For centuries, classic casino play in land-based establishments entertained enthusiasts of blackjack, roulette, poker, craps and slots. The fact we explicitly mention the term “land-based” is required nowadays due to the rise of an online format of casino play that has slotted seamlessly into the digital movement happening around us.
The casino landscape is slowly changing with casino enthusiasts now given a choice between real life action or playing online versions of casino classics. Even in strong performing casino markets such as the United Kingdom, land based casinos are beginning to close, with those still open witnessing a decline in customers. All further evidence of the societal shift in behaviour.
While physical casino establishments in casino meccas such as Las Vegas and Macau remain popular, the online format stands out for its convenience, supported by technology and software that allow developers to create increasingly realistic gaming experiences. Many of the same systems used to digitize physical tables are now being applied to new casino table games available online, where modern engines and interfaces refine traditional mechanics.
Programming and coding software such as Java, C++, and Flash have vastly improved to enhance gameplay so that it mirrors all the randomness, rules, and simplicity that players experience when they enter a land-based casino, while also introducing new forms of the same game and different ways to experience a classic casino game. In the world of technology, what are the main forces that help online platforms replicate the physical experience?
Random Number Generators (RNG)
One of the golden rules that all casinos must adhere to is fairness. But luckily for physical casinos, fairness is easily guaranteed by random outcomes of each round and action. On a roulette table, the pill has just as much chance of landing on any outcome with each spin. Physical shuffling in front of players produces the random hands on a blackjack table.
In the online world, maintaining randomness on online table games is crucial and because of the non-physical nature of online casinos, requires guidelines that provide a greater level of trust. Fairness standards are even easier to maintain due to the integration of Random Number Generator technology. The generation of random numbers using algorithms that equate to an outcome on a roulette table or a hand in blackjack is essential in maintaining the playing integrity on online casino platforms and ensures no outcome on any table game is rigged.
Trusted Payment Systems
At most land-based casinos, money can easily be exchanged for chips directly at the table. This is of course not possible at online casinos, but providers make up for that by integrating trusted and secure payment systems that cover a wide range of payment methods onto their platforms. Alongside user friendly deposit and withdrawal procedures, the easy exchange of money for virtual chips is replicated.
From debit cards to e-wallets, state of the art encryption tools using two-step authentication and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) ensure money is securely transferred in both directions to provide an extra layer of comfort in the online world. And online casinos are also keeping up with the times by gradually implementing more blockchain technology to make their systems even more secure and transparent.
Live Casino Play
The closest online casinos have got so far to replicating the real-life experience can be found in live casino play. The format of gameplay that supports table games introduces real person dealers who are organising gameplay by video link from remote locations. Using multiple high-tech cameras and various angles, players can witness all the dealer’s actions from their locations.
Written and vocal communication channels also help replicate the communal aspect of casino play with interaction with the dealer and other players possible on some platforms. However, it is the low latency rates for streaming that maintains the as-close-to-real-time-as-possible visual transmission to ensure that the players actions using the streamlined dashboards keep up with the play occurring on the table at the live location.
The combination of efficient technology and easy-to-use interfaces provides the simplicity experienced when playing table games in physical locations. And that could be taken to another level when Virtual Reality (VR) tech is finally introduced.