Every advancement in human progress brings new challenges to be faced. The rapid development of technology and the growing usage – and dependency – on all things digital, has improved the quality of life for many individuals and changed the way we perceive the world around us.
Everything from fintech, to healthcare and the entertainment industry have been impacted and, in most cases, improved with the help of digital. Our world has, in many ways, become faster and more efficient. Smartphones, empowered by fourth, and one day fifth generation data service, have increased our access to information and transformed the ways we communicate — with each other and with organisations.
But the speed at which technology has grown has had potentially devastating effects on a workforce. Concerns are being raised as a range of jobs now streamlined by automation to the to the point of oblivion. Advancements in robotics and new technologies like 3D printing have produced what Wendell Wallach, a consultant, ethicist and scholar at the Yale University Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics describes as ‘technological unemployment’.
“This is an unparalleled situation and one that I think could actually lead to all sorts of disruptions once the public starts to catch on that we are truly in the midst of technological unemployment,” said Wallach.
His concerns are valid. Reports show that 47% of jobs in the US at present could be computerised in the next 10 to 20 years; it has been suggested that up to 800 million global workers could lose their jobs to new technology by 2030.
Jobs under threat
There are many different jobs that will be affected by the increase in automation and robotic technology over the next several years. If you’ve been to a high street bank recently, you’ll already notice the decrease in bank tellers and rise of automated machines. But more and more people aren’t visiting their bank at all — approximately 60 UK bank branches are closing each month as more and more individuals are accessing services through their smart phones. Approximately 69% of the British public regularly make their banking transactions online, including transferring money, accessing bank statements and paying bills.
Alongside bank tellers, another job that will suffer consequences due to the rise in technology is check-out cashiers. Self-service checkouts have become increasingly popular in supermarkets around the world; in 2013 there were approximately 191,000 machines worldwide, with experts predicting this number to rise to 325,000 during 2019. Like banks, supermarkets have accounted for both human and automated errors by assigning one individual to oversee self-service machines, replacing the need for the many individuals that would be needed to check out customer’s shopping in the past.
And then there are casino dealers. While it might not be the first job that comes to mind when it comes to the impact of the digital world, the evolving landscape of the gambling industry means that land-based casino jobs might be hard to come by in the future.
More people than ever are accessing the internet, including online casino games, through their phones. Reports show that in 2017, online gambling accounted for 34% (£4.7 billion) of the £13.8 billion total gross gambling yield of the British gambling market — with online casinos as its largest product. The long-term growth of the online casino market has very quickly exceeded its land-based equivalent, putting into question the continued existence of many land-based casino jobs.
Changes in regulation have also meant that many individuals may take to gambling online over their high street bookmaker.
On April 1st 2019, new restrictions on the maximum stake of fixed odds betting terminals (FOBT) were introduced across the UK. The changes, involving a cut from £100 to £2 of the maximum permitted stake, were cause for concern for betting companies including Paddy Power and William Hill. William Hill even went so far as writing to their high street landlords across the country asking for a reduction in rent prices.
“The changes in regulations will mean that many shops will see costs rise significantly at a time when revenues will decline by more than 50% in many cases,” they wrote, later adding that, “We can’t afford to wait for things to happen as this will simply result in the creeping closure of more and more shops.”
The influx of exciting new online games, as well as changes in legislation has ensured the growth of the online gambling marketplace and increased the chances of stagnation for its land-based counterpart.
Opportunities in live casino games
The considerable growth of the online casino industry presents an opportunity for both former casino employees and new applicants to be employed. Live casino games are a great alternative for those who would like to experience online gambling but not lose out on some of the casino atmosphere. And just as they do in land-based casinos, live casino games include a croupier.
Experienced croupiers may have a range of opportunities to continue to work in the industry through live online versions of whatever game they prefer, including baccarat, roulette, blackjack, poker and more. The software – an advanced video streaming service – allows players to engage with the croupier through various messaging functions, like chat rooms.
While advancements in technology have made some job roles borderline irrelevant, it has simultaneously added new ones. The growth of the online gambling industry will be a new space for employment opportunities, including those that were once thriving in land-based casinos. While the digital world may have an effect on more traditional forms of work, it will offer new and different experiences, as the lines between real life and virtual reality within the entertainment industry become blurred.
