From Online Gaming to Virtual Reality: How the Image of Poker Has Changed In Recent Times

With a history that is thought to have begun around 1,000 years ago, poker has evolved continuously over this time period. And what has changed with it? The way in which the image of poker as a game is portrayed to the public.

From its possible origins in 10BC in the court of Chinese emperor as a domino-card game, or a version of “As Nas”, a Persian card game, poker has developed into one of the most popular online casino gaming genres of modern times. Accordingly, its image, as well as the way in which it is marketed and adapted, has evolved from an amusement at parties and social gatherings, to an activity associated with casinos, to its most recent technological evolution.

Within the last couple of decades, in contrast to the physical casino image, we have seen a rise in online poker. With opportunities to engage in games with live dealers, the oppotunities for all kinds of poker variants (such as Texas Hold’Em, Omaha and Seven-card Stud), the anonymity of the online world, as well as the ability to play on mobile devices, playing poker online, has never been easier in any place at any time. Whether you like to play fast, sell, work with a cap or no-limit, the variety of poker games online mean that you are sure to find games to compliment your style. Accordingly, we have witnessed a striking change in the way poker is marketed and devised in order to appeal to online audiences.

With a variety of themed games emerging, we are no longer restricted simply to poker, but are able to enjoy it alongside a variety of colorful and engaging graphics, music and specialized challenges (for instance, cash pots on a timer). For instance, the increased presence of popular culture in poker can be seen in one of the best au online casinos newest additions to their range of poker experiences is the Action Squad: a team of superheroes comprised of the original characters “Turbo”, “Blast” and “Snap”. These characters are rendered in a colorful cartoon style that breathes a new essence of life into the online poker games, creating a fast-paced action feeling that we associate with superheroes.

Creating an even greater sense of action fuelled, contemporary poker is the introduction of VR (Virtual Reality) into online casino gaming. It has been predicted that in 2018 alone 24 million VR headsets will be sold around the globe, a portion of which will be used in order for their users to participate in virtual reality online poker gaming. This works through the creation of a virtual location, often designed to resemble a casino with regards to aesthetics and layout, which participants then settle in to play poker (as well as a possible multitude of other casino games).

The anonymity of players, as in online casino gaming, is maintained, since players use virtual avatars in the virtual reality space. A drawback of VR poker gaming is that using the VR headsets puts a time limit on the length of time you can play for, as feedback from those already using VR technology indicates that wearing the headset for an extended period of time can frequently result in nausea and dizziness. Therefore, VR introduces a possible extra form of poker gaming online to complement regular online playing, rather than a new method that can be adopted entirely as an alternative. Therefore, shorter games such as Texas Hold’Em may be best for VR. It does, however, create a modern, technological reputation for a new age of poker, yet still allows for the maintaining of the game’s traditional rules and methods.

Therefore, you can bet that the future of poker’s image is set to contain even more evolutions for the game, as our technological, economic and social opportunities continue to develop.

From Online Gaming to Virtual Reality: How the Image of Poker Has Changed In Recent Times to SEC Sports Blog

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