A Walk Through the New Age of Casinos

On July 28, 2014, the Japanese stock exchange, the Nikkei, closed at a six month high. This buoyed the hopes for growth in domestic corporate earnings. Casino related businesses in Tokyo predicted that this could encourage the country to allow new casinos, especially before the commencement of the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The Technology Revolution

When electronic slot machines and video games were introduced, they led to a huge boom in the casino industry, and leading players across the world are looking to utilize this to its ultimate limits.

An idea that is gaining ground in 2014 is to have gaming consoles that are universally configurable. What this essentially means that by downloading the necessary software, the machines can be upgraded to play newer games, thereby eliminating the need to regularly invest in new machines.

Some casinos are even taking technology to the tables. Gaming tables are getting mechanised, with automated adaptations of roulette and craps. Europe has started adapting these fancy, new machines, which are slated to be tested out in the United States in the near future.

Casino owners have a tough time trying to find ways to upgrade games that witness universal popularity and timeless appeal, such as poker and blackjack. No matter what they think of, old time players prefer the traditional ways, without the nuances of technology. According to them, a little human interaction is what makes the game come alive.

The fact is that table games lose out on a percentage of their popularity every year. The profitable slot machines are ruling the industry now, and trend watchers expect this to continue. The little pools of the infamous table games will inevitably shrink. However, they will never truly make an exit, regardless of the disparity in the ratios.

Behind the Scenes

With the resistance to change when it comes to traditional table games, owners have now come up with ideas that they can implement behind the scenes.

Digital facial recognition technology is one thing that can help casinos save money while giving earnest players a better experience. ‘Eye in the Sky’ cameras have already been installed in many casinos around the world, which are programmed to detect the faces of known cheaters. As this technology gets better, it is said that the programme will recognize everyone from high rollers to mere criminals and regular gamblers. With such an increase in the security, casinos can raise the stakes in their games to draw in the big figures.

Change is Everything

If you know the gaming industry, you will be acquainted with that constant barrage of criticism that has been targeted towards the industry. It has been decades since this industry broke off its relationship with crime, establishing stringent regulatory systems that keep it clean. Hollywood and Bollywood have not done any favours to support this new image though. They continue to portray casinos as a mob infested industry, reserved only for the rich or the mafia!

Image is everything in this industry, and extreme steps are required to keep things afloat. Companies are now doing everything they can to promote their pristine face value. They are ready to be willingly transparent, if it comes down to proving that they are sparkling clean.

There are definitely obstacles to cross when it comes to innovations. Themes are unpopular concepts when it comes to casinos, but change is vital and innovation is necessary to cater to the ever-changing preferences of the consumer. Gigantic or petite, diversity will be the key to the door that separates the casinos of past from the techno-savvy ones that will rule the future.