Virtual sports is one area of igaming that has completely reinvented itself over the past ten years, and it’s safe to bet that the most dramatic change in the sector is still ahead of us. Initially it had a very simple premise: to allow players to place bets during the lulls between live sports. Virtual sports never tired and never slept, the rounds came thick and fast every couple of minutes — and they still do. It’s a similar gaming experience to playing slots. Back in the day the virtual offering was limited to fast-paced events such as horse racing and greyhound racing, both of which were deemed ideal for the virtual arena.
VLADISLAVS HVECKOVICS is a gaming systems integrator, casino back-office software developer and the CIO and co-founder at SoftGamings. Founded in 2008, SoftGamings offers online casino platform solutions, including development of white label, turnkey and self-service casinos and advanced bonus and loyalty engines.
That need for a betting activity during the breaks between live sporting events is still there. Virtual sports does a good job converting active sportsbook players into ones who will happily place a quick bet or two on something else. However, the sector is rapidly expanding into more complex gameplay, with the aim of attracting players from traditionally distinct sectors such as table games and slots.
Most advanced virtual sports providers are moving away from showing stamp-sized, low-quality video clips of real events and into full-blown, HD-quality, professionally dubbed, 3D rendered sports. Given the current stage of development of video games graphics and the ubiquitous professional tools such as 3D engines and physics engines, the ability to show a completely rendered, live 3D event has become a reality.
Moreover, once you move the game into a rendered 3D environment, the possibilities become limitless. Operators can create leagues, championships and multi-player events that offer a lot of interactivity and a deeply engaging experience. The technology is definitely there, so the question is whether virtual sports can move from the niche to the mainstream and chase the slots and table game players.
Given that the game experience is already lightyears ahead of the products we saw just three or four years ago, we believe the chances of that are quite high. The popularity of mobile casual games providing quick on-demand gameplay also makes the mobile market an attractive proposition. We will most likely see virtual sports split into different genres, catering for different audiences: a simpler version of betting offering instant results with minimum choice for conservative players, and something more complex for the newer players.
Geographic differences should also be considered. First of all, player preferences differ a lot from country to country. With a talented development team, any sport can be turned into a quick and exciting virtual sports game. Historical preferences will make a difference as tastes vary depending on the territory: we see some new markets being much more perceptive to new igaming products because they do not yet have a particular preference towards something. Those markets therefore offer a strong first-mover advantage.
Today, even the concept of popular sports is shifting, with esports considered by many to be a proper sport discipline. There is a potential niche at the junction between esports and virtual sports. Virtual sports can also inherit a lot of game elements and dynamics from both real sports (with their myriad of in-play betting options) and slots, with their tournaments, promotions and bonus/jackpot games.
We feel that the virtual sports sector can become a much more important part of the igaming industry if it plays its cards right. SoftGamings will keep a close eye on developments in this area closely and recommends that operators do the same.
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