IoT advances impact casinos and online gambling

The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the way casinos and online gambling websites operate. The introduction of smart chip technology and advanced data collection capabilities are impacting the way these organizations are evaluating their business.

Here are some of the ways IoT is ensuring the house always wins.

Smart chips

Poker chips that house large amounts of data? Thanks to the insertion of RFID microchips, chip forgery and theft is becoming increasingly difficult. Described by ResearchGate as units containing the processing power to record metadata or individual information via radio waves, the installation of these tiny devices into gaming tokens is assuring no foreign copies are substituted.

With each individual chip containing an RFID microprocessor, casinos are able to pinpoint the location of their property at all times. The sudden absence of chips from a poker table – or the relocation offsite should a player up and leave the game – is tracked via IoT-powered sensors and GPS software.

The implementation of this technology enables an increase in casino security far removed from the traditionally used cameras and human personnel.

Data collection serves as the new player 'tell'

For decades, hands of blackjack were won and lost based on a player's ability to read the face of their opponent. Scanning for changes in expression or demeanor were deemed 'tells,' and influenced how aggressively an opponent may call bluff or play their hand.

With the rise of online gambling, IoT technologies are acting as virtual players themselves, discerning the habits of their opponents by analyzing massive amounts of player data. Machine learning applications are then applied to predictive analysis of countless poker hand scenarios, using algorithms that determine the likelihood of a player's reaction.

Online gambling companies are currently utilizing these technologies to understand the nuances players apply when playing the games, extrapolating potential scenarios to understand the likelihood of reactions to hands. A recent qualitative study entitled Gambling Data and Modalities of Interaction for Responsible Online Gambling uncovered the playing patterns of participants as they interacted with a self-regulation platform. The study, designed to identify the behaviors of online gamblers, helped determine the types of data that would help them maintain control.

While it seems as though this technology could be used to gain an unfair advantage over players of the game, current data technologies are simply collecting information in regards to the playing habits of the games themselves. The data is collected and aggregated, creating composite player 'types' based on the playing styles of hundreds – if not thousands – of gaming participants..

Data collection via IoT technologies is leveraged for generating ad content that is more to the taste of the player. These methods also aid in the monitoring of security measures in order to ensure a level playing field for all participants.

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