As technology advances, there have been major innovations in the iGaming industry. Both online casino and online sports betting operators are now turning to look at more creative ways to engage users. Trends are changing, demands are growing and the focus is on a more interactive gaming experience. To give you a bit of insight into what’s happening in the industry, specifically from a sports betting view, we explore the latest trends in 2017.
With a focus on eSports, the niche rapidly grew in popularity in 2017 with a boom of new players joining in on the action. The game Starcraft is said to have started it all before other games came to the fore including Starcraft II, Counter Strike Global Offensive, League of Legends, and Dota II. One reason that led to the popularity of eSports is that it started at the top when in terms of prize pools with a recent record set in Dota II standing in at $20 million. The other reason is that this niche allows for multiple players to compete, adding a more social experience of how gameplay works. To give you a good indication of the key factors driving the entire industry, aim to know the ins and outs of bookmaking at this website.
Moreover, the rise of Bitcoin is another major highlight of 2017 thus far within the sports betting vertical. Most sportsbooks that previously accepted payment in conventional currencies have moved on to accepting cryptocurrency payments largely owing to the unprecedented rise of the value of Bitcoin. Bitcoin continues to break record after record and has marked a new high at $9,200 in late October 2017. The increase in Bitcoin betting, along with the fact that it helps player anonymity, protects sportsbooks from fraud, devaluation and it is resistant to certain market shocks.
Furthermore, on a global scale, there’s a move towards balancing regulations within the online sports betting industry. We can attribute new innovations coming into play based on access to wider territories and markets. The majority of countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa now allow and regulate online sports betting while a select few US states also now permit online gambling. Additionally, tax levels seemed to have eased out, thus encouraging the emergence of more online sportsbooks.
Mobile sports betting continues to exert its influence with new mobile payment solutions. With added mobile options available, players have the convenience of performing more desktop functions such as signing up, access to in-depth sports gambling news and tips, depositing, playing games and withdrawing cash.
Live streaming on the other hand brings the possibility for players to watch videos without leaving the site, thus encouraging in-play sports betting. Though, there are still some obstacles such as broadcasts locked into certain networks. Many industry professionals do anticipate even more innovations in this department, perhaps by 2018.
