Although online casinos remain heavily regulated across the United States, the industry is continuing to grow at an impressive rate across the country. The player base is expanding, and that is reflected in the estimates for the market size.
In 2024, the size of the North American online gambling market was estimated to be $16.56 billion, with expectations that it would continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.2%. The emergence of new platforms and promotions such as a fanatics casino promo code has only increased popularity, especially as available modes evolve thanks to the development of new technologies.
In recent years, those changes have mainly been seen in live dealer games, which are becoming the go-to format for many players. Professional dealers operate the games instead of a computer, typically from a studio or on a casino floor, streaming them to participants who are playing from their living rooms.
Technological advancements take casino games into homes
None of this would have been possible without technological advancements over recent years, though. Smartphones and tablets have become more powerful, which has allowed for higher-quality streaming, meaning casinos can push live dealer games to handheld devices.
But these developments extend to the running of live dealer games. At the heart of these modes is the Game Control Unit (GCU), the device responsible for all broadcasting functions. Through video encoding, data processing, and managing each player’s bet, the GCU is the brain of the live dealer mode.
The other integral part is the Optical Camera Recognition (OCR) technology, which works in tandem with the GCU. This is what allows for games to be translated to a digital format, as OCR technology takes physical actions, like dealing cards or spinning a roulette wheel, and uploads that data to a player’s interface. This is what allows for real-time decision-making, and why live dealer games have bridged the gap between land-based casinos and online iGaming so effectively.
Further innovations set to impact live dealer games
These updates are not set to stop either. New camera angles for games like roulette are being introduced or enhanced, as are the user interfaces and chatrooms that allow players to interact with one another and the dealer. And as further developments are made, participation rates will only continue to grow.
Augmented and virtual reality have become a greater focus in recent years. While the former allows for digital elements to be superimposed onto the real world, which might allow players to see information that enhances interaction, the latter creates a completely digital surrounding. Pricing is a limitation to online casinos fully exploiting VR’s potential, but once accessibility improves, these headsets could provide an even more immersive casino experience.
And of course, you cannot escape the growth of artificial intelligence. AI is already impacting everyday life and that same machine learning software could potentially be used to provide more personalization for players, such as live odds in games, or to optimize video streams for a better gaming experience. It seems a matter of when, not if, AI becomes more intertwined with the live casino experience.
