
Online gambling platforms like Spincity casino did not exist on mobile devices in the past. With the development of modern smartphones, online casinos and gambling have evolved. For one, they are more accessible nowadays. Second, there is a plethora of options that gamers can choose from.
Accessibility of Games
In the 1990s and early 2000s, gambling applications were only accessible on computers. At that time, Apple has not yet released the iPhone. Although a company like Microgaming succeeded in making the first online casino, the social reach was too limited.
At that time, a player would need to download a “client,” or a software program, to be able to access the games. When Apple finally released the iPhone in 2007, a revolution happened. All it takes now is to go to an app store and download the game. Although Apple and Android do not allow gambling apps in their stores, the operating systems they created made it easier for developers to create accessible gaming platforms.
Today, gamers do not even have to install a gambling app. What matters is that mobile devices are everywhere. Since almost every person has one, gambling game developers evolved their gaming infrastructure. They simply made the gaming functional via phone browsers. No need to install an app. Here are the benefits of browser games:
- No need to install the app.
- No need for JavaScript.
- The games will work in any browser.
- The games are accessible for as long as you are online.
Since you do not need to install an application, it also follows that the specifications of the device are not too high. You do not need a lot of processing power. Because of this approach, gambling games have become more accessible.
Gamification
Gambling companies also evolved their approach to gaming. They now use gamification, not just to lure gamers but also to increase customer retention. Here are some common gamification tactics:
- Bonuses – new players can get bonuses in the form of free slot machine spins or cash.
- Cash Back – the more you play, the more cashback you receive. In most cases, cashbacks are based on percentages.
- VIP – almost all casinos offer a VIP promotion. As a VIP, you will climb the ladder of levels and eventually get bigger bonuses.
It is also not unusual for VIP members to get access to exclusive games and benefits. Some casinos in the past gave away free stuff like umbrellas. Gamification is a powerful tool to attract new consumers and retain the current ones. Before the age of mobile devices, casinos had a simplistic operation—take the bet and initiate the round.
Today, casinos rarely operate without any kind of gamification. It is now considered a basic expectation. Otherwise, gamers will have no reason to join the casino and play.
Social Gambling
Gambling sites in the past did not have chatrooms. The mobile industry changed all these. Time and time again, it was proven that people would use apps more if there was a way for them to communicate with other users.
Because of this, the gambling industry followed the same formula. It is now common for gambling apps to incorporate ways for gamblers to communicate. It applies not only to traditional games where a dealer operates the games but also to games where players compete against each other.
Of course, there are rules to this. You cannot talk just about anything to players. You cannot be rude or uncouth to others or you’ll get suspended. In the worst-case scenario, you can even get banned from the casino.
Challenges of Casinos in the Mobile Industry
As more and more people gamble, public officials also begin to give casinos a closer look. More laws are enacted, and it just gets harder for casinos to operate.
It is not only the government that poses a challenge for the casinos but the mobile industry itself. The owners or operators of operating systems frown on gambling. For example, you cannot download casino games from Apple and Android, at least not in all countries.
Now casinos are forced to distribute their apps from their websites. This, of course, makes the whole process susceptible to fraud. There will be copycats who will put up fake websites, and then claim that a user can download the app. This app, of course, is fake. Once a victim realizes this, it may be too late. It is not just the victim who will suffer losses but also the casino whose reputation is now tarnished.
Mobile gaming is the catalyst that made gambling more accessible. Without modern smartphones, gambling applications would have been accessible only to PCs. In addition, the mobile industry jumpstarted the development of not just apps, but other technologies—technologies that also made it possible for the gambling industry to penetrate the mobile gaming industry.