Will Video Streaming Services Include Online Casinos as Part of Their Game Streaming Implementation Strategy?
Most people subscribe to at least one video streaming service. These digital platforms have revolutionized how we consume TVs, movies, gaming content, and more. Terrestrial TV has taken a backseat, and although many people still love watching live TV, more people enjoy the variety, flexibility, and accessibility of video streaming services.
Over time, we’ve seen platforms like Netflix and Apple TV expand and diversify. For example, Netflix has added a range of online games to its catalog, and it appears to be expanding this. This opens up the potential for new avenues and we want to discuss whether online casinos could be one of them.
The iGaming industry is incredibly lucrative, with some estimates placing the global industry value at $540 billion. Could video streaming services tap into this potential? If so, how would this work and what would the pros and cons be? We look at this and more below.
How do Video Streaming Services Work?
Let’s first look at video streaming services so we can understand how they work. With this understanding, we can then look at how online casinos could be implemented. Some of the most popular video streaming platforms include
- Netflix
- Apple TV
- Amazon Prime Video
- Paramount
- Tubi
- Hulu
- Max
- Disney+
- YouTube
- Rakuten TV
Platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV specialize in movies and TV content. You pay a monthly subscription and gain access to their entire entertainment catalog. This means you can watch your favorite movies, TV shows, and documentaries on demand. The platforms typically rotate their offerings and add new content to keep their entertainment offerings fresh.
Services like YouTube and Twitch specialize in P2P video content—videos and shorts created by other people that they upload. These platforms are usually free, but YouTube has a premium version, which eliminates advertising. You can search these platforms for virtually any kind of content.
For example, on YouTube, you could watch cat videos one day and videos about global news the next. Similarly, on Twitch, the range of games and subjects covered is amazing. People live stream anything from Call of Duty and Valorant to ASMR content and arts and crafts sessions.
How Could Online Casinos be Implemented Into These Services?
So, we know how video streaming services work. How would online casinos fit into these platforms? Well, in some regards they already do. You can find heaps of casino content and reviews on YouTube, and many Twitch streamers stream themselves playing at online casinos for their viewers.
But this isn’t interactive content—you can’t physically play at the online casinos yourself. The implementation we mean would allow you to access online casinos via the streaming services. A platform like Netflix would have to create a dedicated section, in addition to its TV and movie categories, for online casinos.
If you clicked on this section, you’d see the thumbnails for the different casinos and maybe info about their promotions, such as their no deposit bonus offerings. If you don’t know what a no deposit bonus is, you can find more info out via this website, https://www.sweepstakescasino.net/no-deposit/.
You could then click on the thumbnail to open the online casino within the app and use it exactly as you would on your desktop computer or smartphone.
What are the Pros and Cons of Making Such a Move?
We don’t really see any other way for online casinos to be implemented on video streaming platforms. Look at this method, there are certainly pros and cons to the idea, and we don’t think it’s the perfect solution
Pros
- Income generation: From the streaming platform’s perspective, partnering with online casinos could be incredibly lucrative. The iGaming industry is continually growing and has limitless wealth. This could lead to increased revenue and more opportunities for the platforms. Ultimately, customers could also benefit from improved services from the funds the platforms get.
- More content for customers: Many people love playing at online casinos, so having another outlet where you could access these platforms could be great. Customers would have more content to explore and more to do on the streaming platforms.
- Innovation: At first, the implementation could be a little stale. However, over time, we envision the online casino streaming technology improving. For example, live casino games are incredibly popular—playing these on your living room TV could be especially immersive. What if in the future, VR or AR technology is used too? Imagine walking through a virtual casino or seeing the cards from a game of blackjack appear in front of you as you sit on your sofa.
Cons
- Is there any point: The main argument against this implementation is what’s the point? Why would you choose to register and play at an online casino via Netflix when you can do so much quicker using your smartphone or laptop? Some ideas simply aren’t logical, and we think that online casinos for streaming platforms is one of them. There are already better access methods available.
- Negative connotations: Some people frown upon the online casino industry. It has negative connotations for things like addiction and unwise spending. If a streaming platform associates itself with online casinos, it risks negative backlash for its reputation.
- Safety controls: Can you imagine popping into the kitchen for a snack and then coming back and finding your child looking at online casino games? Video streaming services are much more accessible than smartphones and computers. This means that the streaming companies would have to spend huge amounts to safeguard children and make sure only those over the legal gambling age can access the casinos.
- Clunky operation: Playing at an online casino on a PC or laptop is easy. You can quickly access the game categories and manage your account using your mouse and keyboard. It’s a similar affair for smartphones—just tap what you want to do. The operation of online casinos on streaming platforms would be incredibly clunky as you would have to use your remote control. It’s the same as trying to use a web browser on your TV—incredibly frustrating. The platforms would have to find a better way for users to operate the casinos.
Implementation is Key and This is Still an Unknown
Implementing online casinos into these streaming platforms is possible, but how this would be done, or how the finished product would look, is still up for debate. This is mainly due to the nature of online casinos and how they work. However, with the increased popularity of live dealer games, there are certainly opportunities.
If video streaming services like Netflix were to make such a move, careful consideration would be required. The main potential drawback is the negative connotations that come with association with online gambling—some people simply don’t like it, and this could cause customer exoduses.
Additionally, due to the nature of streaming platforms and their accessibility, access to online casinos would have to be heavily regulated to prevent minors from viewing the content. The platforms would need to have strict controls to prevent minors from even seeing the casinos, let alone using them.
If security, protection of children, and responsible gambling were placed first then online casino availability for video streaming services could be a thing.