The world of online casino betting is constantly evolving behind the scenes as technology swiftly improves. The more it does, the more that creative expression through innovation advances.

It’s already evident through the growth of areas such as dedicated mobile casino apps and the development of live casinos. The start of a new year is always a time that ramps up the interest in new possibilities.

So, what could be the next biggest online casino trends in 2023?

More live dealer games

The streaming quality of live dealer games has gone through the roof since this form of online casino betting was introduced. The first live dealer games were available even before the turn of the new century.

However, it did take a bit of time for them to gain traction. Much lower internet speeds and limited computer processing power were big teething troubles. Now, things are very different thanks to better motherboard chipsets, processors and graphics cards, alongside vastly improved internet speeds.

Now it’s a matter of dipping into your pocket, pulling out a smartphone and having a blazing 5G connection at your disposal for fast, uninterrupted play, but there is a bigger picture as well. Live dealer games also replace a good chunk of the random number generated games that users play.

Live dealers put a bit of the human touch back into online gambling. So, one casino trend for 2023 is likely to be a further expansion of this popular platform that gives bettors a more personal experience.

Growth of slots

A wider variety of slot game options is a fairly obvious trend to expect in 2023. Slots are hugely popular because of how easy they are to play. It’s also easy and often lucrative for casinos to dole out offers of free spins in the hope that players will stick around and continue to play using real money long after the bonuses have been used up.

So, slots need to evolve as well. This could involve changing up factors such as max potential wins and pay lines, and also picking the right themes. A list of the top 10 online slots from as little as five years ago, is not likely to bear much resemblance to the top-ranking games of this year.

Branding from current pop culture is often used to increase the appeal of slots games. It’s why games based on TV shows such as the Walking Dead are around. Ancient Egyptian-themed slots remain highly popular, alongside the traditional fruit-themed games and highly rated Age of the Gods series.

Think of how far slots have come already from basic 3×3 grids to feature massive pay lines through jackpot games and Megaways. There has to be a new evolution because the bigger and better the game, the more people will want it.

The metaverse

The development of virtual world platforms, such as the metaverse, are going to give online casinos a potentially big new area of real estate. The development of casino games to legally operate within such environments could be tricky, however.

Real money gambling needs to be fully licensed, regulated and monitored. But to build brand and trust as feeders to their real-world products, casinos could offer free casino games in virtual worlds. Look for some development in this area during 2023.

Virtual reality platforms

Virtual reality potentially has a place for online casinos. Imagine slipping on a headset and stepping right into a casino. You could sit virtually at the blackjack table with a live dealer and other real-life players in the same space.

Another branch of the same tree is augmented reality casino experiences. Players could have elements from casino games pop up in front of them on their coffee table for example. Features like AR and VR would be absolutely huge commercial goldmines for operators — they would be a customer magnet.

The decline of crypto

Crypto probably isn’t going to go away completely, but the use of it at casinos is likely to decline during 2023. The huge FTX drama in late 2022 is likely only to trigger skepticism and concern over crypto.

The collapse of the massive exchange was a big wake-up call for the industry. Crypto firms are now on high alert for risk management. The everyday bettor is probably going to feel a lot safer using more traditional methods, such as banking and debit cards.

In conclusion

Sometimes, when you are deep into an experience, it is hard to see just where improvements will happen. However, with the integration of new features into casinos, even down to the types of promotions, payment processing or just how much faster live casino dealer games are to run, change is inevitably coming.