Whether you know it or not, AI is already being used extensively in the online casino industry. It isn’t quite having the same impact that AI is having on other industries, but it is there. We genuinely believe that there is space for AI to grow further in the online casino industry too.
On this page, we want to look at the areas where AI is currently being used in the casino business. At the same time, we want to highlight how these systems may expand.
The Current Extent of AI in the Casino Business
If you visit South African casinos, or at least the legitimate ones, AI is often at play in the background typically being used to tailor algorithms towards the user’s preference. The online casino business hasn’t quite fully embraced AI tech yet, as many licensing requirements require there to be a human touch to development, analysis, and support. However, we are starting to see online casinos incorporate AI in a variety of different ways, particularly in areas where processes can be automated to save time, or where online casinos can try to get a bit more money from their players.
As you’ll see throughout this page, there are areas where we fully expect AI to grow in the casino business over the next few years.
True Randomization
- We know that it is almost impossible to get true randomization. However, some game developers are starting to use AI to try and get closer to the idea. This means that AI is being used in two ways:
– Refining the randomization algorithms.
– Analyzing outcomes on games, which will identify any potential issues.
The hope is that by incorporating AI into data analysis, games can become a little bit “fairer”, and if they are not currently working how they should, AI can be used to provide suggestions as to how the game should work.
This is something that will end up benefiting the players if incorporated correctly. However, online casinos will likely end up benefiting too, as more players will want to play games that are deemed to be properly fair.
More Casino Personalization for Players
This is an area where we reckon that AI will be used heavily. Online casinos, just like every other business, rely on their regular customers. It is easier to keep a player on a website than it is to gain a new player. This means that sites will benefit from tailoring the website to the player to maximize user retention.
For example, AI can be used to learn how players gamble. It can learn which games they enjoy, which ones they steer clear of, etc. AI can then be used to provide recommendations for players.
One area where we don’t think AI will be used is through the manipulation of game odds to suit players. Licensing restrictions forbid this. For example, a game cannot have different odds between players. At least, not based on our reading of the law.
More Automated Processes
Online casinos spend a lot of time ensuring that they know their players i.e. they collect and verify documents for all the players that use their systems. This is a legal requirement, as it helps to cut down on money laundering. It also drastically lowers the risk of problem gamblers being able to gamble when they shouldn’t.
We expect that the vast majority of Know Your Customer (KYC) processes will be automated. This can save online casinos time and money. It also means that the player can jump into games far more quickly.
We might also see some of the withdrawal processes become more automated, although, to be fair, most of these are fully automated already. Only a small fraction of them will be manually checked.
Identifying Problem Gamblers
Online casinos are using AI to keep an eye on the gambling habits of their players. We know that some online casinos in South Africa are utilizing AI to work out who may potentially have a gambling problem. This issue can then be rectified.
Remember – licensing restrictions mean that online casinos always need to identify problem gamblers and provide them with the help they need. In many countries, online casinos can be heavily fined if they do not do this.
At the moment, there is still a heavy human element involved in identifying problem gamblers, but we expect the reliance on AI to grow within the coming years.
Validating Player Identities
This is slightly different to the KYC identity verification.
Online casino accounts, since they are often full of money, are prime real estate for hackers. You’ll be surprised at how many people get their accounts hacked.
For this reason, many online casinos are turning toward AI to monitor their customers. Their AI tech knows whether players are acting in a slightly different way from the norm. AI can even lock players out of their accounts if the AI believes the account has been hacked. Think of this as a more sophisticated version of the account locking on your social media account.
AI is likely to make online casinos a lot more secure. Both the player and the online casino will be protected.
Customer Support
AI customer support, at the moment, is terrible. However, it is improving day to day. One of the biggest expenditures for online casinos will be their staffing. We are starting to see many online casinos use automated AI chatbots for some of the smaller problems customers have at online casinos. Expect this to continue, especially as AI tech improves.
Online casinos will use AI to reduce customer support staffing while allowing their remaining customer support team to focus on the more complicated problems their customers have.
The Future of AI In the Online Casino Business
This is just a small snippet of how we believe there is space for AI to grow further in the online casino industry. We expect there to be even more areas where AI can be used, for example building the “perfect” game for gamblers, based on the features, RTP, payout rates, that players love the most, etc. It is now a very, very exciting time to be part of the casino industry. We can’t wait to see what AI keeps bringing to the table.
