The Evolution of Poker From Live Tables to High Tech Apps
Out of all the casino games available today, few have had an evolution as grand and unpredictable as poker. Though it’s still considered a card game, modern iterations are so advanced that they may, at times, call that definition into question.
Casino games have gone through major technological innovations. There are more ways than ever before to access and play poker online. If you’ve been out of the loop on these cutting-edge formats and variants, here are some of the most interesting examples of how poker has evolved over the past few years.
Betting Apps
One of the easiest ways to look at the evolution of gambling in general is to take a look at the selection of betting apps for iPhones and other portable devices. Just as there are online platforms and mobile apps that specialize in casino games, ones that focus on sports betting are easy to find, too. Gambling has been around for centuries, with sports betting being one of the most popular forms. The move to smart devices makes it incredibly convenient.
This means it is easier than ever before to find places to play poker, primarily, if not exclusively. Poker betting apps these days have advanced user interfaces, making it possible to include as much info about the game on screen as possible.
Live Streaming Poker Tables
If there’s any technology out there that has redefined how the world sees and plays poker, it has to be live streaming. Thanks to the pandemic era in which everyone had to stay home, people had to find a way to get their digital assets and gambling fun in. Online casinos still existed, but they lacked the physical aspect that people have always enjoyed about in-person play.
At some point, someone had the brilliant idea to stream land-based dealers and tables online to players sitting at home, and it was a massive success from the start. Even though lockdowns are now over, people still flock to websites and apps that live stream poker.
The appeal is easy to understand. Thanks to these live-streamed events, players can actually see their cards on a physical table. It adds a level of immersion that digital-only poker games lack, not to mention that the ability to communicate with a live dealer adds realism to the experience.
Arguably, even more important is the transparency that’s involved. Players feel more at ease playing poker with live dealers as they feel it makes the game more trustworthy. In fact, many people who end up getting into live-streamed poker prefer it over the previous digital-only experience with a live dealer.
Artificial Intelligence
As one of the more skill-based casino games, the connection between poker and artificial intelligence runs a little deeper than meets the eye. Many high-roller players have been using artificial intelligence’s computational abilities to figure out better strategies that go beyond traditional card-counting tactics.
As advanced as this may sound, AI also plays role in ways that affect more casual players. When designing poker games for online casinos, many software providers will use AI to create fairer random number generation.
Some players will also use AI not to learn, per se, but to practice against. AI creates a unique opponent that could result in some interesting games.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Similar to live streaming technology, VR and AR have had huge impacts on poker games. Just as live-streamed poker matches can add a big level of immersion, virtual reality and augmented reality can make things even more realistic.
VR poker games can be especially creative. Many of them add new rules or mechanics to poker that can only be done with a VR headset. They can add fantasy elements, motion controls for extra realism, and other technologically advanced features that cannot be found at a standard poker table.
AR can be just as creative and advanced, especially when it comes to menus and user interfaces. In poker, there can be a lot of information available all at one time, as people who watch poker tournaments are very familiar with. AR technology has found ways to make this information accessible by having it placed in ways that organically fit in with the action.
Such information includes the blind, your hand, your chip or cash amount, any time remaining, and other valuable info.
Video Games
Like film and television, video games have been a silent driver behind many poker trends and revolutions. Many video games, from the Grand Theft Auto franchise to the Red Dead Redemption series, depict both old and modern casinos, and poker has always been a recurring feature in these titles.
On one hand, video games have made poker very accessible to people who otherwise would never have wanted to play it. In a video game setting, poker doesn’t have to cost you any real money. Instead, you can play with your account’s, or your main character’s, fictional wallet. This has taught people that poker doesn’t have to be something you need to literally buy into in order to enjoy.
This also helps make poker accessible to people of various ages, showing that the game itself can be fun, deep, and strategic, even when real money isn’t on the line.
Poker has also experienced a variety of iterations across multiple video games. There are versions of poker that are designed as quick minigames, with different rules and a smaller number of players. There are also poker video games that focus on simulation, creating highly realistic atmospheres based on real casinos.
One of the most popular formats is tournament-style poker games with matchmaking lobbies, like those found in competitive first-person shooters. Within minutes, you can be matched with several other players for a ‘sit-n-go’ or an ‘MTT’ and compete for top positions on the leaderboards. This style of poker is highly popular as it allows you to hone your skills from the comfort of your home or have casual fun playing with an inviting community.
