The gambling industry is not known for its innovation, which is why blackjack is still basically the same as in the days of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. But when the casino industry comes up with a great idea, it can happen that the way casinos work and games are suddenly changed completely. Here is an overview of the innovations in the gambling industry that have changed gambling and influenced our opinion on casinos.
Number#1. Online Gambling
In the past, playing casino games legally was not that easy. Most countries and legal systems in the world forbid (and still do) gambling. Even if you are allowed to play legally in your country, the next traditional casino might be several hundred kilometers away. Playing Games Online and various online gambling innovations have transformed gambling. Something that used to run only a handful of people has now become a hobby for millions of people around the world.
Number# 2. Ticket-In / Ticket-Out
When people ask what a casino sounds like, most people immediately think of the signature metallic sound of a slot machine that is paying off a profit. Although this famous sound has been a hallmark of casinos for decades, it is virtually non-existent nowadays. Instead, winnings are paid on tickets with barcodes, which players can later change into cash at the cash register or simply plug into another slot machine.
The Ticket-In / Ticket-Out (TITO) system was originally developed by International Game Technology and Casino Data Systems and is one of the biggest innovations in the gaming industry. They have since become standard in almost every major casino in the world.
Number# 3. Video Slot Machines
The biggest problem with traditional slot machines is that there are only a limited number of combinations, symbols, payouts, and denominations available on the mechanical revolving reels. For years, the casinos were looking for ways to make games more flexible – and of course more entertaining and attractive. In 1975 they found the solution: the first fully automatic video slot machine was invented. Fortune coin was one of the most important innovations in the history of gambling. It was not long before International Gaming Technology (IGT) bought Fortune Coin and changed slot machines forever.
Video slots, where the reels are all zeros and ones on a video screen, allowed slot machine manufacturers to offer things they would never have dreamed of. Slots were suddenly a lot of fun and became so popular that the revenues of modern slots make up about 80% of the profits of the casinos. The ability to adjust the machine’s profit percentages allowed the casino to offer more and more jackpots. This trend has resulted in other huge gambling innovations, such as progressive jackpots.
Number# 4. Progressive Jackpots
In 1986, IGT saw slot machines change forever and built on the slot boom triggered by video slots. The company released the first progressive jackpot slot machine: Megabucks. One of the biggest innovations in the gambling industry immediately became a sensation and the era of progressive jackpots began.
Before the release of Megabucks, the highest amount a slot machine could payout was a fixed jackpot. Even the highest jackpots did not exceed $ 50,000. That’s a lot of money, but not really a life-changing amount. Megabucks, however, was a variable jackpot slot game that was always widened by a certain amount when someone played the slot machine. Instead of a grand prize of a few thousand dollars, the lucky jackpot winner could enjoy hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of dollars.
Number# 5. Continuous Mixing Machines
The invention of the machine that automatically mixes playing cards has long been a dream of all gambling industry executives. The first attempts to build an “automatic mixing apparatus” were already made in 1978. In the second half of the 20th century, automatic mixing machines appeared in casinos, and these devices could mix only one or more stacks at a time.
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to effectively count cards when using a continuous mixer – and that is exactly what the machine aims for. Although talented card counters are not exactly a dime, they still had an impact on the casino’s financial results.
Additional benefits were that the game was sped up to 20% faster and less money had to be spent on stacks of cards. Continuous mixers are a win-win situation for the casino and are among the few gambling innovations that affect table games.
Number# 6. Player’s Club Card
In the 20th century, table games were the main attraction of casinos and slots were generally considered just as a change on the way out of the casino. For that reason, most comps aimed at tabletop players and slot fans were mostly ignored.
In the 70s and 80s, however, the technology was so advanced that slot machines, such as the new video slots, were much more entertaining than their predecessors. Slots quickly became the casino’s main source of revenue. However, there was still no way to reward slot players with comps – at least before the revolutionary Player’s Club Card was launched.
Number#7. Plays With Live Dealers
Online casinos have realized they need to make players feel like they are in a real casino to win traditional table games. However, in the 1990s and early 2000s, Internet connections and computers were still too slow to solve this problem. As high-speed Internet connections and newer processing technologies become more popular, the era of the Play with a live dealer.
Live Dealer games allow online casinos to display the experiences in a traditional casino on one screen – and they are now winning over even the most conservative players. The opportunity to sit at a virtual table, at least virtually, is one of the online gambling innovations that fundamentally changed people’s thinking about online gambling.
Number#8. Mobile Gambling
One of the latest gambling innovations is probably the one that has the biggest impact on the future of the industry. The Mobile gambling in the casino, although it is only a few years old, considering its growing popularity and the current trend of switching from desktop computers to mobile devices, people will certainly be engaging in this trend for a very long time.
It is estimated that nearly half of casino revenue in 2019 will come from mobile gambling and this value will certainly continue to increase. It is even thought that the end of traditional gambling via desktop computer will not be long in coming.
Number#9. Social Gaming
Social casino games have been popular for decades, with online poker games for real money, blackjack simulators, bingo rooms, and slot machines all enjoying great popularity. This trend continues today – almost 20% of all social games played online now belong to the category of casino games.
The majority of these games do not allow players to win real money. Instead, they can play for free or buy spins/credits/ chips. It is also possible to get extra rounds by winning games. Many games have chat rooms and environments where players can interact with others while they are playing, making the games a real social experience.
Number# 10. Gambling In Virtual Reality
The gambling industry hopes to be one of the pioneers of VR gaming. Big software developers like NetEnt and Microgaming are doing great in realistic VR casinos. SlotsMillion has already released the VR casino and could have taken the step towards a fundamental change in the way people play casino games.
Lastly, the Gambling stuff has always been a popular pastime, but with the casinos that start offering digital alternatives to the market, it means that potential players have discovered a completely new way of enjoying the industry.
