What's Next for iGaming in 2024? Trends and Predictions

iGaming comprises all online gaming, including casino games, poker, and sports betting. In 2023, the industry was worth approximately $63.53 billion and is expected to reach nearly $200 billion in the next ten years. As the market grows, iGaming constantly evolves to suit the players' preferences, current trends, technologies, and regulations. 

To look into 2024 iGaming trends, we must understand what happened in 2023. As many of you have seen, there was a rapid advancement of AI, not just in gaming but in several industries. AI has been lurking in game technology in 2023, but mostly in the customer service sector of gaming. With AI, the traditional chatbots have been replaced by chatbots powered by AI that can understand players' needs in a new, more advanced way and give personalized answers. Furthermore, we saw the beginning of virtual reality in games, which we predict will grow even further this year. 

Next, we will dive into the trends and predictions for 2024. What's new, and what will evolve this year? Of course, the advancement of technology has a big part in the evolution of gaming, but several other factors will significantly impact 2024 iGaming. Now, let's discuss trends and predictions for this year!

More Strict Regulations and Responsible Gaming

With iGaming being a huge business with lots of money attached to it, there are, of course, a lot of regulations for iGaming. Companies in this industry must act responsibly and follow strict rules and regulations to protect players.  In 2024, we will see them having more responsibilities and duties regarding data protection, licensing, and responsible gaming as many jurisdictions are implementing stricter regulations and legislation. Furthermore, gaming companies must be prepared to have greater legal and social responsibility for responsible gaming. 

AR and AI

AR (Augmented reality) and AI (Artificial intelligence) in games enable players to interact and engage with gaming elements, such as realistic avatars and other interactive features. This creates dynamic gameplay and a more life-like and personalized experience. This could already be seen in 2023 when Raw iGaming introduced Raw Vibe, the first AI-powered virtual intelligent behavior engine, which debuted in their slot Twisted Toy Tales. With rapid advancements, AI will evolve and revolutionize the gaming industry even more in 2024, enchanting players' gaming experience.

Another factor where AI plays an important role going into 2024 is that AI-powered tools can start identifying players with gambling problems and alert behaviors, making it a great add for working with responsible gaming.

There is also an expectation for the growth of social VR casinos where there is potential for social interaction and shared experiences with other players. Using VR devices such as headsets and handheld controllers, the players can fully immerse themselves in a virtual casino setting and interact with the game using this technology. 

Social iGaming 

We can already see strong gaming communities among players. For example, streamers on platforms like Twitch and YouTube have built up gaming communities, creating a social aspect of gaming. We predict this will keep on growing in 2024. There was even a game created, Aztec Clusters, by BGaming in collaboration with Casinolytics, where they analyzed streamers and used mechanics and features the streamers and their community liked. On top of that, games will be more social this year as more social iGaming elements will be introduced and evolve, like live chat and leaderboards. A big part of that is the development of AI and VR. Another thing is the rise of social casino games that are coming up where interaction with other players is available.

Mobile Gaming Continues to Grow

Nowadays, looking at the gaming industry, 52% of users play on their mobile. In 2027, it is expected that 54% will be playing on their mobile. As we can see, mobile gaming is not slowing down, and the 5G network, soon expected to reach significant parts of the world, will boost the player's casino experience with faster loading times and smoother gameplay with the ability to take full advantage of games with high-quality graphics. 

Conclusion

The gaming industry continues to evolve yearly, and 2024 is an exciting year with a focus on AI and AR, more complex regulations, and an emphasis on responsible gaming. By companies listening to players and adapting to trends, the gaming industry keeps growing, and it has no plans to slow down. We hope you enjoyed reading. Look out for more news about iGaming this year!