Industry News
The Future Belongs to Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality is a computer technology to generate a fully immersive, simulated environment.
The VR was first mentioned in 1960; and in 1962, the American filmmaker Morton Heilig introduced the first system of artificial reality – the Sensorama simulator. It was a huge machine actually looked like a slot machine, that allowed users to dip into a different, odd world.
How Gambling Applies VR
Over time, Virtual Reality has become a separate branch of IT, and its new solutions have been actively used in different spheres: education, filmmaking, trading and, of course, gambling.
Lately, VR gambling has become of great demand in the online space. This can be attributed to the sense of presence and immersion into the casino atmosphere, no matter where players are.
Thus, with the necessary equipment, everyone has opportunity to visit a favourite casino without leaving home. At the same time, all that happen seem absolutely real. You can move around the gaming halls and make bets, watch the roulette wheel spinning, chat and hear voices of live dealers. That’s what lures players and motivates software developers to implement innovative VR solutions into the gambling projects.
The First VR Casino
In 2015, gambling industry was literally revolutionised by a mind-blowing solution – the world’s first VR online casino. The company SlotsMillion run it in testing mode and soon noticed the success of the sensational novelty.
The VR casino project was designed in collaboration with Malta Gaming Authority and presented at the world-famous gambling expo EIG in Berlin. Everyone could try out this breakthrough casino experience by wearing a special headset Oculus Rift costing from $300.
SlotsMillion‘s virtual world comes as enourmous space located on the top of a skyscraper with panoramic views over the city at night. Here you can stroll through the spacious halls with more than 40 slot machines, and then sit down at a table by the window and chat with friends.
In addition, the players can download a special app on the computer and put themselves in the virtual reality casino even without using expensive Oculus’ devices. Players will get a 360-degree view, vivid 3D graphics and a chance to win real money on the colorful slots.
VR in the Near Future: Projections
According to experts of Goldman Sachs, VR technology will become increasingly worthwhile during the next 10 years. And while the main ongoing issue of the VR industry is the high cost of the equipment, the experts predict a price decline at least twice followed by bulk selling of essential gadgets by 2028. At the same time, the total virtual gambling market revenue will exceed $110 billion by 2025.
The promising and not yet fully explored Virtual Reality industry can completely wreck the world of gambling. Overall, that means that game developers will be enthusiastically adopting the VR technology and gradually go away from the standard video slots, which will allow them to build a profitable business based on the VR casinos.
Given all the advantages of Virtual Reality, Slotegrator experts believe that it’s a high time to start moving to the innovative technologies and establishing the next-generation casinos. Before virtual reality went mainstream, operators still can surprise the players and distinguish their casinos from the competitors.
Industry News
SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
Industry News
Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase
Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.
“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.
“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.
Industry News
PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer
PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.
In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.
Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.
“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
-
Asia6 days ago
Maharashtra Government rewards state’s Asian Games 2022 Esports athletes with INR 10 lakhs; marks historic moment for Indian Esports
-
Latest News5 days ago
Evoplay strikes distribution agreement with Light & Wonder
-
Central Europe6 days ago
Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch
-
Asia6 days ago
PAGCor Welcomes Lawyer Wilma Eisma as New President and Chief Operating Officer
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
GoldenRace is now certified in the Netherlands
-
Latest News6 days ago
Altenar releases trio of betting widgets to enhance customer engagement
-
Australia6 days ago
SkyCity Appoints Jason Walbridge as Chief Executive Officer
-
Latest News6 days ago
Xtremepush Expands Reach in Brazil Through Senna Sport Deal