VR - a serious alternative to online gambling
Once we are in forced confinement due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, the market has already started looking for alternatives. While land-based casinos and gambling halls are closed, and sports betting is experiencing its lowest hours, an old topic of discussion has been put back on the table. The possibilities of virtual reality (VR) are the focus of interest.
Virtual reality (VR) could very soon become the perfect complement to online gambling. Some casinos are already experimenting with the wide range of possibilities it offers. ©RAEng_Publications/Pixabay
The creation of sensory appearances is nothing new. With the development of so-called magic lanterns already in the eighteenth century the use of optical illusions as a mode of entertainment it became very popular throughout Europe. The so-called phantasmagorias delighted viewers immersed in a world of creepy fantasies.
The principle of virtual reality (VR) is not much different, although thanks to computer technology the possibilities of sensory illusion have been expanded to unsuspected limits. VR devices, which may include special suits that cover the entire body, produce a feeling of immersion in the most realistic artificially created environment.
The applications of this technology are many and varied. From education, virtual visits to museums, for example, to science, medicine or military training. The flight simulators they are an admirable sample of the possibilities it allows.
But entertainment has been one of the fields of application that has generated the most enthusiasm. The video game they have evolved to the point of simulating real scenarios that literally they teleport the player , creating not only an optical but also a haptic illusion, in which all senses are involved.
Application in gambling
Having expanded from video games to all spheres of entertainment and consumption , VR devices are being tested for incorporation into the gambling halls azar. The company Zero Latency is a leader in the development of RV systems free of remote control ( free-roam virtual reality systems ).
These could be applied at poker, blackjack or baccarat tables, increasing the real feeling of being in a physical casino and enhancing, thanks to VR technology, the interaction between players , something that does not happen in the live online casino tables conventional.
In New Zealand, the Gran Madrid Casino has been a pioneer in incorporating this technology . The VRBlack room is a unique virtual experience space in our country. One of its highlights is the Formula 1 racing simulator, Project Cars Pro , although it is not the only game available.
In fact, VR companies have so far focused on offering this technology to physical casinos, starting from the fact that it is an additional content that complements the traditional gambling halls . It should also be borne in mind that the complete devices are still quite expensive.
But due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and now that the arcades have been closed and all cancelled events , the RV can be a alternative that improves the performance of online casinos .
Are online casinos ready for VR
The reality is that the VRBlack room of the Gran Madrid Casino is temporarily closed following the containment measures imposed by the government. The question that many are asking is whether this is the time of the RV .
The software provider BetConstruct, with a presence in New Zealand in the legal online casinos Pastón and Jokerbet, has already developed a full casino in VR which makes use of Oculus Rift technology, a virtual reality headset developed by Oculus VR today part of Facebook Inc.
Of course, there is a significant room for improvement and solutions like BetConstruct's still leave a lot to be desired. It is, for now, about experiments. The spectacular development of mobile technology seems to meet the expectations of online players at the moment.
Now well, the purpose of VR is to create a complete sensory experience . It's one thing to go into a virtual casino and participate at the poker or blackjack tables, or have a few games at the slots. The experience, although more immersive, is not much different from what players of reliable online casinos have today.
Along with visual devices, others have been being developed, such as the Nosulus Rift, from the French gaming company Ubisoft. This is a device that simulates odors and that it was tested in a game developed from the well-known American animated series South Park . The results have been spectacular.
The next step would be the development of slot machines in which the player gets involved in the game in a complete way from the sensory point of view, not only in a visual-auditory way, but also olfactory and haptic. The experience would be incomparable.
VR is here and it's here to stay. Its development in gambling is still in its infancy. But companies are starting to realize that this is quite possibly the next step. The confinement to which we are bound may be precipitating now a development that will be difficult to stop .
