Virtual Reality has been around longer than you might think. First invented in the 1950s with Morton Heilig’s Sensorama Simulator before being gamified in 1968 with The Sword of Damocles, VR has since come a long way. Approximately 171 million people worldwide have access to VR headsets today, according to Statista, and GlobalData forecasts it to be a $28bn market by 2030.
Early on, NASA and the US military used it for simulation training. It was only through commercialisation in the 1990s by companies like Virtuality and Sega that VR as we now know it emerged. It’s a technology that’s constantly evolving with endless applications. From architecture and business to gaming and surgery, it’s time to step into our wildest dreams.
Where VR Casinos Are Now
Imagine yourself walking around a casino floor, complete with glamorous ambience and personal interaction. Now imagine all this without leaving your house. This is what the VR casino offers players: an immersive experience with all the sights and sounds of a brick-and-mortar casino.
Experience live roulette games, slots, blackjack, and poker with realistic slot machines and tables where you can display and observe body language. Instead of traffic and expensive hotels, you immediately get to engage with fellow players and dealers in real-time simply by slipping on your headset.
Unlike traditional casinos, where guests have to bet with real money, VR casinos also allow for free demo games as you would with standard online gaming. Gone are the days of live games hindered by chat boxes and screen sizes. In essence, VR gamblers get the whole casino experience with all the online benefits and none of the real-world limitations.
What’s to Come
Virtual Reality is here to stay. With cloud-based and live online gaming becoming ever more commonplace, more and more companies will transition to VR for the immersive environment it allows. Already physical casinos are embracing the technology to replicate their every detail in a digital counterpart for players to experience remotely.
Remember 2010’s Tron: Legacy or Spielberg’s Ready Player One from 2018? Developers might be focusing their efforts on making them as lifelike as possible at present, but a few years from now could see us gambling in an underwater Atlantis complete with mermaids, the Vegas Strip, Mars, or indeed any setting you can imagine.
Accessibility
Today’s VR devices are either standalone or tethered. Standalone headsets provide the greatest mobility as no cables are tying you down. On the other hand, tethered headsets physically connect to a PC or PS for improved performance and graphics.
Your (first) foray into VR needn’t be expensive. Google Cardboard, now made open-source, allows anyone with a smartphone and a spare piece of cardboard to enter the world of VR.
Verdict
VR casinos are still in their early days. The graphics might still be a few years behind, but it’s a promising branch of the iGambling industry. It successfully merges the convenience and accessibility of a live online platform with the authentic experience of a physical casino.