G2E 2019 was a success! The show floor was filled with innovative products and the latest technologies. Now that it's in our rearview, we're taking a look at the top five tech trends from 2019's show.
1. Advanced Geolocation
As regulators continue to be stringent on where certain products can be accessed, keeping compliant with geofencing laws looks to be a major issue for the industry, especially with in-stadium sports betting increasing in prevalence.
David Briggs, CEO of GeoComply, explained the importance of getting mobile right in one of G2E 2019’s closing presentations. Speaking to the challenges of accurate geolocation, he used Washington, D.C. as an example of how something as innocuous federal parks can complicate matters by not allowing mobile betting within their boundaries.
With Pearl River Resorts also sharing their geolocation challenges for their new on-premise sports betting facility, it’s clear that geolocation will play an increasingly important role in mobile betting moving forward.
2. Artificial Intelligence
Having shaken the stigma of the last Kubrick film, AI is now making the transition from buzzword to practical technology. So far, the most successful application in the gaming industry has been the development of more effective marketing tactics by ascertaining when customers are most responsive to communication, which messages are most engaging, and when cross-selling is most effective.
As AI develops in its sophistication, it can also be applied to player behavior. As discussed at G2E 2019’s session, “Using New Tools to Help with Responsible Gaming,” AI can now be deployed to identify when players start exhibiting markers of problem gambling and implement measures to mitigate those behaviors.
While not a comprehensive solution, AI promises to be an effective to tool to promote responsible gaming, advance marketing strategy, and transform areas of gaming that are yet to be determined.
3. In-Game Data
As legal sports betting expands in the United States, in-game wagering continues to be an increasingly popular topic of conversation, especially given its popularity in other parts of the world.
In National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman’s Sports Betting Symposium session at G2E, he addressed the league enhancing its HITS (Hockey Information and Tracking System) official scoring system, which includes the future integration of puck and player tracking data.
Bettman commented on the topic, “Fan engagement and technological innovation are at the forefront of everything we do. Using technology to depict exactly how fast, how skilled our game and our players are, enhances the connectivity our fans have with hockey.”
4. Facial Recognition
The development of facial recognition technology, which has become prevalent over the last five years, is a boon to the industry’s efforts to combat fraud, money laundering, and other criminal activity. Hence, why it was covered on the Security, Surveillance & Compliance track at G2E.
But it’s not just security where facial recognition can be properly applied. It can also be used for player management in the shape of rewarding loyal customers and enforcing necessary bans.
5. Blockchain
Yet another buzzword making headway into living up to its initial promise, blockchain was also discussed at G2E, with Earle G. Hall, Chair of the Blockchain Committee for Gaming Standards Association, discussing how it could help with responsible gaming on a panel during the iGaming Congress.
According to Hall, for companies in gaming to fully embrace blockchain, regulators need to have a solid understanding of the technology and what it does, which isn’t necessarily the case in the US or elsewhere in the world for a relatively young concept. One of the blockchain’s big advantages is its transparency, which should make it extremely useful for regulators.
See some of our favorite moments from G2E 2019 here.
Pre-register for G2E 2020 here.