There’s no doubt about it – everything is changing rapidly to keep up to date with the latest trends. Mobile smartphones are getting sleeker, technology is getting smaller, and everything about advertising is geared towards a hip, young generation: the Millennials. Of course, with all of these changes going on, online casinos have been eager to keep up with this brand new generation of players, and we’re seeing a big evolution happening in the industry to keep these players coming back.
Millennials aren’t nearly as interested in land-based slots and casino games as their parents and grandparents. In fact, just as younger people have everything they need on their computers and smartphones, the latest gambling trend is instead moving towards these virtual media as well.
Many thousands have been spent on research and surveys to delve into what the younger generation really wants in their casino experience. These results are already beginning to reshape the landscape of casino gaming, bringing the industry up to speed with a whole new world of gambling.
A Move From Land-Based To Virtual
It’s best to be honest with regard to today’s casino gambling market. The land-based industry just isn’t flourishing like it used to. Call it a move to online gaming or a move away from the travel and costs of brick and mortar casinos, but Millennials (i.e. those born from the 1980’s to the 2000’s) simply aren’t as into live casino gaming as previous generations.
A general decline in casino revenues has proven this, and now online casinos have taken the stage and are trying with all their might to catch this demographic’s attention again. The first trend that you may see because of this is an influx of online slots based on popular modern films, comic books, and even video games. Millennial players have grown up with these entertainment phenomena around them constantly, so a move back to these themes may well boost casinos’ popularity among the youngsters.
Skill-based, Social Games Take The Lead
The next evolution in the online casino world is skill-based gaming. Unlike previous generations of players who loved the simplicity of slots, younger players love the challenge of being able to use their skills to beat the house. Casino developers are now rapidly churning out skill-based slots to appeal to the demand. Of course, this could leave casinos open to losses as their players may learn to beat the house consistently, but there are measures that are being put in place to prevent this and provide more of a challenge.
Then, of course, there are social games. Social media is everything nowadays, and Millennials are used to being able to interact with friends and family in everything they do. Developers have been quick to respond with new social casino games, which largely involve the same skill-based play mentioned above. Soon, younger players may be able to indulge in car racing games in which they can race against their friends and bet on the outcome, or many games with a similar gist.
Adaptive Levelled Gaming
Research has also shown that young players often don’t enjoy having to start from scratch each time they play a specific game; rather, they want to be able to use their skills to climb a ladder and win bigger and better prizes along the way. Games with levels through which you can advance are also quickly becoming a reality, and these will definitely attract the attention of video game lovers and strategic minds. Rankings and leaderboards will also add a competitive edge to these kinds of casino games, while the live gaming capabilities of today will allow players to battle their opponents in real time.
Figuring out ways to beat their peers is another feature that our new generation of Millennials has been shown to favour. This has now been termed ‘adaptive’ or ‘exponential gaming’, allowing a game’s software to recognise your username and progress in a certain game so that you can pick up where you left off and unlock new levels and content as you progress. The higher the level you unlock, the better the rewards will be, and the odds of winning may also be substantially boosted in the upper levels.
Futuristic Innovations
So far, these games have not been regulated and are still in the pipeline. However, young players can soon look forward to a slew of skill-based casino games and perhaps even virtual reality games. It will be fascinating to see how online casino gaming evolves over the next few decades, but the immediate future also holds some exciting developments. If you belong to the new generation of casino gamers, make sure to keep an eye out for these innovations and get ready for the ride of a lifetime!
