The iGaming industry has taken some huge leaps forward in the last few years, with many developers seeking to create the next big thing. We’ve moved from basic three and five-reel video slots to complex grid-based titles loaded with colourful features and unique game mechanics.

But the industry is still evolving, the improvements are still coming, and now, iGaming developers are looking to the exciting worlds of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to create the next big thing.

Virtual Reality in Gambling: How Will it Work?

Imagine walking into a casino. You can hear the relentless and welcoming noise of slot machines, the calls of dealers, and the conversations of happy punters. You find your favourite slot, saddle up, and prepare for a session.

But instead of pushing coins into the machine, you just press a few buttons and your account balance appears before your eyes, reducing slightly every time you hit that glowing “Spin” button.

It’s the future of online casino gambling because while you’re enjoying the lively atmosphere of a real-life casino, you just happen to be sitting in the comfort of your own home, wearing your pyjamas, and connecting to this amazing world via a VR headset and a pair of motion controllers.

VR technology has created endless possibilities for developers and while most of these have revolved around immersive video games and virtual tours, creators are now turning their attention to the online gambling industry, and slots is a huge part of it.

A fully immersive casino environment may be a few years away yet, but the world’s biggest iGaming developers are currently focusing on VR slots, with innovative creators like NetEnt and Betsoft leading the way.

In fact, these games are already out there, but they have been developed by indie creators, use very basic slot setups, and don’t allow real money gambling.

Virtual Reality in Gambling: What are the Challenges?

Surprisingly, the technology is not the biggest challenge that developers face. The tech is there, and while it can be expensive, the amount of money that goes into creating slots is already pretty high and developers are more than happy to pay it.

The biggest issue is that while everyone has a phone and/or a computer, not everyone has a VR headset, which means VR slots appeal to a small minority of players.

Furthermore, there could be some regulatory issues, especially in strict regions like the UK and Sweden. The regulators in this region are investing huge sums of money into responsible gambling programs and clamping down on anyone who breaches their strict rules.

Imagine how they will react when slots become infinitely more immersive. It may be great news for responsible gamblers, but what about problem gamblers? These games have the potential to lock them into a world they may struggle to escape from, and that could raise a number of red flags for the regulators.

The developers will need to find and show proof that these games are not harmful before they can be launched. And even then, they may be subject to stricter responsible gambling requirements, such as regular warnings that flash onto the player’s headset, telling them how long they have been playing and what the risks of irresponsible gambling are.

The good news is that these things are relatively minor when compared to the challenges that developers were facing just a couple of years ago, and those challenges may be even less in a few months or a year.

Conclusion: How Long Do We Have to Wait?

Virtual reality is here and has been for several years. Systems created by Sony (PS VR) Oculus, and HTC draw you into an exciting and immersive world. For the most part, games have been limited to novelties, but a greater number of big-name creators have been developing exclusive titles for these systems and that has helped to put them in the spotlight.

In 2020, for instance, we saw the release of a brand-new, eagerly awaited Half-Life title that was a VR exclusive, and developers are also working on exclusive RPG and adventure games that will change the way these systems are seen.

This is ultimately the thing that will make VR bigger. We have the capability to make grand, glorious, VR slots and table games, to combine Live Dealer creations with VR, and even to give players a fully immersive casino they can explore.

However, all of this comes at a cost and it’s a price that might not be worth paying until more VR headsets are sold and they become more common. Once that happens, the process of creating VR slots and table games will become cheaper and more cost-effective, and that’s when they will become the norm.

It might take a year, it might take half a decade, but it will almost certainly happen and we personally can’t wait!