TOYS OF THE FUTURE PART 1

If 10 years ago somebody had come to me and said “Hey, Charlie, in the future we’re gonna play casino games on our phones”, I literally would have laughed. Not even me, a science fiction expert who has seen “Star Wars” so many times that he can play the movie immediately as a one-man show, could believe that our clunky old phones that barely supported games like “Snake” could ever play casino games. But then the smartphone revolution happened, and all of a sudden everybody could see the potential of those little devices we previously used exclusively for talking. As technology marches onwards, we quickly discover new ways to use it that would’ve seemed ridiculous only a few years prior. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few devices that are being developed right at this very moment that could revolutionize the future of online gambling.

VR Headsets

Virtual reality has been a staple of the science fiction genre for many years. The idea of putting on a simple pair of goggles and stepping into a completely new reality was one that has captivated the minds of writers for decades. I mean, who among us hasn’t seen “The Matrix” and thought that something like that would be positively awesome? Well, in 2012, a small group of developers finally decided that it was possible to replicate this experience, at least as far as we can with currently available technology. Their project, the Oculus Rift, managed to gather almost $2.5 million on crowdfunding website Kickstarter, proving that there is tremendous interest in the market and jumpstarting a tiny VR revolution, inspiring countless imitators. The Rift is, basically, a screen that you strap onto your head, which projects a different image into each eye and creates the illusion of three dimensions, all while having an extremely sensitive gyroscope which allows the image to move in accordance with your head. Imagine putting the Rift on and suddenly being in the middle of a garden that allows you to look around as if you’re really there. Add a pair of headphones and the immersion is complete. Additionally, some companies have added other peripherals to enhance the experience, such as the Omni Treadmill, which allows you to walk around in your virtual world. And with the level of graphical fidelity that can be achieved on modern computers, it’d be relatively simple to design a small virtual world that looks almost identical to reality.

So, How Can They Be Used For Casino Games?

Obviously, a VR headset could easily be used for a more immersive online casino experience. While online gambling has moved away from this concept (mostly out of necessity), it was originally meant to emulate a real casino from your home. And what better way to do this than with virtual reality? Imagine putting on the VR set and a pair of headphones and transporting yourself to an online casino, using your keyboard and mouse to play casino games. You walk up to a real, human dealer, ask him to give you cards, then look down at the table in order to check out what you’ve got. You go to a slot – any slot you choose in the entire casino – and pull the lever down, causing the reels to start spinning in ways they never could in real life. Remember – while a 100% accurate casino experience could potentially be replicated using VR, I don’t think that would be the way to go. Virtual reality, much like the Internet itself, is a place of infinite possibilities, and I think that it’d be a bit of a waste to use it realistically. Imagine playing a slot where the characters jump out from the reels whenever you win, giving you a thumbs up or a hug. Imagine playing something like the South Park slot, and suddenly the entire casino starts being rendered in the show’s simplistic style. Or perhaps you play the Nightmare on Elm Street slot and the casino goes dark, with Freddy’s claws scraping against the wall behind you. While it won’t be very useful to people who just want to play casino games for the money, those looking for the casino experience would be absolutely thrilled by it!

Join us next time for a look at a concept that, to me, is even more exciting than virtual reality – holograms!