How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping the Future of Gaming

Anyone who suggests that artificial intelligence is taking over the world is speaking the truth. Even though it may sound hyperbolic, AI will have some say in nearly every sphere of our lives in the next five to ten years.

When people think about artificial intelligence and what it can do for various industries, the online gambling sector rarely comes to mind. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, so do its possibilities with respect to gaming.

Below are some ways that AI is shaping the future of gaming and gambling.

AI Can Read Thoughts

When the news came through that an IBM Deep Blue computer had beaten a chess master, Garry Kasparov, most people did not bat an eye. The idea of computers being superior intellectually to humans does not seem surprising, as computers have nearly unlimited processing capability.

Other such events have occurred, with Google’s AlphaGo computer beating Lee Sedol, while Libratus has defeated many of the world’s top-rated poker players with ease.

The idea of a computer winning at online gaming or gambling is not that surprising on the surface. People count cards when they have the chance, and a computer can do that better than any person.

What is most remarkable is that Libratus defeated top-rated poker champions not by counting cards, but by reading people’s faces and understanding their weaknesses in the game.

When such AI evolves even more, what are the ways that it could reshape the online gambling industry?

Catching Gambling Addicts

The growth in AI over the past few years has been remarkable to witness, while the popularity of online gambling has continued to rise. With these two niches heading in similar trajectories, a merging is inevitable.

One of the ways that gambling businesses are looking to leverage AI is through the tracking of gambling addicts. Catching an addict at a physical casino is very easy, as there are people watching the different cameras placed throughout those facilities.

When people bet online, catching addicts is a serious challenge. Even though there is a misconception that casinos want addicts to gamble at their facilities, most casinos and online casinos will say that gambling addicts are bad for business.

Thanks to AI, online casinos can now identify problematic behavior by players. The AI can begin to recognize that addicts behave with a specific pattern. When they understand those patterns, the AI can intervene quickly to ensure that person does not gamble away too much of their money.

Leveraging Smart Data

Online casinos are far from the only business sector that looks to leverage smart data. These sites can gather a lot of information about their users, including the games they enjoy playing, how often they play, the bets they make, and when they have their longest gaming sessions.

Leveraging such information to deliver targeted promotions and discounts to their users can help online casinos immensely. They would then have the tools to create the targeted coupons, site-wide discounts, and other perks for each user on their platform.

Delivering Flawless Customer Service

One of the real ways that AI is changing business is through improvements in customer service. Online gambling casinos are taking advantage of this as well.

When you go to an online casino, you often see a little chat box appear in the bottom right or left corner. You can click on that box and start a chat with the AI helper. They can answer most of your questions, while connecting you to a human representative if you need further help.

As AI continues to improve, online casinos believe the customer service they can offer to their clients will only improve as well. They can soon interpret the issues a customer is facing as soon as that person starts a chat with the AI.

Better Sports Odds

If you ever watch a game of soccer, American football or basketball, you can see how many stats are analyzed throughout the contests. With so much information available, online sports books can leverage AI to make sense of the data in real time.

By analyzing the data for the present game and looking at historical outcomes, the AI could better predict the likelihood of a game finishing a specific way at that stage of the contest.

Such predictions would allow the online sports book to dynamically adjust its odds for various events related to that game as the match unfolds. Such changes in the odds would give opportunities to betters, but would also mean the sports book is offering the best possible odds from its perspective.

Reaching a Younger Audience

When most people think about gambling, both in person and online, they imagine an older crowd. That may be true, but online casinos are making several moves to try and win over a younger audience.

Using AI may be one way to make that happen. With AI driven VR, young people who have the relevant hardware could have extremely realistic and unique digital experiences when attending online casinos.

If an online casino or sportsbook wants to lure Millennials and Generation Z clients in the coming years, leveraging AI may be their best way of achieving their goals.

Bet Safely to Make Money

The future of online gambling is very interesting, especially considering the way artificial intelligence is gaining traction in nearly every sector. Online casinos are already leveraging AI to identify and help gambling addicts, dynamically adjust sports odds and deliver the very best customer service to their clients.