BETTING

Immersive Technologies and the Betting Industry: How AR, VR, and the Metaverse Are Changing Online Gambling

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Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications are transforming online gambling. From online casinos to poker tournaments, these immersive technologies are revolutionizing the online gambling experience by utilizing AR -enabled smartphones and virtual reality glasses

All you need to know about AR, VR, and the metaverse

To apprehend the impact immersive technologies are having on the betting industry, it is crucial to understand the difference between augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse.

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AR is an immersive technology that juxtaposes the environment experienced by the users and other virtually fabricated elements. As a result, by utilizing special devices, such as AR -enabled smartphones, you can see artificially manufactured elements in your actual environment. In 1990, Tom Caudell and David Mizell, employees of Boeing, coined the term "augmented reality" when they created a replacement for a system of large plywood boards with wiring instructions for aircraft fabrication. Therefore, Caudell and Mizzel fostered the use of augmented reality in industrial settings. Since then, AR has been implemented in the gaming industry and in business and industries, such as fashion, healthcare, and aerospace.

VR is an immersive technology that is boosting businesses and industries’ growth and expansion worldwide. It creates digital worlds and objects with life-like appearances where users are immersed using virtual reality headsets. VR has been adopted in the video games industry and other sectors, such as healthcare and defense. While with augmented reality users can control their presence in the real world, with virtual reality users are completely immersed and led by the experience in the virtual world.

The metaverse is a very hot buzzword used in contemporary technology and business settings. Therefore, its definition is still "fuzzy, contested, and shaped by the people's ambitions using it." Three critical elements have prevailed in defining what the metaverse is: a VR interface, digital ownership, and avatars. In essence, the metaverse can be explained as a graphically rich virtual space where people can work, play, shop and socialize.

The role of immersive technologies in the betting industry

AR and VR casinos

The introduction of immersive technologies in the betting industry has created a paradigm shift in the gambling experience, from totally immersive experiences in virtual reality to augmented reality apps that introduce digital elements in the real world.

For instance, VR has been used to create virtual online casinos, where users can participate in tournaments or simply take part in specific gameplay and assume their own avatar through specific headsets, like the Oculus Quest 2 or HTC Vive.

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Augmented reality has also been introduced in online casinos settings to bridge digital worlds elements within the physical experience. Live dealer games can be played by using smartphones or tablets. Through the AR features, players can interact with elements of the real environment, such cards.

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What is the future of AR and VR in online casinos?

Virtual reality -powered online gambling is still at its infancy with only a very first few games created. As adoption within the industry grows, operators will identify critical benefits for adopting these immersive technologies. For instance, VR and AR introduce features to foster loyalty, offer bonuses, and drive users' experience to a new level. The online nature of the experience will also reduce expenses such as payroll. With the uprise of the metaverse trend, and as the technology and its adoption advances, the gambling industry will benefit greatly. The metaverse, for instance, can make the user experience unique and unforgettable, by transporting players within a virtual realm of worlds and games.