Gambling has been around for many years, and it appears in the bible and multiple history books. It is a constant factor in history, but the games have evolved throughout time. The majority of the games from the past have ceased to exist while at the moment technological games and machines are a vital part of the gaming industry.
How did the games evolve to their current state? What will we see in the future?
One of the first significant advances that took place was eliminating the physical person from the game. Before the 1500s, gambling took place in the format of player-vs.-player with a moderator to host the game if needed. During the 1500s, statisticians figured out how to create an expected value, effectively creating the house. This led to the creation of player-vs.-house games.
The house edge eliminated the need for a second player. Now the games needed only a single player and the moderator (dealer) to be played. These house-banked games dominated the industry for years, but in the late 1800s, the birth of the slot machine made a significant step forward. The slot machine was automated in contrast to its counterparts, which needed a physical dealer (the moderator). Again, eliminating another physical dependent to play a game. The game became a player-vs.-automated house.
What followed was a series of significant innovations in the industry that made the games more attractive or efficient. Technology helped eliminated physical hurdles that slot machines and table games face. The virtual reel overcame the physical obstacle of the maximum number of outcomes on a slot machine. This led to the creation of massive jackpot slot machines such as Megabucks. Furthermore, the cap on the numbers of physical players at a table was eliminated, and the stadium gaming model was born. This allows operators to take more bets per game at a given time. Moreover, the ability to track bets allowed table games to have progressive jackpots. Something impossible to do without the help of technology.
The currency has also been impacted by technology. The first significant technological change was the ticket in ticket out system. It eliminated the need to carry, use, and change coins to play slot machines. The operators didn’t need to weigh the coins anymore, thus making the process of counting money more efficient.
However, the internet took it a step further. It was the first time no physical cash was needed to gamble. The internet made everything cyber. In the late 1990s poker websites were making a significant impact. Access was the biggest advantage the internet had. It gave access to virtually anyone that had internet the opportunity to gamble. The game became a cyber player-vs.-cyber player. The internet eliminated every physical aspect of a casino, leaving only the rules of the game intact.
But eliminating all physical aspects might not be the best solution. The internet eliminated not just the physical player and establishment, but it also removed the environment. The casino environment enhances the overall experience of gameplay with elements such as free drinks, familiar friendly dealers, sports bars, restaurants, and more. Such factors cannot be ignored.
Currently, the industry is looking for new ways to get the millennial generation to gamble. New companies have emerged to tackle this task by fusing video games and gambling. Other companies are experimenting with new technology such as virtual and augmented reality. And casinos are experimenting with esports since it’s an ever-growing phenomenon that cannot be ignored.
In the end, the past has provided compelling evidence that overcoming physical hurdles have paid dividends. The industry has to assess carefully and choose which physical obstacle has to be overcome to move forward. The games, features, and apparatuses of the future will have a sweet spot where a physical component is removed to add new betting structures, create new game genres, provide better efficiency or track the untrackable.
