The betting industry has come a long way since its humble beginnings many years ago. It’s an industry that has constantly moved with the times, incorporating the latest technology; in order to provide customers with the best experience possible, when it comes to gambling. It’s this forward thinking approach which has seen it become successful, as it continues to be to this very day; with billions of pounds changing hands worldwide over the course of the year. So just how has technology had such a huge impact?
The first real technology that transformed the industry was the internet. Then internet gave people the chance to place bets from wherever and whenever it was convenient. This meant that there was no longer the need to take a trip to a land based betting shop. It’s estimated that over 70 % of UK betting now takes place away from an actual shop, with the majority happening online and this really is down to the internet and what it brought to the industry on the whole.
Since then it’s been technology in the form of hardware that has helped to change the betting game completely. First of all, smartphones and tablets came into existence and then rapidly rose to the fore. People are using them more than ever thanks to their capabilities, and the fact they’re so convenient to use, means people can pretty much do anything on them, including placing bets. Most established and popular betting sites like Unibet, all have apps and these allow customers to place bets from wherever they are, whenever they like; with just a couple of presses on their touchscreen phone or tablet. These apps can do everything that desktop betting sites can do and in some cases more. This has seen the industry shift towards a new era where betting on the go is king and will be for many years to come as well.
With the amount of people visiting actual betting shops dwindling, technology once again played a key role in ensuring that money was still made. Fixed-odds betting terminals, or FOTBs as they’re commonly referred to, have been a huge success in betting shops. People rush to play their favourite slot and casino games on them and they have certainly added something new to the industry as a whole.
We’ve also seen self-service betting terminals become popular in store too. These terminals allow people to place bets just as they would on a desktop website or a mobile app. There’s all the markets that’s someone could ever need, covering every sport imaginable, and people can bet in-play too. The ability to bet in-play has been great for betting companies and customers alike, and has proven to be a huge favourite with punters; especially for football and tennis. Furthermore, it gives the customer much more control when placing bets.
Technology has changed the betting industry but the statement really should read, technology is changing the betting industry. There’s always something new around the corner, in terms of the latest tech and by incorporating it into proceedings as quickly as possible; it means that customers will ultimately get the best experience. If you don’t move with the times you get left behind, and this is one industry which is always looking for the next big thing.
