iGaming Gains of 2019: Legal, Tech and Revenue
Three exceptional advancements in online and mobile gaming today.
2020 is fast approaching. Before we know it, we’ll be ringing in the new decade, and with it, a new era of unfathomable technology to come. Will VR finally earn its rightful place in the iGaming community? Will greater security technologies prompt an increase in regulating jurisdictions? Are live casino operators ever going to launch an operable live craps table?
These are all questions we would surely love to see answered, but not today, and not in the foreseeable future, unfortunately. What we can reflect upon is the latest technology that has already made a significant impact on the way we play digital games, and the three major areas in which such advancements have been made.
Advancements in Online & Mobile Gaming Today
The three areas we’ve seen benefit the most in recent years are regulation, technology and revenue. More jurisdictions are taking the inevitable presence of iGaming seriously. Software companies are making enormous strides in technology. As a result, games developers, operators and players are all seeing greater profits.
US & Canada Leading the Legal Charge into 2020
Since 2014, the UK has lead the regulatory charge for online and mobile gambling, requiring operators to acquire a license and follow strict policies and procedures in regards to player protection and anti-money laundering. Their rules have only gotten more strict over the proceeding years, but aside from exponentially heftier fines for non-compliance, no fresh news is coming from that region.
The biggest stories are coming from North America, where the legal framework surrounding gambling is being steadily molded. In the US, the authorization to legalize sports betting incited a major movement in which state after state is choosing to enact sports betting legislation. As a tailwind, online gambling is also being discussed in more jurisdictions, with Pennsylvania since joining Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey in their provision of online poker and/or online casino gaming.
Canada has made significant strides in a different way. Where Quebec attempted to ring-fence its Espacejeux, federal telecom agencies blocked their efforts, ensuring the laws permit Canadians to choose where to do their iGaming – with local or international websites. Just like in America, the US reversal of PASPA is bringing up deep political conversations about legalizing single-event sports bets here in Canada. It’s expected to be a prominent side-table issue in the current election debates.
Technological Advancements Abound
The most amazing thing about the internet is that it brought the entire world together via digitization, and there’s no end to the evolution of technology in a digitized world. First we had basic, 2D RNG casino games. The graphics got better. Speed improved. Fair-gaming nay-sayers were appeased with the launch if live dealer games. 740p upgraded to HD-quality video streams, and before long, players at home were placing bets on land-based casino’s roulette tables from the PC or mobile device.
That steady flow of technological improvements continues to this day. We now have virtual reality casinos games, but after half a decade, they still haven’t caught on. Skill gaming seems to be a more viable source of player-approved advancement, with companies like Gamblit Gaming and Synergy Blue, making great headway in the last year.
iGaming Becoming a Cash Cow for Everyone
It’s not just online casinos and social gaming app developers that are turning a profit from online and mobile gaming these days. With more and more jurisdictions regulating online gambling, governments are raking in more license fees and tax revenue than ever before. And let’s not forget about the players…
Sure, there are those who get supremely lucky to win a multi-million dollar jackpot, but those are so few and far between we can’t really count them as profiteers of iGaming. There are always going to be more losers than winners at the casino. Poker players suffer the same fate, although they do have more control over the outcome, being a game dominated more by skill than chance. But what about guaranteed ways to make money?
There’s one way gamers can make a profit, without ever risking their own money. No, I’m not talking about no-deposit bonuses or free slot machine spins. I’m talking about genuine guaranteed money makers, perfect for people who prefer free-to-play games.
In the last year, more and more ‘get paid to play‘ gaming apps have appeared, and some of them are the real deal. Mistplay, for instance, awards points for downloading and playing games through their app. There’s no purchase necessary – just time played. As points accumulate, players trade them in for a Visa gift card, or gift cards to Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, eBay, PlayStation, Xbox and more.
Look out for scammers, of course. Read reviews before you sign up for anything, but apps like Mistplay are the real deal. It’s not like winning the lottery. You won’t get rich overnight. But who among us wouldn’t appreciate a free $10 every 2-3 weeks in exchange for wiling away the hours doing what so many of us do already – playing free games on a phone.
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