Although many of us have grown accustomed to having AI (artificial intelligence) in our personal lives thanks to personal assistants such as Google Assistant, Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa, the real catalyst for the industry arrived in November 2022.
The gambling sector is one of the industries that has been quick to take advantage of the advances in AI. Both online and physical casinos have used the technology in various places, changing how these casinos operate and how players experience gambling.
During this month, ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, launched and demonstrated that AI can be far more advanced than most of us expected, at least in our current day and age. Within a few short months, artificial intelligence sprung up in countless industries – revolutionizing how they operate.
However, the way AI has been integrated into these casinos has been so intelligently done that many players don’t even realize it is there. So, where is AI being employed, and how is it changing the industry? Read on to find out!
1. Security
One of the main areas casinos are implementing AI is in their security systems, primarily across two sectors: digital security and physical tracking.
For digital security, AI is being employed to analyze casino systems, player behaviors, transactions, and the overall operations of the casino. While studying this information, the AI is programmed to flag anything that looks out of the ordinary – whether it be a transaction over a certain amount or a glitch in the system that could indicate a breach.
Once these instances are flagged, the artificial intelligence then sends this notice to the relevant department for further investigation. This process allows for the quick detection of fraud, cheating, or any other issues that could lead to losses for the casino or players.
Regarding physical tracking, the technology is being used in many brick-and-mortar casinos alongside facial recognition cameras. By identifying and profiling each player, the AI can determine how often a particular player visits a casino, what their gambling habits and preferences are, and how much they spend. All this feeds a player profile, allowing casinos to easily identify players who pose a risk or need assistance to curb gambling.
2. Responsible Play
Directly related to the security tracking of players above, AI is helping revolutionize how casinos reach out to players showing signs of gambling addiction. Players who spend too much time or money playing are automatically flagged.
Once a player is flagged, the casino can contact them to discuss their play habits and determine whether they need help. If they request assistance, the casino can add exclusions or refer them to gambling aid like the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Many people have commended the industry for employing AI in this capacity and ensuring that at-risk players are safeguarded and can get the help they need before it is too late.
3. Customer Support
Customer support is another area of concern for any casino – especially an online casino – because it can mean the difference between a player finding another gambling provider or staying loyal to a particular site.
Because of this, many online casinos have employed artificial intelligence to operate chatbots in their support departments. These can handle most simple requests and avoid the wait times that players may otherwise experience while waiting to connect to an agent.
While many gamblers are wary of speaking to a computer to resolve the issues they are looking for answers to quickly, the rollout of AI doesn’t mean that casinos are ditching actual agents. Many casinos allow users to request the AI connect them to a person should they seek more detailed human intervention in their query.
4. Casino Management
Another area in which AI is employed is managing casino systems and accounts. Using artificial intelligence helps automate processes that would otherwise require several hours for employees to complete.
From loading supplier and vendor payments to compiling and analyzing financial reports, AI simplifies these processes so that casino management can access relevant data quickly. In addition, AI is also being used to provide gambling statistics to those running the casino.
This info can include what games are most popular, where people are spending more time playing, and what promotions offered have the most engagement. Using this data, management can decide what new games to cater to players, receive guidance on the types of rewards players are after, and determine how to improve overall operations.
While none of this is a visible benefit to players, the advantage of having AI involved in these systems is evident because the casino can then cater more to what players truly want.
5. Personalized Experience
The final area that AI is changing casinos directly relates to players and their experience engaging with games. This comes in the form of a personalized experience tailored to each player’s likes, wants, and needs.
Using information on what games a player selects most, how much they tend to spend per gaming session, what their bet amount commonly is, and how long they play for, AI can help predict other games a player may enjoy.
These games can then be actively suggested to the player so that, should they find themselves looking for something different, there is always a catalog of games they are likely to enjoy. As a result, finding something new to play is a breeze.
This personalization of game recommendations adds to the overall player experience and makes gambling more enjoyable each time a gambler visits the casino. Sadly, this personal experience is generally only available for online casinos. However, physical casinos use player data to bring in games that are more likely to be enjoyed and provide a similar experience.
