Virtual reality has long been a popular topic associated with many modern technologies. However, its practical applications are still fairly limited and are most often related to educational projects or video games. The gambling industry has not fallen behind in this area either—specific websites have been created that simulate a virtual casino environment. The first such online platforms became accessible as early as 2017. Unfortunately, many of them still do not offer roulette, dice, or a large portion of other games. These can always be played on traditional platforms, such as NVCasino.
Of course, rapid development of VR in the gambling industry is expected in the future, as many well-known companies are investing in it. For example, Meta is putting significant effort into creating a virtual poker platform.
Reasons for Popularity
The main advantage of VR is its immersive environment. There is no need to look at a flat screen or move a mouse to turn around. Visuals are presented in three dimensions, and the user is fully isolated from surrounding objects. However, expectations created by futuristic visions may remain unfulfilled. VR is not a magical way to fully embody another world—its visuals reflect current computer graphics capabilities, and many non-visual aspects are not recreated at all.
Still, a three-dimensional environment in which you can turn your head and look in different directions provides a greater sense of realism. Thus, VR casinos theoretically offer an experience very close to that of a physical casino, while being easily accessible at any time. Sometimes virtual reality is even presented as an ideal way to prepare for specific actions in real casinos, such as card counting in blackjack.
Existing Drawbacks
Futurists and science fiction writers often depict VR as an environment where one can fully immerse themselves and forget about the existence of reality. As mentioned, such possibilities do not yet exist—current virtual reality is merely an enhanced visual interface. Nevertheless, this technology is quite popular: around 180 million people worldwide use VR, and about 70% of them do so for gaming purposes.
Specialized Equipment
The key advantage of traditional games and online casinos is accessibility. A computer and an internet connection are integral parts of everyday life for many people. To try a virtual casino, however, you need VR headsets. Their prices have dropped significantly in recent years and no longer reach thousands of euros. Oculus-branded headsets can be purchased for a few hundred euros, and with some searching on online marketplaces, cheaper options costing only €20–30 can be found. Theoretically, they can be connected to a mobile phone.
Still, this equipment must be purchased in advance, and it cannot be conveniently used while traveling by train or sitting in a boring meeting. These factors significantly reduce the accessibility of VR casinos.
Current Entertainment Offer
Many online casino websites stand out for their extremely large game selections. Often, there are more than 10,000 slot machines alone. Virtual reality is a new technology, and each game must be adapted individually. As a result, some VR casinos currently offer fewer than 50 slot machines, while other entertainment options are limited to card games such as poker or blackjack. In more advanced VR casino projects, the option to place bets at a roulette table has recently appeared.
At present, the market offers:
- several dozen slot machines,
- roulette,
- poker,
- blackjack,
- dice games.
Naturally, attracting more players should lead to faster expansion of the game selection in the future.
Realism
After practically testing several VR casino websites, it is clear that they still fall far short of environments resembling real-world casinos. Players and dealers are represented by computer-generated avatars that resemble outdated digital characters rather than real people. Slot machines feel more like a simulation within a simulation than a Las Vegas–level experience. In many cases, players must repeatedly poke at virtual buttons with a finger to activate different options. At the bottom of the screen, various reminders often appear in the form of tablet-like interfaces. This approach is easier to implement, but it certainly does not add realism or enhance player immersion.
Legal Aspects
VR casinos are a relatively new field and are not clearly defined in legislation. Some experts argue that such casinos are essentially a subtype of remote gambling and therefore do not require specific laws. In Lithuania, many restrictions apply to alcohol and gambling advertising. As a result, VR environments could potentially be seen as overly promoting these aspects, since virtual bars are often present.
In 2022, the virtual reality casino Slotie, founded in the United States, faced accusations from law enforcement. Although these were mainly related to NFT distribution, there were also allegations of illegal player involvement in virtual gambling. A positive aspect is that in none of these cases were the visitors of such websites accused or penalized. Therefore, these platforms can at least be safely tried out to form a personal, experience-based opinion.
Comparison Criteria
| Criterion | Virtual Reality | Augmented Reality |
| Environment simulation | Full | Partial |
| General usage | Separate online platforms | Usually individual games |
| Additional equipment | Specialized VR headsets | Simpler smart glasses are sufficient |
Future Predictions
The VR gaming-oriented market is constantly growing. VR headset technology is improving and becoming more affordable, while the visuals being created are increasingly realistic. In the future, this field may achieve its goals and create convincing illusions without issues such as loss of balance or nausea.
However, virtual reality remains a technology of the future in many respects. Its experiments in the gambling industry can be fun and entertaining, but at present they certainly do not match real casinos and the experiences they offer. This is also reflected in the popularity of VR casinos. It is said that over the past few years, traffic to such websites has more than doubled. But when looking at absolute numbers rather than percentages, they still attract significantly fewer visitors than traditional online casinos.
Thus, it cannot be said that the popularity of VR casinos is declining or that interest in them is fading. On the contrary, the peak of this technology’s appeal lies ahead, depending on further technological advancements and an expanded range of entertainment options.
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