You put on a headset and are immediately transported to a bright and flashy world. This world looks very much like the most famous of Las Vegas casinos—the dealers in their pressed uniforms are tossing cards and dice expertly onto felted tables, the players are studying their chips, and the waiters are serving their drinks. Now, imagine that this world is virtual. Everyone and everything you see is an avatar, including you, because you are still inside your home. This is the promise of VR betting.
In recent years, operators like Betway have toyed with VR casinos as a new way to bet online and enjoy the full casino experience. How far are we from this reality? What would a virtual casino look like? How would you place a sports bet in a virtual casino? Let’s find out.
What are VR and AR sports betting?
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are technologies that simulate the natural world. VR creates computer-generated objects and scenes, using 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to make them seem real. AR, on the other hand, overlays digital elements onto your natural world.
How do they relate to betting? Developers use VR and AR to create immersive betting experiences. VR allows you to step into a virtual casino much like the one described above and “experience” betting tables, dealers, leaderboards, and other bettors. AR, meanwhile, delivers live stats and real-time data to your screen during live games, so you can place your bets without exiting your current screen.
Are VR and AR gambling a new invention?
Far from it. While virtual betting is a relatively recent innovation, people have been playing virtual online games for decades. The first VR-like invention was the Sensorama, designed by Morton Heilig in the 1960s. It was a box-like booth that required you to literally immerse your head inside a void, from where you could see images and hear sounds during a game. Several decades later, in the 2010s, the first VR headsets marketed to the public, like the Oculus Rift, became a reality.
Where is VR/AR betting today?
Because the idea to combine VR and AR technology with sports betting is fairly new, we’re not very far development-wise. But that’s not to say we haven’t made meaningful strides.
In 2016, Pokémon GO became the first game to use AR to turn real-world locations into gaming environments. Since then, there have been several big leaps towards virtual betting, powered by technological breakthroughs like 5G internet, GPU tech, and cloud computing.
In 2021, ESPN launched the world’s first AR-enhanced sports broadcasts. Entain followed with AR-overlayed betting lines that display odds, stats, and game data over live games in real-time.
After that, SB22 launched the VR22 betting platform. Here, you can stream your favorite sports live through a headset and enjoy interactive betting in a virtual arena. Other places you can enjoy similar sports betting experiences include DraftKings, where the fantasy sports drafts feature AR elements, and top operators like Betway, who are experimenting with immersive betting.
How far is the future of VR and AR sports betting?
Although the path to virtual betting is still paved with challenges, developers are making meaningful strides. VR headsets are becoming lighter and more accessible by the day, and innovations like 5G internet are making powering virtual casinos more possible. If the regulatory landscape holds, we shouldn’t be too far from the first fully virtual sportsbooks and online casinos.
