For the past few decades, the gambling industry has gone through radical changes that many of us never thought possible. Since online casinos like those listed on http://slotmine.com/online-casinos/ went mainstream, land-based casinos have been taking a beating year after year. From betting kiosks to bingo halls, brick and mortar gambling settings have seen a significant decrease in footfall through their doors.
The deterioration of the land-based casino business has been so terrible that operators and experts in the gambling market have been questioning the future of the industry. With a lot of gambling fans diverting to online casinos, is it a sign that land-based platforms could die out? Let us look at some of the factors that could give us answers or at least help us peek into the future.
How Technology Disrupted Land-Based Casinos
We are living in an age where the smartphone has disrupted various industries, with betting being among the most affected. While the number of online casino bettors via mobile websites and mobile apps has been on the rise, for the land-based casinos across, things seem to be turning sour. The latest innovations in technology allow punters to enjoy their preferred casino games on the go or at the comfort of their homes. Why would anyone skip that convenience?
Keeping Up With Changing Times
So, what does the future hold for land-based casinos? Well, while the upcoming projections for the industry seem challenging, there could be light at the end of the tunnel. Innovative land-based operators that keep up with the times will manage to remain relevant and competitive. For instance, operators can include more advanced gambling machines and combine the latest tech to keep their lobbies enticing. Thus, it’s the same technology that’s causing a shakeup in the traditional (land-based) casino industry that could well turn out to be its savior.
So, just like in any other business or industry, casinos that don’t innovate, perish. Thus, even as the sector suffers from a decrease in customers, those diligent enough to change with the times will eventually survive. With zillions of prospect gamblers available online, several casino operators currently offer apps and websites. This has provided operators with ample revenue to compensate for losses suffered at physical locations. While so many branches have been closed, technology provides unexploited potentials for the industry too.
Next-generation Tech for More Immersive Entertainment
Developing technologies like Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR) may perhaps have the key to saving what in the past was seen as a dazzling way of spending the evening. VR and AR are nowadays used in gaming to offer gamblers a more immersive experience on their devices.
They can also be used to improve in-store engagement. A good instance of this is the Pokémon GO game. The game used Augmented Reality to get players outside more. The similar idea can be employed by traditional casinos to provide the ‘retail experience’ that modern spenders seek in land-based sites. Technology should be viewed as a tool, not a threat!
The Offline Experience
Sensibly though, the probability of the land-based casino industry completely disappearing soon is zero. Why? Regardless of how incredible online casinos could be, for millions of players worldwide, offline gaming remains the best.
Think of it this way- between watching a World Cup Final football match live on TV or the experience of attending the game in person, which is more thrilling? Better yet, what about listening to music versus attending live performances? From the two instances, you realize the online experience lacks much of the atmosphere of the real thing. Take a trip to Las Vegas to grasp the difference better; there’s only so far online casinos can take things.
Many years down the line, VR could enable players to relish a massive chunk of real casino experience but from home. Even so, you’ll still be sitting or standing alone in an empty room, instead of getting into the thick of things with other players, shoulder to shoulder.
Furthermore, land-based casinos are not only meant for gambling. Most players make a real event of it- socializing, having one or two drinks, dining out and all that. All these are plus points exclusive to traditional casinos.
The Best of the Two
The fact is, both online and land-based casinos have their unique advantages and disadvantages. If you consider yourself to be a casino fan, it’s worth accepting the best of both worlds. Just decide which one is the best for you at the time and progressing appropriately. Therefore in the meantime, it’s quite safe saying that the land-based casino industry isn’t going anywhere. Even though businesses are struggling to remain afloat, the entire industry is just too big, too powerful, and too popular. It can’t just curl up and vanish in the thin ai