VIRTUAL
CERTAINTY
Live Dealer Focus
2018
Virtual reality has been making headlines in the online casino space for some time now . Rob Wheeler looks at the difference between AR and VR , how it is being applied to live dealer and asks if it will really catch on
Virtual reality ( VR ) and augmented reality ( AR ) technology is developing fast . The leading Silicon Valley tech houses are investing in a big way , with developments , applications and launches from the likes of Google , Facebook and Snapchat .
The online gaming industry has always prided itself on technical innovation so it comes as no surprise that the sector is already embracing VR and AR . At ICE 2018 there were many new applications on show , with some software providers choosing the VR route and others , such as Medialive , choosing the AR path .
The difference between virtual reality and augmented reality is simple : AR is a technology for overlaying digital information on objects in the real world , seen via a smartphone camera or headset ; VR is the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment .
Why choose AR over VR ? “ The number of VR units in the world currently sits at around 82 million ,” reported the London Evening Standard in December 2017 . “ But with augmented-reality tech found in most smartphones , AR units in the world peak at over three billion .”
For Medialive too , AR was the natural fit and the obvious next step . We have taken live casino to the player ’ s desktop and mobile ; now we are taking the player into the real-world casino .
One of the factors holding the market back has been the cost of the units . That is now changing , according to The Economist , which earlier this year noted : “ The Oculus Rift – regarded by many as the best of the VR headsets – can now be had for as little as $ 400 [£ 280 ].”
The AR industry as a whole is worth between $ 32bn and $ 160bn (£ 23bn- £ 115bn ), depending
on which analyst you ask . It is up to the software providers to keep offering innovation , differentiation and localisation as they build successful revenuegenerating relationships with operators . To take players inside a real-world casino , to play from the comfort of their own homes , ticks all the boxes and is a really exciting proposition .
Operators can reward top VIP players today by sending them each a Medialive AR Roulettebranded package , complete with headset and phone . There is also an omnichannel play in certain markets where legislation permits , with Medialive providing LBOs and gaming halls with roulette , blackjack and baccarat . Using handheld devices , players place chips on a virtual table while watching a live stream of the game via a plasma screen ; Medialive AR can extend that experience still further to a new , younger player audience of Millennials . Land-based casinos can use the application in the same way to entice new players to play the tables .
It ’ s early days for both VR and AR , and the technology is developing all the time . But it won ’ t be long before this product is available via wearable tech . A recent study by Juniper Research puts the VR / AR gambling market today at $ 58m (£ 42m ); by 2021 , the same study predicts that figure will increase by 800 %.
Rob Wheeler , commercial director at Medialive Casino , started his career in land-based casino in 2003 before moving to online in 2006 with WagerWorks ( IGT Interactive ). He has had successful stints at Virtue Fusion , Cozy Games and Playtech and now drives business development for Medialive Casino ’ s live dealer offering .
“ Taking players inside a real-world casino to play from the comfort of their own homes is a really exciting proposition ”
iGamingBusiness s | Issue 110 | May / June 2018 41