What to Expect from Online Gambling in 2019

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Slowly but surely, the gambling industry is witnessing a shift away from land-based casino gambling to an online gambling environment. Surprisingly, this shift is not being fueled exclusively by convenience. Instead, gamblers are embracing the fact that online gambling providers are now able to offer a more complete gambling experience than ever before.

As the online gambling industry moves into the new year, we can expect to see this trend continuing and intensifying. The big advantage online gambling providers have over traditional casinos and gambling venues is the ability to use new technologies that offer seamless access to games and banking facilities with few to no limitations. What’s more, the variety and quality of online casino games doing the rounds right now transcends anything we’ve seen to date. The point is really driven home by the quality of online slots for real money.

But what specific trends and advancements can we expect to see hitting the scene throughout 2019? Or more importantly, which aspects of online gaming are likely to change the way the industry appeals to discerning customers over the months to come?

We can expect at least a few surprises, but the following can be expected as standard:

A Much Wider Range of Games

For many years now, online casinos have outperformed traditional gaming halls by way of gaming variety. Every land-based gambling venue has limited physical space – an online casino can offer as many games as its provider chooses to.  Towards the end of last year and the beginning of 2019, some of the biggest names in the business were previewing and, in some cases, debuting their latest and greatest outings to date.  Incredible new online slots, the most advanced live-dealer gaming experiences we’ve seen so far and new twists on countless classics. 

This is a trend that is set to continue indefinitely, as major names battle furiously to remain at the top of the table. Developers are being forced to up their game like never before, in order to stay relevant in such a competitive era. All of which plays right into the hands of the discerning casino gamer, with extraordinary new online gaming opportunities appearing practically by the day.

The Arrival of Virtual Reality

Despite having been part of the video gaming industry for several decades, virtual reality is only just beginning to hit its stride. The idea being that rather than providing the usual 2D interface, VR technology gives gamers the opportunity to experience online games in fully immersive 3D. It’s only as of the last couple of years that high-end VR hardware has become affordable for mainstream consumer audiences worldwide. Things have come so far that an affordable headset is now all that’s needed to transport yourself directly to the heart of a living, breathing and fully-functional 3D casino.

Comparatively speaking, new-generation 3D VR casino gaming is still somewhat new to the scene. Occupying just a small proportion of the market, online VR casinos remain niche and unexplored. Nevertheless, the popularity and affordability of VR technology are both expected to explode like never before in 2019.  To such an extent that VR is expected to take over as the new standard for the industry in the very near future. So if you haven’t yet experienced VR casino gaming personally, it won’t be long before you do.

Expansion of Crypto Funding Access

Exactly what the future holds for cryptocurrencies like the Bitcoin is anyone’s guess. Nevertheless, it’s clear that virtual currency in general is far from the passing fad many predicted it would be. More merchants and service providers worldwide than ever before are now accepting Bitcoin as a viable payment option.  The online casino industry being no exception, wherein dozens of quality casinos now offer Bitcoin payments. Assuming the popularity of Bitcoin payments continues to grow in major markets worldwide, we can expect to see more casinos accepting Bitcoin payments than ever before.

It’s also entirely likely that any number of new online wallets and digital payment types in general will enter the mix over the coming months and years. For the responsible online casino, anything that helps bolster security and maximise simplicity can only be a good thing. Once again therefore, even those with no knowledge or experience of cryptocurrency can expect to hear more about it during 2019 and beyond.

Honest and Accessible Bonus Offers

It’s no secret that most casino bonus offers aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. Misleading promises of huge sums of cash simply for signing up, restricted by the most ridiculous terms, conditions and wagering requirements. The difference today being that online casino gamers in general are savvy to these kinds of tricks.

In response, some of the better online casinos are stepping away from OTT bonuses to offer more honest and realistic promotions. They’re not nearly as generous at first glance, but are nonetheless infinitely more accessible and transparent. Whichever way you look at it, an accessible bonus worth £10 is far better than a £1,000 bonus you’ll never get your hands on. Honesty and transparency have become deal-breakers for responsible gamers worldwide, which we can expect to see a lot more of in 2019.

Superior Live-Dealer Gaming

Last but not least, today’s discerning casino gamer simply isn’t willing to expect the robotic and generally low-quality experiences that were once the norm.  Increasingly, players worldwide are tracking down the best live-dealer gaming experience the web has to offer. Having identified this demand, the vast majority of decent online casinos now offer at least a handful of live-dealer tables.  Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that all live-dealer experiences are of the same high-quality standard.

In 2019, we expect to see stronger focus on quality live-dealer gaming than ever before. It’s becoming a deal-breaker for millions of casino gamers at all levels worldwide. Like VR, live-dealer gaming is fast becoming an expected norm and standard for a new-generation of online casino gamers.

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