In recent years, several important technological innovations have significantly impacted online betting, revolutionizing how players interact with the games they play and how online sports bettors interact with sporting events.
Here is a look at how digital betting is shaping the way players get involved with their favorite iGaming sites and the key technologies that have had the biggest overall impact on how people bet online.
Which technologies have helped elevate the digital betting experience?
The term ‘iGaming’ broadly refers to legally permitted online betting sites that are fully licensed and regulated to offer real-money betting services on their websites or via an app.
Some of the most popular sites that fall under this commonly used umbrella term are dedicated poker sites, bingo and lottery sites, online casinos and online sportsbooks.
In recent years, several key technologies have elevated the digital betting experience for people who join these sites to place online bets. Without the following technological innovations being leveraged by players and operators, the industry wouldn’t have grown as much as it has:
- Live streaming capabilities and cloud gaming and computing technologies have enabled sports bettors to place in-play wagers as the action unfolds, and they can watch uninterrupted without latency, lagging, buffering or disconnection issues. These two technologies have taken highly sophisticated live dealer casino games to new heights.
- More powerful PCs and mobile devices have elevated the experience for online bettors worldwide.
- Faster internet speeds, such as 5G, have also enhanced the online betting experience. In particular, live dealer games in Canada and around the world now run smoother than ever.
- More sophisticated firewalls and advanced SSL and TLS cryptographic encryption measures have made the online betting experience more secure. Two-factor authentication (2FA) and other secure login features have also helped reduce unauthorized account access and other fraudulent activities.
- Communication tools have created bigger online gaming communities, and features like instant chat now enable online bettors to share experiences and interact with each other in real time.
- iGaming operators leverage various artificial intelligence (AI) tools, systems and software, including machine learning (ML), to enhance the experience for individual players on a personal level. The experience is now far more personalized thanks to tailored promotional offers and more relevant game suggestions.
- Websites are now far more functional, dynamic, user-friendly and responsive than ever, which has helped enhance the online betting experience, and the web browsers people use to visit their favorite iGaming sites have also become far more secure, intuitive and efficient.
- The payment processing gateways, such as PayPal, Visa, Apple Pay, Trustly and countless others, that facilitate deposits and withdrawals on these sites are now quicker at processing transactions, easier to use, more reliable, and cost less.
Other ways digital betting influences how players get involved on their favorite sites
These days, players have access to a range of highly sophisticated, safer gambling tools that offer enhanced player protection and help them remain within their spending budgets when they place bets.
Deposit limits, session time reminders, win/loss limits, spending caps, time-outs and various other useful and effective responsible gambling tools that are now provided by operators have helped minimize overspending.
Loyalty rewards programs and daily login promotions have also become more worthwhile, and the support provided by top-tier operators has significantly improved.
Customer support agents have become much easier to reach via toll-free telephone, live chat and email. These professionally trained support agents typically demonstrate excellent customer service skills, never leaving questions unanswered or technical issues unfixed.
Mobile devices have made online betting more convenient, and the use of data and analysis and AI-powered sports betting prediction tools have enabled sports bettors to place more strategic bets with a higher degree of accuracy.
The future of digital betting
The online betting experience for people who place sports bets or play casino games has become safer and far more immersive than ever thanks to these key technological innovations.
In the coming years, the global iGaming market is expected to continue growing, especially as more people shift toward betting on mobile devices.
Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are poised to play a major role in shaping the industry and taking it to new heights thanks to the benefits offered by decentralized online payment methods.
Finally, virtual reality (VR) technologies are expected to completely revolutionize the way people interact with their favorite online games and will push the boundaries of what is possible in this growing sector of the digital entertainment industry.