• Going Live: The Next Big Thing

    How to keep live dealer gaming growing

  • iGaming Business February 2017

    With no end in sight to the growth of live dealer online gaming, Kelvin Chiu, Sales Director at Asia Gaming, looks at the outlook for the sector in 2017 and examines why this hybrid of online and traditional play is proving such a huge hit.

    iGaming Business February 2017

    With no end in sight to the growth of live dealer online gaming, Kelvin Chiu, Sales Director at Asia Gaming, looks at the outlook for the sector in 2017 and examines why this hybrid of online and traditional play is proving such a huge hit.

    The growth of live dealer gaming kicked off as an Asia-Pacific phenomenon, but it has been growing beyond this region for some time, and we expect the global trend to really take off in 2017. We are committing to ICE in a big way this year because we want to showcase the best live dealer platform in the industry to European operators.

    Live dealer gaming works because, no matter how exciting an online casino might be, there is nothing that can replicate the genuine thrill of playing and winning on a real gaming floor. Our founders were quick to identify the potential of games such as Baccarat, Dragon Tiger, Roulette and Sic Bo.

    We see our platform as a conduit between the online and offline worlds, combining the thrill of the gaming floor with the convenience of internet play. This is why we see 2017 as a key year for growth of the Asia Gaming platform as a ready-made live gaming solution for partner brands.

    Young people in particular are attracted to the live dealer online model as, having grown up with video games, they see it as a novelty to play real games on their mobiles and tablets. They also see land-based casinos as a social and leisure destination, so the ability to replicate that experience online really appeals to them.

    Live dealer players want to interact with the dealer and feel they are part of the game, while also having the ability to play, hold and even change games with a single click. It’s a more interactive environment, with all the advantages of online play, and it’s set to become increasingly mainstream.

    The challenge for live casino developers, such as Asia Gaming, is to differentiate your brand and products. Currently, the sector is nowhere near as crowded as RNG-based online casinos, but growth is accelerating and the providers who dominate the market over the next few years will be those who combine the best traditional games with the most innovative new products.

    You also need to deliver a great visual experience to enhance the gameplay environment and keep the players’ attention. It’s just not about a camera showing a gaming table. Players want a good quality picture, ambient lighting, personalised settings and real-time data so that they can optimise their live dealer casino experience to suit their own tastes.

    Future developments in the sector are likely to include an even more ‘real’ playing environment for live dealer games, with the potential for a 360° experience and even virtual reality play. We will also see increasing integration between live dealer games and other platforms, such as betting and bingo.

    In the short term, we are forecasting greater choice for live dealer casino fans, along with enhanced social integration and more multi-platform play. This will help to introduce the concept to new markets and audiences, and we see massive potential in Europe for a high quality live dealer platform, both under our own brand and as a supplier to other online gaming companies.

    Online players are looking for the best playing experience and the most enjoyable games, combined with a fast, reliable and seamless back end. They also want to replicate that experience across multiple platforms and media. An opportunity also exists to build relationships with the customer that would never be possible in other online gaming formats.

    Original Article