Can poker evolve to rival the popularity of online slots?

When you step into a casino, you are not only entering a realm of grandeur and glamour, but also a gaming environment steeped in centuries of history. While a small handful of land-based casinos around the world can boast similar history to the games on offer, the vast majority of recognised casinos have only emerged within the last century. Even in Las Vegas, regarded as the mecca of casino, the first casino only opened its doors in 1906.

Over time, casinos have evolved but one thing has remained consistent. The essence of every casino worldwide is found in the games available to each player that ventures onto the gaming floor. Games that date back even further than the Casino de Monte Carlo, those found on the Las Vegas Strip and certainly those in the modern-day casino utopia of Macao.

Blackjack and roulette are counted as the grandparents of casino games, both reportedly dating back to the early 18th century. Smatterings of blackjack and roulette action form a staple part of any reputable casino and tables made of grand oak and lined with the finest cloth are still sought-after to the present day. However, it is two of the more “recent” discoveries in the casino world that are driving the popularity of casino play in the physical world and the increasingly busier online realm.

Digital Advances Providing More Variety

The progress made in technology and software have altered the world as we know it, and for the casino world, greater capabilities have revolutionised casino play and created a new space that offers unrivalled convenience and accessibility to casino favourites. But for two of the more popular offerings, online poker and online slots, the ability to create more exhilarating online experiences has taken these two games to the next level.

Online slots have arguably driven the popularity of online casinos due to the diverse range of innovative options and interactive game features provided by game developers armed with an arsenal of design functions and codes that have transformed the world of online slots. With features such as bonus buy slots allowing players to access bonus rewards more readily at an additional cost that opens up the possibility to play with higher multipliers and win free spins, online slots games are even starting to reach a level worthy of video game status due to the animations and backing soundtracks produced.

However, with the game of slots, there is no guarantee of a win, even by triggering bonus rounds and the winning is very much left up to the casino Gods. The same can be said of roulette and blackjack to some extent, but one game that has always appealed to casino players as a result of the amount of control over the game play is poker.

Poker can be ranked as one of the traditional casino games, with its origins traced back to the early 19th century. While many are accustomed to the standard versions of Texas Hold ’Em and Omaha offered in many land-based casinos, there is a plethora of other variations that can be found on online casino platforms. Five-card draw, Caribbean stud poker, video poker, triple draw, and Razz are all versions that can be explored at these operators. However, it is the technological potential to export the game and experience further that could propel poker above online slots games.

Physical meets Digital

For poker enthusiasts, the world of poker could look vastly different in the coming years. The power of digital devices has improved to match the strides made in streaming, which results in the overall improvement of online play, and across the full range of digital devices with mobile gaming especially proving popular. However, the topic of virtual reality is the real ace up the sleeve for poker. Live casino play has given poker players a glimpse into what is possible when the physical world meets the online world. And virtual (VR) and augmented (AR) reality are set to add an element of realism that can further boost the reputation of the game and its standing in the casino floor hierarchy.

Other games will of course benefit from the technological advances as well, but with the many varieties of poker and their individual intricacies on offer to appeal to the full demographic of poker player, there is reason to believe that poker will extend its influence with the help of technology such as VR and AR.Poker is already steeped in centuries of history and it will look to extend that for another century at least.