Embracing new technology

Many industries are rapidly changing because of new technology, including machine learning and artificial intelligence.

The gambling sector has long been quick to embrace new technology. With the advent of the mainstream internet, it did not take long for the first online gambling platforms to get up and running. When smartphones became popular, it did not take long for mobile casino apps to be released.

Several applications of machine learning and AI will probably find uses in the gambling sector in the near future. These applications will make operations more efficient, help identify problem gamblers, prevent nefarious or underage individuals using gambling facilities, and much more.

Stopping underage gambling

In most areas of the world, you need to be at least 18 or 21 years old to gamble. However, countless underage people gamble every day because it is difficult to identify every single one.

Statistics show that problem gambling is on the rise in young people. Their brains are still developing and they are constantly facing pro-gambling messages through advertising. It is also very easy to access gambling offerings in this day and age. Therefore, regular gambling is becoming normalized in the minds of many young people.

Machine learning can help spot underage people who are trying to gamble. These young people will usually have a tiny data footprint that can trigger an alert when one of them tries to use a gambling platform.

Their behavior can also be monitored, which is a key way to spot underage gamblers. It is common for an underage person to use the ID of a parent or other family member to sign up for a platform. However, new tools can monitor this behavior of this user and flag the account if the activity does not match the age profile of the user. This will lead the operator to request further verification checks from this user account they can continue gambling.

Identification of problem gambling

Many vulnerable people are gambling their lives away without anyone noticing. While identification methods are getting better, most of the emphasis is still on having the person realize they have a problem and putting their name on a self-exclusion list.

New technology can identify users who may have a problem with gambling. Operators can use trended data models to ensure that players are able to afford to gamble regularly. There has been talk in Japan of implementing facial recognition technology at physical gambling institutions to help spot anyone on the problem gambler database.

Casinos in British Columbia are considering pairing their loyalty programs with an artificial intelligence algorithm to spot signs of problem gambling. If there are warning signs, marketing messages and communications to this person will stop.

Operators profiting from AI

Some operators are looking to use AI to increase their bottom lines. They will use this technology to attract and keep customers loyal to their platform. These platforms can use your data as soon as you confirm you accept their terms and conditions.

The operator can then completely personalize the experience for individual users based on the customer profile the data generates. They will be subject to individualized offers and advertisements.

Las Vegas casinos embracing technology

Caesars Entertainment is teaming up with the University of Las Vegas (UNLV) on an innovative hub for gaming technology. This hub will be on the UNLV campus. It will have a mock resort casino that contains a casino, esports area, sportsbook, hotel rooms, and a virtual reality space.

They will be looking at ways to use emerging technology to make casino offerings more effective and efficient. New strategies can be compared with existing processes thanks to the partnership with Caesars.

MGM Resorts has spoken about potentially replacing some of their workforce with robots, which would considerably cut costs in some of their Las Vegas properties.

The main jobs initially that will be replaceable in this fashion will be cashier and bartenders. Robots have been developed that can mix drinks. The wait staff would have portable payment technology to eliminate the need to have a cashier.

Many industries are already replacing employees with technology. McDonald’s is implementing self-ordering facilities in many of their restaurants, which helps to reduce staff costs.

According to a McKinsey and Company report, by 2030 there could be as many as 800 million jobs replaced by robots. This means that workers will have to learn new trades and skills.