Top 10 Most Innovative Casino Technologies

We have embraced technology in each and every part of our life. The rapid rise of the internet has only made its use more global and inclusive. The casino industry hasn’t taken it lying down either, the ever-evolving industry has taken massive strides to incorporate it into its ecosystem. 

From the early belt-fed slot machines to VR and mobile gaming, gambling has taken on many forms throughout the years. Casinos have tried to push the limits of technology for decades, and the extensive digital gaming sphere is a result of that as well. From smart tables to blockchain technology and RFID chips to AI analysis, here are the top 10 most innovative casino technologies. 

10. RFID Chips

Radio-frequency identification chips, better known as RFID chips, have not only enhanced security in casinos but also led to streamlined and efficient operations. They first debuted in 1996, and the early 2000s saw the rise of these chips across all casinos in the US and beyond. 

RFID tracks help each and every chip in the casino be tagged and tracked, making sure that the chips aren’t being counterfeited or used fraudulently. The RFID technology also detects abnormality and tampering with the chips, significantly eliminating cheating. 

It also makes manually counting the chips redundant, which makes it much faster and more accurate when compared to a human doing it. 

With these chips, not only has gaming in a casino become more accurate and efficient, but it has also become safer and fair for all players involved. 

9. Facial Recognition Technology

Coming to a hotly debated addition, Facial Recognition Technology is also a relatively new addition to casinos. Primarily used for security purposes, facial recognition helps casinos identify people and verify their identity with error rates as low as 0.3%. 

Facial recognition technology helps casinos identify individuals who are acting suspiciously or are banned from entry into the casino. It also helps identify returning patrons that the casino can offer loyalty programs and promotions. Some software can also track a player’s mood, which helps casinos provide a more personalized experience to said player when they return. 

Herein lies the problem, many players have raised concerns about their privacy being taken away by casinos. To tackle this, casinos have also enforced strict policies to ensure the players have the ultimate right. Almost all casinos that employ facial recognition technology are also transparent on how a player’s data is used and also request their players’ consent before asking for their data. 

8. Biometric Sensors

Biometric Sensors are another fancy and innovative addition to technology inside a casino. These sensors work together with facial recognition technology and also use a player’s fingerprints and voice patterns to identify them. Much like facial recognition, these sensors have also come under much scrutiny by the public. 

Biometric data also helps casinos identify players and reduces the risk of misidentification significantly. Fingerprint scanners have been successfully implemented in many casinos that help identify people before granting access to them. 

Voice recognition technology also comes in handy as it identifies people based on their pitch and voice patterns. These inclusions help casinos understand what their patrons like the most and help them market themselves based on individual data. 

These sensors have also caused many people to question their usage and ethics. However, most casinos have also kept the data they take from their users well encrypted and private. 

7. Smart Tables

Touchscreens are everywhere nowadays, so why not have them when playing your favorite casino games as well? Smart Tables are a relatively new yet versatile addition to casinos. They offer a more immersive and interactive gambling experience to casino goers, which is a major plus. 

These smart tables display a plethora of information, including in-game stats, bet amount, win-to-loss ratio, and much more. This is a major boon to players as they have a wealth of information easily accessible at all times. 

The touch screens and crips 3D graphics also help players feel more immersed in games. Furthermore, these tables can be used for various table games in a casino ranging from traditional games like poker and blackjack to more modern games like video poker. 

Thus, despite being a very recent addition to the gambling industry, these tables have found early adopters ranging from small-town joints to major Vegas casinos.

6. Artificial Intelligence

AI is everywhere, from your smartphone to self-driving cars! It was only a matter of time before the gambling industry also implemented it in its operations. From creating algorithms to operating chatbots, AI has had a huge impact on the industry and changed it for the better. 

AI chatbots are a largely standard addition to all online casinos. These virtual assistants can offer immediate and efficient responses and effectively send people updates on casino promotions through newsletters. 

AI-powered algorithms also help casinos sort through tons of data quickly, making the entire casino operation easier and hassle-free. It can also be potentially used for game development and making games more engaging with all the data at its disposal. 

The true potential of AI has not been realized yet, but with time it will only play a bigger and more significant role in the gambling industry. Let’s just hope they don’t rise up against us, remember to thank Alexa for her help before going to bed today.

5. Mobile on-the-go gambling

As mobiles and tablets have become popular and accessible for everybody, mobile gambling has also seen a monumental rise. Many casinos operate entirely online in a virtual setting allowing players across the globe to join in and compete against each other! 

Mobile phones have brought convenience and flexibility to our lives and to the gambling industry as well. Why bother dressing up in that fancy suit when you can play from the comfort of your own bed? 

Mobile gambling has also given many players access to casinos that might not have any near them. Mobile gambling also allows for smaller and more frequent sessions for people who want to destress throughout the day. 

It also allows players from all over the world to socialize and make new friends and participate in competitions to have their names on the leaderboards. Overall, it's a solid mini-outlet for people who don’t want to be restricted by time and place. 

4. Augmented Reality in Online Casinos

This is what I like to dub the Pokemon Go effect. Just like in the game, AR technology might not be there to change your experience completely, but it sure helps enhance it. 

Online casinos have been early adopters of AR technology, and it has helped them really immerse players in their games. 

Adding to the mobile casino experience, AR technology really helps players feel like they are in a casino which is a major plus. The interactive overlays are visually appealing, especially with a consistent art style, and really help players immerse into the games. Seeing a roulette wheel spin inside your phone isn’t the same as seeing it spin in a real-life setting, after all. 

One of the major problems when trying to implement AR technology is the cost associated with it. Most smaller casinos won’t be able to pull off such a task, and bigger casinos have largely moved on to VR experiences. This leaves AR in a time capsule where it was once immensely popular but is now remembered mostly as a gimmick. 

3. Virtual Reality Casinos

One of the latest technologies in the gambling industry is also one of the most revolutionary, namely VR gaming. Data suggests within the decade, we will have nearly 100 million active VR users, and the casino industry will surely be one to adopt this tech as soon as it becomes more mainstream. 

Some casinos have already done it. They have created a purely virtual and interactive casino experience using VR technology with all the games you would see in a regular casino. 

Big publishers and developers like Microgaming, NetEnt, and Zero Latency have made ripples throughout the gambling world with their VR spinoff games, and they have the potential to redefine how people gamble. 

Virtual Reality has the power to one-up Augmented Reality and really immerse people in online games. However, their implementation still remains limited due to the VR community stagnating as of late. 

2. Machine Learning

Coming to another controversial entry on our list, Machine Learning algorithms have also experienced a rise in the gambling world recently. These highly sophisticated algorithms have really pushed the boundaries of customer analysis and retention. 

Machine Learning algorithms have been implemented heavily in fields like customer analysis and fraud detection inside casinos. 

Coming to customer analysis, everything from a person’s spending preferences to predicting future behavior based on previous data is possible through it. It also helps casinos schedule staff for peak hours, determine competitive prices, optimize their offerings to bring in more people, and much more!

From maintaining player databases to enhanced anti-fraud and anti-money laundering protocols, Machine Learning has been used in every regard inside a casino. This helps reduce the margin of error and also ensures both casinos and their patrons have a good time. 

1. Blockchain Technology

The casino industry was also an early adopter of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. The low fees, accessibility, and anonymity of these transactions have helped them become more prominent in online casinos worldwide. When real money is involved, the decentralized nature of blockchain makes it safer as well. 

Blockchain transactions use advanced encryption, making them resistant to cyber-attacks and fraud. 

This security has also added to its legitimacy and given players another form of currency to cash out in. Add to that the faster and more transparent transactions with nominal costs, and you start to see why it’s gotten so popular. 

For countries where traditional forms of payments may be inaccessible, cryptocurrency has also allowed them to gamble. 

More and more online casinos have allowed the use of cryptocurrency for gambling on their platforms and as a method of payout. This technology is being further pushed to make more transparent games where players can verify wins and losses. The decentralized nature of the currency also means the pesky governments don’t come to interfere or censor it. 

To conclude, technological advancements have always played a huge part in the gambling world. Be it the glamor and glitter of land-based casinos like Caesar’s Palace in the Strip or massive online ones like PokerStars casino, games and features are constantly evolving. Casinos have been working diligently to improve the customer’s experience and they have been employing technology to do a lot of heavy lifting for them. 

Just a few decades back, nobody could have predicted people would be playing poker online, and that too for real money! Today, with the help of AI and Cryptocurrencies, online casinos have taken over and have a monolithic global market size just shy of $63 Billion. Be as it may, what’s your favorite technological innovation in the gambling industry?