Even the most ardent luddites are no longer denying it – technology is a part of modern life that’s here to stay. It permeates all areas of our existence, from allowing us to monitor our health and budget, to dictating how we spend our down time. On that note, today we’re looking at technology’s role in the future of online poker, and revealing the main ways we’re expecting it to shape the future of the game…
Convenience
Firstly, advances in technology are set to make playing online poker even more convenient than it is now. While it’s still possible to compete against real life opponents at tournaments like the World Series of Poker, or in bricks and mortar casinos, technology brings the excitement of the game to us. The incredible rise in online poker sites over the last decade, faster wireless networks and developments in smartphones, has allowed poker lovers to work on their game anytime and anywhere. Moving forward, things are only set to get faster, with the knock-on effect predicted to be more players reaching a higher standard in a shorter time period and therefore elevating the quality of play to previously unseen levels.
More varied player pool
The convenience of online poker means a wider variety of people are taking it up as a hobby. Playing online removes the need to pluck up the courage to walk into any intimidating poker rooms where players are more experienced and potentially wealthier. This has led to more younger players and an influx of women taking up the game. Online poker rooms also have the added benefit of offering low stakes (1-2c) or completely free games. This encourages more beginners to learn the ropes in an inexpensive, non-stressful environment. Moving forward, technology will continue to open up the game to people from all walks of life, widening the player pool and offering more chance to practice. The result being a higher volume of more highly-skilled players to compete against at any time of day or night.
Better players
Already online poker rooms are providing invaluable insights into how you and your opponent’s play. If you want to improve your game – analysing this kind of data is key! Moving forward, we expect to see technology used to improve player data and feedback. We’ve seen the first glimpses of this with tech like poker solvers, which essentially grants you access to your very own poker coach who can help you to develop your game faster than ever before.
Virtual reality
One particularly exciting development the poker world has had its eyes on for a while now is virtual reality. With hardware coming down in price and software being improved, soon we will see players from all corners of the world competing in a virtual space. Again, this will allow players to gain more experience taking on competitors from all corners of the globe…pushing people to advance even further.
Cryptocurrency
As various cryptocurrencies continue to grow in popularity, more online poker players will realise the benefits they have. For example, moving currency from a crypto wallet to an online poker account is faster, safer, and stops you being affected by banking regulations and fees from either the banks or third-party payment processors. Technologies such as Etherum for example, enable close to free payments and eliminate almost 100% of all chargebacks. As the cost of operating poker sites decreases, expect to see players winning more substantial cash prizes.
While it’s impossible to predict the limits of how technology will progress the game, it’s clear that people will become better players much faster. Having greater access to more opponents will keep online poker more exciting and security and ease of play will improve exponentially. Exciting times are ahead for online poker, and technology is set to play a key role in the journey.
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