As developments across the gaming industry become apparent, the iGaming industry often benefits the most.

Whether this is because the industry is able to experiment with new tech without having to spend massive amounts of money on ensuring people engage with it, or whether fans of iGaming are more likely to adopt new technologies, the industry is able to take risks where conventional gaming can’t. But what upcoming trends are we expecting to see dominate iGaming throughout 2020?

Online Casino Game Universes

One of the biggest trends in conventional gaming is using updates to enhance the current game. Fans become sucked into the gameplay of one of the game titles – such as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, or Pokémon – and have updates and further worlds to explore in the same universe. Developers use the DLC (downloadable content) model to create more experiences for gamers.

Imagine this in the form of online casino. A game created by Playtech, Kingdoms Rise, features several games, with the possibility of spending coins won in one of the games across every game in the franchise. This sprawling world is reminiscent of the engrossing game franchises that span countless titles and expansion packs: for example, Nintendo added an expansion pack to the latest generation of Pokémon games (Sword and Shield). It’s clear that gaming is heading in this direction and that iGaming is with the leading packs.

Slots Based on Franchises

One of the most popular themes for slot games is taking a successful franchise and adding a new way for fans to engage with it. This can be done to tie into an upcoming release, to help keep a franchise alive long after it is off the radar, or it can help fans indulge in some nostalgia about the franchise. This helps give some cohesion between one aspect of entertainment and another.

You can demo casino games in calendar format on online casino sites, including a slot game themed around Friends, one themed around Downton Abbey, and one around Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Friends game works on a nostalgic level, Downton Abbey helps tie into the recent film, while Star Trek helps promote the continuing saga in the main franchise. Playing a game based around something they are familiar with can help those new to online casino test the waters.

Blockchain Casinos

We have already seen online casinos use blockchain cryptocurrency – most notably Bitcoin – successfully, which will likely lead to further uptake of alternative methods of payment. Cryptocurrency is also set to undertake some changes in 2020 as more people are moving towards e-wallets. To use e-wallets in conjunction with online casino shows how they might work in other formats, including for e-retail.

For the cryptocurrency industry, online casino is acting as a test subject to see how people interact with the tech. As more tech-savvy people tend to play online casino, it can help show just how the industry can benefit. With partnerships with major banks on the card for Ripple and Ethereum, blockchain is becoming something that is hard to ignore.

2020 will be a telling year for iGaming as it continues adopting technologies that have succeeded elsewhere. These include creating types of casino game to create an overarching story, slot games based around popular franchises to keep the franchise alive in another format, and casinos adding more uses for blockchain cryptocurrency.