ShareWhenever the discussion of technology and casino gaming comes up, there’s a focus on the internet, cryptocurrency, and, looking to the future, AI and VR, which are set to play a bigger role. However, one of the first and most seminal fusions of technology and casino gaming emerged from the world of video poker back in the 1970s.
This was decades before the internet began to impact all our lives, and the concept of casino gaming was refined in a few nations in Europe and a couple of states in the US. During the development of video poker, many in the industry felt the idea wasn’t popular enough to take off.
Poker had a staunch and passionate following in conventional casinos. At that time, it had been a casino gaming stalwart for over a century. Because of the game's physical elements, which focused on bluffing, psyching out opponents, and reading body language, many people didn’t see the potential for it to become a virtual, solo game.
Capturing The Contemporary Market
We’ve seen plenty of developments that combine the world of technology and casino gaming, and some have been more successful than others. The latest development gaining traction is the fusion of crypto and casino gaming.
These changes have shifted the way many casinos operate and market themselves, but they have also proven to be an innovative payment option in conventional casino gaming and video poker. Gambling games at Cafe Casino offer a broad range of options, and for casino companies to remain competitive in the new global landscape, they must accommodate both new gamers who want to use crypto and more conventional gamers who want to use fiat and other options.
It’s a rich tapestry of tastes in the world of casino gaming, with many gamers preferring more traditional games like video poker rather than the newer slot designs and variants that have entered the market since the start of this decade.
Some may argue that the “Big Bang” moment in the world of casino gaming technology was the emergence of video poker, as, unlike video slots, it showed that a game that traditionally relied on physical interaction was something that could be morphed and reshaped into a virtual game that didn’t require a live dealer or other players. It was a startling leap forward.
Working With Tech Rather Than Against It
Those casinos that refused to adapt to the times have found themselves struggling to maintain relevance in the modern casino gaming market. Technology has made the industry more global and interconnected. It has forced the hand of conventional companies, with most land-based casinos now offering online access to their tables, allowing players to register, watch, and bet on tables in a live gaming environment.
By opening the doors and showing casino bosses that there was a market for people to sit and play poker on a virtual machine, facing off against a computer rather than another human being, an entirely new level was unlocked.
For the first time, it meant that those who wanted to play poker in the solace of their own company could play the game and appreciate the skill and strategy rather than having to navigate the bluffs and psychological games that players faced. Of course, the market for conventional poker remained solid, and for those who prefer these physical elements, that’s what tournaments like the World Series of Poker are for.
Ultimately, video poker led to much more funding and investment in the development of virtual games. It spawned the rise of other virtual conventional casino games like blackjack and poker, with the technology ensuring the safety and randomness of live dealer games, and it soon spiralled into a sector worth billions per year. Without the initial leap, it is difficult to picture just how this sector would look today.
Can Poker Continue To Innovate?
Yes, we’ve already seen the development of VR poker and an increasing demand for AI companies to leverage their technology right across the casino gaming world. While this encompasses all types of casino games and all versions of poker, it shows how technology continues to reshape the industry as we know it.
As companies like Meta continue pouring billions of dollars into the Metaverse, there will be growing demand for virtual poker players to seek out forms of the game that cater to this market.
Although they have faced some turbulent terrain in their quest to dominate VR and to cultivate mass adoption, it is a gamble that Mark Zuckerberg is continuing to stick to and put his money behind.
Poker companies will continue to innovate simply because of the size of the market that is out there. Only time will tell whether AI and VR will be as disruptive in the market as video poker was nearly half a century ago, but if modern casino gaming has taught us anything, it is that those who refuse to move with the times often get left behind.
