Television and gaming has long had a symbiotic relationship, with each recognising the excitement and entertainment value they each other can bring. Some of the earliest movies and TV shows ever made used casino games in their stories.
The 1960’s and 1970’s saw Hollywood up the excitement and glamour by using casino scenes in films. More recently there has been even more modern movies that have utilised the unique atmosphere of casinos to entertain their audiences.
A Breakthrough
The 2000s saw a change in the relationship between TV and gaming, as reality shows such as “Poker after Dark”, and “High Stakes Poker” appeared on out screens. Instead of fictional stories with gaming as the back drop. Now gaming was the story and it was mainstream.
The World Series of Poker (WSOP), a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada, since 2004, appeared on TV screens in the 1990’s, but in 2003 ESPN took over coverage and everything changed.
Games were broadcast live and viewers could watch the entire tournament, including a “Featured Table” where they could see the player’s hole cards and understand their strategy. As the popularity of these shows continued to grow, CBS Sports Network became the official television home of the World Series of Poker in 2021, after reaching a multi-year deal with PokerGO.
The Internet
The internet has been a game changer in so many ways. Smartphones can now access casino games anywhere and anytime they choose, boosting their global popularity and bringing a whole new audience.
This popularity has brought with it fierce competition, as online casino operators seek competitive advantage over their rivals. Now gamers not only have thousands of games to choose from, but they can also access a live casino and interact with a live dealer, recreating the unique atmosphere of a bricks-and-mortar casino on their smartphone.
This real-time interaction offers a seamless gaming experience for players, that’s both realistic and engaging.
Online Slots
Slots are one of the most popular games in the world, partly because of their simple gameplay and ease of access for new players. The once humble slot now offers players an immersive gaming experience with impressive graphics and sound effects. There are a huge number of titles and themes to choose from too, with popular themes including Sci-Fi, Superheroes, Sport, TV and Movie, Pirate, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greek, and Irish.
TV and Movie themed slots are a perfect example of the synergy that exists between TV and casino gaming. They use the well-known imagery, characters and storylines of famous films and TV shows, in order to create immersive gaming experiences that resonate with players and put them in the middle of the action.
Popular TV and movie themed slots:
-Creature from the Black Lagoon
-Lara Croft: Tomb of the Sun
-The Goonies
-Gremlins
-Jumanji
-Ted: Jackpot King
-The Walking Dead Cash Collect
-Who Wants to be a Millionaire
-Deal or No Deal Megaways
-Rick and Morty Jackpot King
From iconic blockbusters such as “Lara Croft”, to TV favourites like “Deal or No Deal”, gamers get to play the star of their own TV show or movie. The use of quality graphics and familiar theme tunes and sound effects, help make the whole experience more immersive and compelling, creating the perfect crossover between casinos and TV.
Future Technology
Innovation in the gaming sector never stops, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are prime examples of this. These exciting new technologies are already being utilised by casino operators, but their full potential is being tipped to play a huge part in revolutionising both the TV and casino industries.
Virtual reality casinos will offer players a far more immersive experience than current online casinos. Players will feel like they are physically inside a real brick-and-mortar casino, no matter where they are in the world.
Exploring the casino and its gaming floor, checking out the different tables or interacting with other players and virtual dealers, are all possible in the world of Virtual reality. It offers an unprecedented level of immersion, and a gaming experience that is tailored to each individual player, making them the star of their own show. Not only that, queues are no existent and the game choice is practically limitless.
As these exciting new technologies become even more mainstream, casino gaming will become part of a new interactive entertainment industry, potentially challenging the role of TV and movie industry. But for now, the synergy between the two is proving successful to be a successful partnership for both parties.
