Haptic feedback is a fairly new concept in gambling – well, almost. Although casinos do feature ample use of lightning, buzzes, and sounds to keep players focused on the action on the reels or the green felt, the idea of a true “haptic” device is fairly new in the world of gambling.
However, it is not something that is so out of the box that companies are not giving it serious consideration. Even online casinos such as Xon Bet are exploring how they can bridge the gap between the digital frontier and what people experience in the comfort of their own homes.
There are many clever ways that haptic feedback can be implemented to improve the online (and physical) gambling experience, but to understand them all, you need to look at them separately. Here is a breakdown of what we discuss:
- VR and AG as the ushers of this new technology.
- What the future may look like once it’s here.
- The importance of haptic feedback for responsible play.
- We need to wait a while for it all to become a reality.
Let’s Talk About the Virtual Elephant in the Room – VR
You may think that online casino gaming and haptic feedback do not readily mingle. You will probably be somewhat right, but not entirely. With the advancement of virtual reality and augmented reality, we are exploring previously unthought-of possibilities.
We are talking Tron-level futurism here, where players will be able to enter a digital world and enjoy it to the fullest. Of course, how soon this happens is anyone’s guess, as is the manner in which this integration with AG and VR will be happening.
For the time being, donning a VR headset, though, is the most plausible thing you can do in order to enjoy a bit of an immersive online gambling experience, and what an experience it is! Many companies are experimenting with the idea of introducing AG and VR elements to their gameplay to make them stand out.
There are already slot games that you can try this way. Imagine running side by side with Gonzo in Gonzo’s Quest as you scout the lush jungles for the lost city of Eldorado and its untold riches. This is not just talk – it is happening with companies ever so slightly integrating this into their game offers.
However, it’s not a clear-cut process, and technology still has a very long time to go. A VR set still costs a pretty penny, it is somewhat weighty and slick as it is, and eye-strain is an often-cited issue for most people. Yet, VR does give you a glimpse of what the future of online casino gaming will be.
A Glimpse Into the Future
One thing that we need to recognize as a fact right now is that we do not have that much technology available to make it possible for us to truly enjoy haptic feedback and revel in this enticing opportunity. What would that look like, you may wonder? Well, that depends.
You will probably want to not just play at a live casino but also feel like you are holding cards or rolling dice. Is a future like that imaginable? It most certainly is – after all, consoles are a thing, and they are one of the most popular gaming devices. You also have smartphones and tablets that are equally used for video gaming as well as online casinos.
Yet the implementation of these haptic features is taking its due time, and this is natural. The comforting thought to take away from this is that we already see our consoles and smartphones buzzing, so there is clearly the technological capacity to make these things happen.
The good news is that there is already momentum, and it is not just about the way we experience online gambling. It’s similarly about what you can expect to get away from the whole experience – how fun would it be to join your favorite slot character and share in their adventure? We are going to bet on it and say – a lot!
Let’s Talk Responsible Gambling
We all talk and know about responsible gambling, but what if we could leverage this technology to achieve one distinct thing – making everyone’s life better and the experience safer? As it turns out, this is not just talk and it is one of the possible futures in which technology that uses haptic feedback will play a key part in helping players stay on the straight and narrow.
The idea behind this is very simple. You simply want to have some reliable and relatable loop and feedback that will allow you to notify players that they may be playing a little too much and a little too fast.
This could be done through tactical or haptic cues that buzz or otherwise notify the player mentally as well as physically that they may be pushing their gaming a little further than what is good for them.
These sorts of self-reminders that combine the digital world with the physical one are important as they allow everyone to play responsibly. It may seem like a bit of a stretch, but tactile tech is here to make sure that players are having fun!
Is the Future Now?
As we have already outlined, the future of haptic feedback and its integration into the online casino experience will take a while. For better or for worse, the Internet is evolving at the pace it is and so is video gaming – the main conduit of tactile technology.
In fairness, it is unlikely for online gambling to be a first-mover in this space, but it will be a very close second. Once tactical tech and haptic feedback can be integrated into the experience more reliably and, of course, at a good cost for the player and consumers. All in all, the world belongs to this type of exciting tech!
