The online casino business is just like any other highly competitive field that is constantly moving forward in terms of technology, products and customer acquisition. The industry has been able to, not only survive through the years; but has been a shining example as to what is required to be successful, long term wise, and actually lead the way in a cus-tomer focused environment. Casino operators are very attentive to their customer base, as well always looking to attract new audiences; by utilising whatever is at their disposal.
Hence the reason why skill based games are being embraced by casinos and adapted to fit in the online gamblingscene. According to research, it has been noted that millennials tend to favour skill based games as opposed to the more traditional online slots and table games. Generation Y or the Millennials as they are more commonly known, are the de-mographic group after Generation X. Therefore, it is made up of anyone born in the early 1980s to early 2000s. The Millennials are characterised by their dependancy, familiarity and/or love of media, communications and media technologies; which explains why they would be more interested in skill based games, as opposed to games that are purely based on luck and random payouts.
Online casinos are hoping that skill based games will help spark the interest and main-tain the intrigue of the Millennials; which will help ensure the gaming industry has a via-ble future. It would seem like the perfect fit, with this new audience not afraid of technol-ogy and change, together with a solid foundation in gaming via gaming consoles like the PS4, Nintendo and XBOX. Furthermore, there is the fact that all these games are of a very high HD quality, superb graphics, have more intricate features and more importantly, can be easily transformed from a video game to a casino game, and vice versa.
Plus, skill based games have lots of scope to add features and keep the experience en-gaging and even more interactive. So for example, players will be able to enjoy the thrill of competing against each other (just like what is already the norm in online video gaming) in tournaments and games can be incorporated into loyalty programs.
However, it does not stop there; to further prove the rationale as to why online casinos see a bright future for skill based games, there is the slow but steady advancement in VR technology with an increasing variety of devices that are compatible with the technology. In fact, players can already ready get a ‘taste’ of this type of online experience in some of the more established and innovative online casinos.
Skill based games are here to stay, and it is not only happening online. One of the main indicators that any new product or service is in it for the long haul, is when there is real commitment by land based casino operators. Visitors to places like Las Vegas are getting younger, again, the Millennials are coming to the fore, but not terribly interested in the traditional slot machines. Therefore, we have seen a bill passed in 2015 by the state leg-islature to permit a new type of casino game, that are more familiar to the younger genera-tion who are more comfortable with video games that are already played on their phones and in their bedrooms.
So we are seeing collaborations between entities like Gamblit Gaming and Caesars, to start introducing games like Gamblit Poker and Cannonbeard’s Treasure. And there will many more to come, as land based casinos like the MGM Grand, already allocating a dedicated section of prime real estate in their casino, Level Up, to traditional table games with a so-cial aspect to cater to the demands of the Millennials.
Therefore, skill based games do have a very promising and bright future in the online ca-sino world. Players, both young and old, will be amazed as to how these games will be integrated into current online casino services; and if history is anything to go by, we all know that casino operators can always spot a sure thing!
