Online casinos and virtual reality

The online casino world is one of the most constantly evolving aspects of the internet and in a bid to lure in new players and outdo their competition developers and casinos alike are constantly tweaking their software and upgrading their features. Most recently, mobile gaming and Bitcoin betting have revolutionised the industry with many thinking that virtual reality gambling could be the next step. So, what is virtual reality online casino gaming and how likely is it to take off? After all, the concept is so new that it is barely in existence, yet alone popular. To look at this concept we need to ask a few simple questions and hopefully stumble across a few answers.

The future of online gambling?

Those that are in behind the virtual reality gambling movement insist that VR casino gaming is the way forward, but what is the likelihood that virtual reality becomes the norm for online gambling? In truth, the odds aren’t actually that high. There’s still a very long and unsteady road ahead for VR casino gaming.

At this moment in time, live dealer casinos are about as realistic as you are going to get. These games feature a real dealer, who controls your game via a live video stream from inside a studio or real land-based casino. You can still control your bets via on-screen menus, and in some cases you can actually talk to the live dealer. It is hardly the same atmosphere as physically being in a real casino, however, can virtual reality gaming change that? There is one casino which is trying to change that, and they are SlotMillion.

What has SlotMillion done?

SlotMillion is not your standard online run-of-the-mill casino. They have a huge array of games for you to play and they are also in favour of the virtual reality casino gaming experience. So much so, that they have begun to offer it at their domain.

SlotMillion have constructed a full virtual reality casino at their site and you can make your way from game to game playing in the most in-depth realism yet

and from what we’ve seen it could certainly be something that players will find appealing. But, as with most new technology, there is a snag. You will need quite a bit of gear to get your virtual reality casino gaming experience underway.

What gear do you need?

Firstly, players are going to need a virtual reality headset with the most popular being Occulus Rift. Your movements are dictated by handheld controllers and the headset provides you with an alternative vision – virtual reality. The casino constructed at SlotMillion is tranquil and lavish, but it is still virtual and the technology isn’t quite ready yet for it to be a truly immersive experience. It’s well on the way though.

The snag we mentioned earlier is that this hardware will cost you a packet. In fact, to snap up an Occulus headset and step into the world of virtual reality, you are looking at over $599 for the headset alone. The touch pads (controllers) will set you back another cool two-hundred. Ideally, you’ll want the whole package, which will tap you for nigh on $800.

Is it worth it?

As good as the experience may be, few gamblers are going to want to shell out over $800 to play their favourite casino games in virtual reality. At this moment in time, that kind of kills the online virtual gaming concept dead in the water. Like all new technology though, prices will drop eventually. When other developers come up with cheaper alternatives and VR gaming as a whole becomes a lot more common (perhaps via console games, or smartphone games first) – not to mention a few other casinos and developers would need to invest time in creating the necessary software – this could be a very exciting and plausible prospect and the new step in the evolutionary ladder for online casino games. For the moment though, virtual reality casino gaming is an experiment and a costly one at that.