Video gaming and gambling were once separate entities and little thought was given to any relationship between the two. The gamer sat at home playing on their PC or retro console a couple of decades ago had little in common with the average punter filling out their slip in the local betting shop. But the Internet has drawn the two fields together in ways that few expected.

The online revolution

The betting industry was once considered stagnant and slow moving. The way businesses were ran and the services they offered changed little over the years. But the switch to on-line gambling changed all that. Ever since, the major betting companies have been engaged in a battle to win customers by offering innovative new ways to wager. And cutting edge technology has been at the heart of this.

Well established bookmakers have had to adapt as a host of exciting new companies have burst onto the scene setting new standards in the marketplace. As a result, bettors have never had more choice. Live betting featuring in-play markets were practically unheard of a decade ago, but are now the most favored option with punters. This has made it possible to bet on outcomes that occur during an event rather than traditional fixed odds and proposition bets.

Cash-out bets, fast markets, and the ability to add selections to already active wagers has made sports betting more flexible than ever. And punters can track the action from events all round the world via match tracking software.

Natural convergence

While video games previously had little in common with gambling; slots and casinos have always relied on gaming elements to attract players. When bookmakers moved to on-line platforms they began building websites that offered a range of gambling activities from sports and horse race betting to bingo, casinos and slots. Over the years, these have become more closely linked with punters able to access a range of gambling services from within a single account.

Players can now place a sport bet and immediately switch to a video slot game without leaving the website. They can spend their casino winnings on sports bets and their sports bet winnings on slots in a one-stop portal for on-line gambling activities.

“Roulette” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by C-C-C-C-C-C-Cary

Further integration

Gambling websites have also turned to video gaming to help improve the experience for bettors. Gaming techniques such as reaching different levels, unlocking mini-games and beating bosses are being introduced into casino and slot games. While news from the industry suggests sports bettors could soon be rewarded for their loyalty by earning free spins on slots and other games.

This process of bringing gaming elements into the world of betting is known as gamification. And it signals a future where video gaming and gambling will be linked even further by the rise in popularity of eSports. Bookmakers are already offering markets on competitive video gaming and this sector is set to expand as eSports gains more high profile coverage on major TV stations.

Feature image credit – “DualShock 3 (3)” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by William Hook

Carl Williams

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