[C O L U M N I S T ]
D R
A N D Y
P I P E R
Push Technology
Two Worlds
Collide: The future
of social gaming
eGaming Review speaks to Push Technology's chief
technology officer Dr Andy Piper about the changing face
of online gaming in light of advances in technology
he past ?ve years have
seen the fundamental
way
we
behave
online change beyond
recognition. According
to a new study from
the Interactive Advertising Bureau,
70% of smartphone users “won’t leave
home without their devices”. With
the evolution of smartphones, we
are using our devices for much more
than communication – whether it’s
navigation, recommendation, sharing,
socialising and evidently, gaming and
betting. This is resulting in a blurring of
lines between industries.
With more consumers interacting
across multiple devices and tablets,
gaming companies are signi?cantly
changing the way they develop and market
games. As we become increasingly social
in our online behaviour the opportunities
for new industries – like social gaming
– continue to grow. The online gaming
business is progressively moving into
markets around the world, which is
changing the model of the gambling
industry as many consumers turn to the
internet to bet on sports, gamble on slots
or play cards.
Let’s look at the online gambling
and betting industry, for example. In
2011, the UK casino industry totalled
US$1.2bn and was the largest legal
T
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online gaming market; but the online
betting industry has continued to
evolve. Despite the potential political
and legislative restrictions in the US
for example, the market has proved it
is ready to develop as new geographic
regions open up and many governments
become more receptive to internet-based
gambling. For example, seven years after
the US outlawed internet gaming, Chris
Christie, the New Jersey Governor, has
g ??????????????????????
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