2024 has been ushered in with a bang, especially in the casino industry which is experiencing an era of unprecedented growth. The latest statistics show that the upsurge in online gaming, which was expected to wane as COVID restrictions allowed people to return to public and social life, is continuing. The industry today is valued at US$95.05bn by 2023 and will likely reach US$138.10bn by 2028.
This increase has given the industry the confidence to explore and expand new trends. From new types of games and features like progressive jackpot slots to new amenities for gamers, the developers, designers and operators are prepared to invest in creating a more engaging casino atmosphere for players worldwide.
These new 2024 trends include:
Crypto
Casinos were one of the first platforms to embrace crypto as a form of online payment and today. Online gamers are able to use crypto more easily and more safely than ever.
The online casino continues to ensure traditional ebank payment methods for their customers who prefer wire transfers, credit and debit card payment and withdrawals and use of evouchers and ewallets but for those who prefer the enhanced security protocols and easier withdrawals that cybercurrency offers, there are more and more options available at the online casino.
Online casinos are offering multiple cybercurrecy payment and withdrawal options and the number is expected to grow as the demand increases. The casinos also prefer crypto transfers and often extend valuable bonuses to their customers who use Bitcoin, or any other casino-supported cryptocurrency for their gambling transactions.
In the near future, casino players can anticipate additional support for different cryptocurrencies as well as more bonus gifts for crypto users.
Mobile
It was only a few short years ago that mobile gamers had to struggle to find mobile-supported games at the online casino. Today, almost all of the online casino’s games can be played on mobile, including old favorites like blackjack, poker and roulette.
The online casino recognizes that most gamers play on their mobile devices so they have begun to prioritize the creation of mobile-first games. That trend will continue in 2024 and more games in “light-mode”, which accommodates areas with low connectivity, will be introduced.
In conjunction with the expansion of mobile-enabled games, casinos have also started to experiment with casual and hyper-casual games that are short. Many players enjoy these games which have been developed for console and competitive gaming and casinos expect to add them to their games lobbies in the near future.
Social Gaming
Competitive gamers have been cheating their own communities for years and now casino players have begun to do the same for real money gaming networks. Gamblers often search for ways to connect to others who enjoy the same kinds of games that they do. Until recently, online players were limited to progressive jackpot games where gamers playing the same machine competed for the common progressive jackpot prize, to tournament games and to casinos that offered Live Dealer Casino opportunities.
Many online casinos are beginning to experiment with platforms where players can form relationships, chat and compete, all while playing their preferred games. Enhancing engagement on their platforms is a feature that operators should explore because, thanks to social media and competitive gaming streams, players are beginning to expect such engagement.
Social gaming elements to look for in 2024 include real-time chats, multi-player platforms, leaderboards, social sharing, virtual currencies, in-app purchases and virtual asset monetization - stick with Grande Vegas to get the latest trends.
Gamification
iGaming designers and developers are paying more attention to gamification in their games. These elements include features, mechanics and even non-game elements that the game incorporates to enhance player engagement and experience.
Once again, competitive gaming is leading the way in this movement. Competitive games have been prioritizing gamification elements for years and now, casino players expect that their games will feature such elements as well. Some of these gamification elements include levels, achievements, rewards, badges, in-game competitions, bonus rounds, leaderboards, challenges, quests, tournaments and more.
A free spins round is no longer enough to satisfy the expectation for gamification and casinos are setting out to meet this demand in 2024.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
The big news for 2024 is talk about the long-anticipated launch of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) casino games. The goal of including such elements in casino games is to draw in players from the competitive games sector who are accustomed to AR and VR games and who wish to gamble for real money prizes.
Gamers who look for AR and VR casino games want to enjoy a more immersive and state-of-the-art casino experience while competing for cash prizes for their wins. In addition, such features will enable gamers to purchase in-game assets so that they can create and sell such in-game items which competitive gamers can already do in many of today’s competitive games.
The new online casino trends of 2024 are expected to attract the attention of both new and veteran players who expect enhanced customer amenities on online casino platforms.
