. It is going to be the basic expectation of gamblers in the future. They would want to explore an in-game world where they could interact with objects, dealers, and most importantly, other people.