Getting The Vegas Feel From Home Through Virtual Reality
By Eline Kimmel
For many people the advent of virtual reality (VR) is still accompanied by a cloud of vagueness. This is mostly because, despite all the hype and buzz surrounding VR, we have yet to see the technology find its place in our everyday life in the same way that for example mobile applications have done so. It seems likely that one of the first areas in which VR will become available for the masses will be through the gaming industry. This makes sense, as gaming companies have always sought for new ways to make gaming experiences as lifelike and authentic for its users as possible. The application of VR in games is now finding its way into a specialization of the industry; that of the realm of online casino sites.
Online casino sites seem to be especially suited for the application of VR. After all, half the fun of trying your luck at a casino is the special atmosphere that the locations offer. This unique feeling, together with the appeal of the casino games, can be replicated through the use of VR. Moreover, this application has the added advantage of being combined with the ease of getting to experience the casino atmosphere from the comforts of your own home. In short, virtual reality casinos seem to be a good way to integrate the technology into the online activities of those people who gamble online.
Of course, as with any new technology, the industry faces many regulatory hurdles that have to be overcome in order to implement virtual reality technology in online gambling. The dangers of gambling addictions, for example, need to be taken into account, especially when considering that VR will make the online casino experience more lifelike and authentic. In addition, age restrictions should probably be implemented and rigidly enforced in these new online environments as the lifelike experience of online casinos through virtual reality can have profound influences on young people of a more impressionable age. In short, just because a new technology is available does not mean it should be implemented without any regard for the potential social consequences. When sufficient safety measures are in place however, it seems likely that the development and popularization of online gambling through virtual reality will continue without too much opposition.
Currently, there are some prototypes and demos available that combine virtual reality and online casino gambling. One of these examples is Slotsmillion that created a virtual version of a casino filled with more than forty of the most popular casino games. Likewise, Casino VR Poker offers virtual reality poker tournaments that make you feel as if you are actually at a poker table when playing. Both of these VR applications require the use of the Oculus Rift goggles, which does mean that the experience comes with quite a high price tag. People trying out these limited VR demos have already reported the added value of the new medium, saying the experience of gambling through virtual reality feels much more ‘enticing’ than using traditional online casino websites. With the technology of virtual reality becoming more refined every day, it seems likely that the positive experience of testers will only grow.
Already, internet casino sites are booming. What seems like the logical next step in the business of online casinos is making the experience more authentic and exciting for consumers, for which VR technology seems appropriate. It might not be too long before you can experience the Las Vegas feel of winning the jackpot while forgetting you are actually sitting at home in your pajamas.
Eline Kimmel is a Contributing Editor at The Social Media Monthly.
