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Predicting the Future of Gambling in 2023 – 7 Major Changes to Expect This Upcoming Year

Last Updated January 4, 2023 12:12 pm PST
Casino imagery, Sports imagery, dollars signs for future of gambling
  • 2022 was a major year for gambling, with record profits and a bigger swing to online sites.
  • In 2023, the changes in online gambling patterns are expected to be even more seismic.
  • This year could help shape the future of gambling in ways few can expect.

Around 85% of Americans have gambled at least once in their lives.

You might say it’s a national pastime, especially in major sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness.

It’s safe to say the future of online gambling is as secure as Fort Knox. More and more players are turning to online casinos, with gaming revenues growing exponentially.

But how many changes will we see to the current betting landscape in 2023? Here are seven factors that could play a part in how we bet.

1. Land-Based Casinos Will Begin to Dwindle Out

To even suggest that the ultimate death of the brick-and-mortar casino is on the cards is absurd. But in terms of longevity, many will be shutting up shop.

The future of gambling is, for the most part, an online thing. While annual or even frequent trips to places such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City are the highlight of some bettors’ years, land-based casinos are on their way out.

For many players, legalized gambling has only been achievable within the last few years.

Among the significant changes that are coming in gambling will be the lack of popularity of “in-person” casinos.

But with more and more bettors looking to gamble for real money online, local casinos will lose out. This is down to factors such as the convenience of online betting sites, welcome bonuses, and the opportunity to access games not available on the casino floor.

Expect one of the big gambling changes for 2023 to be a decline in patrons visiting these gaming houses.

The COVID-19 pandemic proved that players can get their kicks online. And this is only bad news to the casinos and sportsbooks who are looking to cover ever-increasing costs and overheads.

2. Virtual Reality Betting Will Grow in Popularity

To some, virtual reality (VR) is the future of the online gambling industry.

I am expecting to see some major contributions from VR teams in 2023, with the industry already providing gambling games for major developers. Naturally, a player must own or be in possession of a specialized headset to access these games. And this makes a radical overhaul unlikely.

Virtual reality will play a major role in shaping the future of gambling online.

With more players considering the benefits of gambling in the metaverse, expect the number of participants to rise in 2023.

You can expect the foundations for the future of online casinos using such technology to become more defined in 2023.

With over 170 million users of VR headsets around the world and a market size of over $13 billion, gambling via a headset is set to become even more popular. If want to learn more about metaverse gambling, check out the post below.

3. A Rise in Crypto Betting Sites Awaits

Cryptocurrencies suffered a battering in 2022, with the implosion of the FTX trading platform acting as the rotten cherry on a spoiled sundae.

But cryptos will certainly play a large role in the future of online gambling. Bitcoin, the world’s foremost cryptocurrency, is already accepted at the top online casinos.

With the likes of Ethereum, Tether, Dogecoin, Solana, and Cardano and popular deposit methods, expect more sites to turn to crypto players.

It’s not exactly a captive market, as proven by the fact that many casinos and sportsbooks are jumping through hoops to attract more and more players.

There will be an invariable rise in specialized crypto-betting sites in 2023. And you can expect that number to grow well into the decade.

According to some reports, approximately 74 million US residents use crypto when gambling. You can also count on that number rising steadily.

If you want to take a stab at what the next big crypto will be in the new year, check out our blog below.

4. Expect More Slots Jackpots and Games

Everyone loves slots. They certainly seem to be a major favorite of gamblers all over the world.

Naturally, this increased level of interest leads to more money to toy around with. Slots developers are outdoing each other to create the next great game, which is always good news for players.

Slots will play a huge role in the future of the gambling industry. But we can expect some major changes in 2023, especially where jackpot slots are concerned.

The concept of jackpot slot machines is hardly a new thing. They have been around, in various iterations, for decades. But the ones that are on the horizon look to change the future of the online gambling industry.

In 2023, you can access several major progressives and in-game jackpots. There is also the emergence of Hot Drop jackpot games, which look set to continue a significant rise in popularity. You can see for yourself at Bovada.

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5. More States Will Legalize Gambling

Although some gamblers will not be permitted to participate in the near future of gambling, others will be joining the club in 2023.

Although legal on a federal level, US gambling laws are decided on a state-by-state basis. This means that some Americans can legally place bets while others must rely on offshore-based sites and casinos to get their kicks.

Among the potential changes in gambling, this year will be more states lifting bans on using casinos and sportsbooks.

Naturally, some states are keener than others to open the industry to citizens.

The more religious jurisdictions have proven to be a little harder to sway, with the likes of Utah exclusively opposed to betting of any kind.

But it’s not just the United States that will be hoping to see gambling laws to be relaxed. Japan, for example, is moving toward a change in attitudes to betting. However, we might not see the nation’s citizens granted access to legal gambling parlors for some time yet.

As for Americans? Here are some of the states that could legalize gambling in 2023.

6. Online Poker Sites Will Fight for Relevance

When discussing the future of gambling, it’s hard to see how many of the games we love today are disappearing from view.

With that being said, one of the major gambling changes in 2023 will be another dip in the popularity of poker. Especially Texas hold ‘em, which was once one of the most played gambling games online.

Some say poker is dead. I don’t quite subscribe to that theory.
But there is certainly enough evidence that the sites that profited from hosting tournaments are beginning to lose their appeal.

With most of the top online casinos now offering exceptionally good poker rooms, the demand has understandably dropped. More players want access to sites where they can play poker and other games like slots and blackjack.

The poker boom might be long gone. But you can find some really good rooms at the best online poker sites.

7. Live Dealer Games Will Explode in Popularity

I’ve been playing live dealer games for a long time. But they’ve never been as ubiquitous.

More than that, they have never been as much fun. More players are catching on to this, which leads me to believe that they will play a huge part in the future of gambling. Especially in North America, with more states allowing citizens access to casinos.

Ironically, I believe that live dealer casinos and sites will grow as a result of more players visiting land-based casinos.

If you can get the same thrills from your desktop or phone as you can from your local casino, why bother leaving the house? That might sound a tad simplistic. But when you think about it, it makes as much sense as ordering a delivery rather than picking it up from the restaurant.

Again, one of the big gambling changes in 2023 will be live dealer games growing in popularity. I’d be surprised if this sector of the industry doesn’t explode over the coming year.

Bye-bye RTG games? We’ll wait and see. For now, read more on the best live dealer casinos.

How 2023 Will Shape the Future of the Gambling Industry

2023 is going to be a big year for gambling. That’s for sure.

With a drop in interest in land-based casinos to massive growth in the live dealer side of things, there should be a greater shift to playing online.

For some bettors, this might even involve playing from a VR headset!

Although things are set to change, you should still be aware of remaining safe when betting online. One of the best ways of doing this is to only use the best online casinos when looking for your thrills!

Footnotes:

Adam Haynes
Adam Haynes Editor

Adam is a sports tipster and casino writer who is always looking for ways to beat the house. His favorite sports are boxing and MMA, but he's also a huge rugby fan.

Although his casino game of choice is blackjack, Adam is also partial to the odd game of baccarat. 

When he's not at his desk, you can find Adam watching sports or perfecting his poker face.

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