Online gambling is a pretty booming industry, particularly in Europe at the moment. Understandably for such a competitive market, one driven by technological innovation and a rapid pace of change, providers are always looking for the next big thing, scrambling to get ahead of one another in terms of their offerings. At least, the ones who are really going to succeed are doing so.
Some say it’s cryptocurrency. Others say it’s virtual reality. Still others are focused on fantasy sports. But one area of innovation which has been arguably huge across the tech world ever since Facebook first made its giant strides has yet to really kick into high gear in the online gaming world – the social dimension of play. Most online casinos have very limited social features, if they have them at all, and much of the play which takes place there is isolated, and virtually anonymous (except for the providers’ ID processes). Nobody knows you’re there, and your play is your own concern and very much a private face-to-screen activity.
When you think about it, this is bad for business and bad for the player to boot. It’s likely to result in relatively high rates of both customer churn and problem gambling. A social dimension which is well curated can arguably provide a set of natural checks and balances for healthy gaming, as well as an additional motivation to play sustainably over the longer term.
Some providers, however, are beginning to innovate in the social sphere. Here’s a quick rundown of some recent efforts:
CashBet agreed in November to a new licensing deal with Imperial Play to support the operation of a social casino. The venture has been described as a “steampunk world of gaming” and while it is to start with slots, CEO James Poole has mentioned non-casino games to come. It seems likely some of these may involve skill, since that’s a naturally good fit for social gaming. CashBet also have a mobile-first gaming platform in the works, which will provide social and skill-based igaming apps as well as a platform for “marketing and monetization”.
KamaGames, based out of Dublin, Ireland are another big player in the social gaming field. They state their areas of interest as including HTML5 platforms and both VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) gaming. Their focus is on developing immersive gaming experiences in which the player can have deeper interaction both with the gaming software and in the P2P (player-to-player) space. Their CMO spoke in a recent interview about feeling that RPG games, and the character development that goes on in those, have something to offer the social casino industry.
Finally, LetsBet is putting out an online social casino venture, seating players together at virtual tables with a wide range of interactive features. It’s set to hit Scandinavian countries initially, with plans to go out more widely across Europe over time. Live broadcasts, live streaming and group chat options all assist in deepening the social experience, and there are a range of bonuses offered to encourage interaction and social media sharing for organic promotion of the brand.
Overall there’s surely a lot of movement on the social front in the online casino world, especially when it comes to mobile devices. The cases mentioned above are likely just the frontrunners in a stampede. We’ve known for a long time that social interaction in online gaming is a huge must, but it’s only more recently that the online gaming world has seen opportunities there in the direction that the tech is heading.
Mobile is a natural fit for a greater social presence in gaming. The VR / AR dawn is still young, but it will likely draw far more customers down the rabbit hole with the second generation of tech from the likes of HTC, and, again, the social element in gaming with those devices is naturally expected to be a prime focus. Watch this space as there’s tremendous room for growth.
