Advanced iGaming Technologies in 2023: Trends

Gambling is a dynamically developing field. Its capitalisation is influenced by the introduction of IT innovations. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, and NFT make iGaming platforms more attractive for users, profitable, and safer.

You can order a modern online casino at CASEXE. We implement projects of any complexity and use relevant business solutions.

Artificial Intelligence for Personalised Customer Experience

AI is a machine or program that can mimic human behaviour. Such solutions are prone to self-learning. They remember previous user experiences and model various action scenarios based on them.

Artificial intelligence can collect and process terabytes of information. This is beyond the power of an ordinary person. The program can recognise hackers and dishonest players, increasing the security of an iGaming site.

The use of AI in the gambling area began in 2016. This year, several professors from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh presented the Libratus poker bot. The program operates based on artificial intelligence and computational game theory.

The module made headlines in the mainstream media and became world-famous after beating several poker pros. The tournament was held in January 2017 and brought together 4 star players at once: Jason Les, Dong Kim, Daniel McAulay, and Jimmy Chow. A little later, the capabilities of Libratus began to be used in the US military industry to simulate risky situations in 2019.

Increasing the Security of Online Casinos

Artificial intelligence solves a wide range of tasks related to the safety of a gambling site.

According to a study by SAS and ACFE (Association of Certified Fraud Examiners), 36% of respondents use AI-based tools. These are representatives of retail, oil production, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, gambling, etc. According to experts, the share of artificial intelligence in the security industry will reach 61% by 2025.

Let us consider how the innovation is applied in online casinos:

Improving the Quality of Customer Service

AI is the foundation for personalised marketing. The program can collect and analyse previous consumer experiences and offer the most relevant solutions for particular guests based on these findings. They include a list of games, available bonuses, participation in tournaments and seasonal campaigns, etc.

The recommendation system is the best choice for attracting and retaining solvent traffic. In 2019, the British provider 888 Holdings presented the Orbit platform.

The functions of the program include:

• the analysis of user preferences;
• the creation of personal recommendations;
• the adaptation of the bonus program to the features of the casino.

In addition, Orbit contains an impressive catalogue of slots, card titles, bingo, and lotteries.

Artificial intelligence is used to create risk prediction systems. The solutions offer certain types of content to gamblers to reduce ludomania and maintain a healthy interest in the play.

In 2021, the world saw Ludo AI, a platform with ideas for entertainment content. The solution uses data from millions of titles and sophisticated machine learning to create innovative game concepts, images, and characters. Providers can work on the generated offers to turn them into unique products.

Supporting Fair Play

The advantage of using artificial intelligence in the gambling sphere is the formation of a system for giving out winnings.

AI programs create algorithms for accruing prizes and monitor their even distribution among the visitors of the gambling hall. The dispersion factor remains in place but entrepreneurs can be sure that thanks to AI, one gamer does not gain an illegal advantage over other participants.

Reducing Operating Expenses

Artificial intelligence is often used to create analytical models for predicting the demand for entertainment content (types of games, software providers, branded bonuses, etc.). Thanks to this, entrepreneurs buy only the software that will bring real benefits to their casinos.

AI programs collect and analyse data on markets and competitors, giving recommendations on promotion strategies. Thanks to this, site owners can optimise advertising costs without spending money on ineffective marketing channels.

At the beginning of 2023, the British provider Playtech announced the launch of its proprietary AI program Ada.

The solution is presented as a dialogue box. Its main tasks are as follows:

• the adaptation and retention of users;
• the formation of a recommendation list;
• the integration with financial and marketing tools;
• the support for responsible gaming.

Creating Chatbots

Virtual assistants operate based on AI and popular instant messengers. Telegram, Instagram, Viber, and other social platforms without restrictions on gambling advertising are suitable for this format.

The interface of the chatbot is the same as the user menu of a messenger, while the backend remains similar to a gambling site and a mobile wagering app. Thus, the number of such platforms increases. As a result, entrepreneurs receive more profits.

The main functions of the chatbot are as follows:

1. The organisation of the gaming process. Registration and verification, depositing, launching slot reels, receiving bonuses — all these options are available through the interface window.
2. Customer service automation. Artificial intelligence algorithms come to the aid of the operator. They answer gamers’ requests (from identification to the withdrawal of prize money), send recommendations, and inform users about current bonuses.
3. The creation of personalised solutions. AI learns from previous customer experiences to generate a list of recommendations for each gambler. These are the latest games, interesting features, exciting tournaments and other relevant solutions.

Blockchain for Facilitating Mutual Settlements

Distributed ledger technology is presented as a continuous chain of billions of interconnected blocks. They store information about already completed and only planned transactions. Data is protected from hacking, theft, and modification thanks to cryptographic ciphering algorithms.

Blockchain has been used in gambling for almost 10 years. During this time, the value of technology for the industry has undergone a significant transformation. The innovation went from an additional option for simplified payments to a full-fledged base for creating a blockchain casino from scratch.

The percentage of companies using the technology is also growing. In 2019, they occupied only 19% of the total gambling market. In 2023, 56% of providers and operators of online casinos appreciated the benefits of distributed ledger technology. Analysts of the internet portal Crypto News predict that in 2024, over 50% of all investments in gaming will be related to blockchain.

The benefits of distributed ledger technology include:

1. The dispersion of information. There is no main data storage server here. This increases protection against hacking and changing records.
2. Confidentiality. All information is in the public domain but in encrypted form. Gamers and B2B partners can track transactions and check the solvency of an online casino. However, it is even theoretically impossible to find out the addresses and wallet numbers of the final senders and recipients. This makes the iGaming platform safe.
3. The reliability. Any adjustments to the details (for example, changing the address of the BTC wallet) are automatically rejected by the system.

Integrating Cryptocurrency Gateway

The easiest way to introduce blockchain into a casino is to implement a settlement mechanism in digital assets.

Modern financial modules are in the portfolios of Bit4Go, AlphaPo, and other software developers. It is possible to add Bitcoin-only payments or integrate a full-fledged gateway with many digital currencies (BTC, LTC, TRN, etc.)

The key advantages of using crypto tokens are as follows:

1. Instant, location-independent transactions. An online casino can be registered in Malta and the player may reside in Brazil, India, Lithuania, or any other country. Money is credited in a few seconds, without a long wait and unjustified downtime.
2. Economic attractiveness. The commission of the leading cryptocurrency gateways is only 0.5%. This is significantly less than competitors’ rates in the fiat segment. By adding blockchain settlements to their casinos, entrepreneurs can cut the lion's share of operating costs and redirect the released funds to strategic business development.
3. Decentralised work. The activity of an iGaming site does not depend on banks, interdepartmental structures, and other regulatory bodies. Operations are carried out directly between the wallets of the sender (a gambler) and the recipient (an online casino). The built-in cryptocurrency gateway acts as an intermediary and provides its financial infrastructure.
4. Reduced number of chargebacks. They are a source of significant business losses. Under this scheme, gamers make deposits with cards, play, and withdraw prizes. Then, they report the fraud and receive refunds. The use of cryptocurrency reduces the risks to zero. Once a blockchain transaction is registered, it can neither be changed nor cancelled.

Launching a Blockchain Casino

Such an iGaming resource operates based on distributed ledger technology. In practice, this means not only using digital currencies as a payment method but also conducting all transactions in a casino through a decentralised environment. The interface of the gambling portal is not much different from a traditional entertainment site.

The features of blockchain casinos are as follows:

Legal Work in Leading Jurisdictions

The blockchain casino is a licit and profitable business.

Cryptocurrency is allowed in most countries. Nevertheless, the approach to its definition differs. Many states (e.g. Spain, Japan, France, and Germany) equate digital assets with an electronic payment instrument. Entrepreneurs can earn and store savings in crypto units. However, when exchanging digital money for fiat funds, operators are required to pay income tax.

A slightly different approach is taken in the US, where cryptocurrency is defined as a commodity futures. The use of assets is governed by the same laws as dealing with securities on the stock market.

It is most beneficial to launch blockchain iGaming projects in such offshore zones:

• Malta;
• Curacao;
• Alderney;
• Costa Rica, and others.

These jurisdictions are known for their loyal attitude towards gambling, understandable legislation, and low taxes. To implement a blockchain iGaming start-up, it will be enough to obtain a gambling organiser licence. No additional permissions for the use of cryptocurrency will be required.

NFTs for Operators’ Revenue Growth

Non-fungible tokens in gambling are presented as games, characters, bonuses, interface elements, logos, musical design components, and other solutions.

Each NFT asset has its price, which is fixed in smart contracts. The use of blockchain as the basis for non-fungible tokens ensures their authenticity and impossibility of forgery. That is why such assets are so valuable. Some NFTs in the gambling industry are worth tens of thousands of dollars.

One of the brightest examples in the gaming field is the CryptoPunks bonus collection from the Swedish provider Evolution Gaming. The company added 4 crypto cards to Megaways slots. This caused an unprecedented stir around the product.

Ownership confirmation of each CryptoPunks bonus is recorded on the Ethereum blockchain. Users can win one of the 4 cards during additional sessions by collecting a combination of several Wild symbols.

Creating Innovative NFT Games

Experts from MarketsandMarkets predict that by 2027, the sector of non-fungible tokens will reach $13 billion with an average annual growth rate of 20%. NFTs are gradually penetrating all economic sectors, including the gambling sphere.

One of the most sought-after use cases for tokens is the development of unique casino entertainment content.

NFT games operate based on blockchain. However, they also have one or more non-fungible tokens. The easiest option is to add the digital assets as an interface element (an avatar, an icon, a logo, etc.) or a bonus feature. Many operators credit these units to special wagering bonus accounts. This also has a significant response from the audience.

Consider the principles of an NFT slot’s operation:

1. The creation of prize chains. The random number generator built into the casino software is responsible for this. The data is instantly converted into a unique hash block, which is even theoretically impossible to decrypt.
2. The transfer and storage of winning combinations. The hash block is represented as a random set of characters, placed in the global data store.
3. Information extraction. It is possible to find out whether the encrypted string is successful or not only after the session ends. The records are automatically retrieved from the storage, displaying the result on the scoreboard.

NFT as Part of the Metaverse

Leading IT corporations are developing the global digital space: Google, Apple, Microsoft, Epic Games, and many others.

Facebook is at the forefront of innovation. The company even changed its name to Meta, demonstrating high interest and involvement in creating the alternative universe. The IT giant has already put $10 billion into its development. According to Mark Zuckerberg, the sum of investments will increase several times by 2025.

The metaverse and gambling are closely related. In the digital space, it is possible to travel, create buildings, and also play. Several modern technologies are responsible for this, including blockchain, NFT, as well as virtual/augmented reality.

The Main Things about Innovations in the Gambling Industry

The iGaming field is a highly profitable business that actively uses modern IT solutions.

• Artificial intelligence is called the driving force behind the development of the sphere. AI is responsible for processing large amounts of information, automating online casino management, as well as improving security and customer experience. Programs can detect scammers and bots, generate recommendation lists, and support responsible gambling.
• The use of cryptocurrency in casinos is legalised in many prestigious jurisdictions — France, Germany, Spain, Malta, Curacao, etc. Settlements in digital assets are characterised by high speed, economic feasibility, the lack of chargebacks, and a reduced risk of fraud.
• Non-fungible tokens are used as artefacts, bonuses, and interface elements. It is possible to create NFT-based slots or use this technology to develop the metaverse.

It is worth ordering a modern, safe, and profitable iGaming project from CASEXE. We offer:

• turnkey online systems;
• White Label platforms;
• Bitcoin casinos;
• gaming projects based on Telegram, etc.

We also help our clients with business licensing and installation of financial gateways with cryptocurrency and fiat money.