Effects of Improved Casino Streaming on the Online Gambling Industry

The shift from gambling on-site at physical casino venues to gambling at online casinos from the comfort of home has prompted Swedish casinos and game providers to adapt to evolving consumer expectations or fall to the wayside. On top of that, pressures from temporary restrictions in effect since July 2020, extended through to November 2021, have forced online casinos like Svenska Casino to continuously innovate.

In this article, author and Swedish gambling industry analyst Dominic Andreasson goes over how improved casino streaming is shaking up the industry. Follow Andreasson on Twitter for more.

Tech Innovations

The earliest iterations of online casinos served as little more than extensions of their physical venues and, as such, benefitted from precious few resources. The online casino experience then was clunky and unrefined, and that was perfectly serviceable for the most part.

In the past couple of years, however, there have been massive technological developments for online casinos. Where once consumers had to download client-side programs to participate in online casino gambling, they can now simply visit a web address with the technical aspects of their favorite casino games being hosted server-side by the game providers and casino operators.

On top of that, wireless and broadband technologies have advanced considerably since the advent of the internet and the days of the first online casinos. Gaming enthusiasts can now experience the real-life casino experience more vicariously than ever, thanks to the proliferation of user-created video streaming channels and live stream dealers offering genuine human interaction.

New Gaming Developments

Apart from being able to engage in all of the traditional casino games, online gamers are able to participate in a number of newly-created game types exclusive to the live casino medium. These new games include direct ports of classic games like video poker, as well as versions of classic games that make use of new game mechanics that only work in the online casino environment – games like Lightning Dice and Lightning Roulette, both developed by Swedish gambling tech company Evolution (EVOG.ST).

Greater Customer Trust

After nearly a year since the temporary restrictions came into play for Swedish online casinos, a study showed that Swedish gamblers are betting more during the lockdown. To accommodate the influx of online gamblers and the growing value of online bets being placed, online casinos have recognized the heightened importance of customer trust.

Innovations such as live stream dealers have allowed players to feel secure in the fairness of online casinos. When players are able to see for themselves how their games play out in real-time —with the added security of knowing that the same game they are viewing is being viewed by hundreds if not thousands of others— confidence in the systems at work comes easily, and the overall user experience is immensely improved.

Influencer Sponsorships

Online casinos are increasingly partnering with content creators and influencers on video streaming channels like YouTube and Twitch through strategic sponsorships. This can be seen as both a newly evolving marketing channel for online casinos, as well as an entirely new industry for players looking to monetize their own gaming experiences.

More and more online casinos are looking to influencers to promote their platforms. As with more established forms of streaming, such as video game streaming, top casino streamers can leverage their natural magnetism and broad viewer bases to receive sponsorships.

Live Sports Streaming

Apart from live stream dealers and online slots offered by online casinos, sports betting platforms have likewise been heavily innovating. Many sports betting platforms have begun offering punters live streams of various sporting events, from horseraces to traditional sports like tennis. For punters, the benefits are many: from being able to wager throughout a sporting event’s duration to the ability to wait and see how the majority of a game plays out before having to finalize their bets.

Conclusions

With no end to the global COVID-19 pandemic in sight —and despite restrictions currently in place— online casinos are set to replace physical venues at an increasingly rapid pace, as forecast by Evolution. While the prospect of things returning to how they were before may be unlikely, this shift has had numerous beneficial effects on the quality and security of online casinos – and, in turn, benefiting online players.