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| Image credits: unsplash.com |
The iGaming industry is huge. In 2024, it is expected that gamers will spend over $100 billion around the world on casino games, sports betting, poker, and other forms of remote betting. This sector has come a long way in a relatively short period of time, as the entire industry didn’t even exist 30 years ago.
In countries around the world, particularly the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and continental Europe, the iGaming industry is booming. Much of this success is the result of clever implementation of technology, embracing innovations early to help offer new and exciting ways for players to enjoy their favourite games.
Here are some of the top ways that the iGaming industry uses technology to do this.
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HTML5
HTML, short for HyperText Markup Language, is the code that builds the skeleton of webpages. It uses tags to define elements like headings, paragraphs, and links. Think of it as a recipe that tells a web browser how to display the content and structure of a webpage.
Like most technologies, it has evolved over the years, and is now on version 5. This update introduced several new features over its predecessor, including allowing interactive elements to be coded natively without the need for a third-party plugin like Flash or Silverlight.
HTML5 also provides performance benefits over the old Flash versions of casino games, with shorter loading times, better stability, and more flexibility. It also makes the development of new games quicker and easier, allowing casinos to offer a much broader mix of games to play.
All together, this has allowed brands like PokerStars Casino to offer a huge variety of different slot and table games, including their own exclusives like Trigger Happy and Golden Leprechaun Book of Luck. This variety and vast quantity, which can often run into thousands of different titles, provides a more customised and tailored experience for players by appealing to their own unique tastes.
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Random Number Generators
Random number generators (RNGs) are tools that produce unpredictable numbers. There are two main types: pseudo-random and true random. Pseudo-random generators (PRNGs) use complex math to create numbers that seem random, often used in non-casino games and simulations.
True random generators (TRNGs) rely on physical elements like air pressure or light to create genuine randomness. This is important for applications like cryptography, cyber security, and cryptocurrencies.
They’re also critical for the iGaming industry to ensure that games are truly fair. RNGs used for casino games are the digital equivalent to a dealer shuffling cards or rolling a dice; the outcome cannot be predicted by an algorithm, creating the excitement and jeopardy that makes casino games so popular.
RNGs are so important for iGaming that regulators and third-party organisations will usually audit the randomness that they create to ensure that they are fit for purpose.
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| Image credits: unsplash.com |
Encryption
A fun iGaming experience is one that is secure. There are many elements to this, because one of the biggest defences against cyber security threats for online casinos and other betting brands is encryption.
Since players are going to be depositing their bankrolls into an iGaming account and will be sharing key personal data to verify they are eligible to play, companies need to keep these details safe.
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Encryption prevents data from being read by anyone who isn’t supposed to see it, even if they do get their hands on it. The most common implementation is SSL.
SSL encryption scrambles data like a secret code between your browser (or iGaming app) and the operator. It uses two special keys: a public key for the website and a private key for your browser. This creates a secure tunnel to send information through.
The operator verifies its identity with a security certificate, like a digital passport. This double layer ensures your data stays confidential and you're talking to the real website, not an imposter.
Using encryption this way, players can securely sign in to their casino account with a password without a third party being able to read that password and then use it themselves to impersonate the player.
