Credited to Ivan Sutherland, VR (or virtual reality) was initially invented in 1968. However, the technology didn’t grow or even capture anybody’s attention due to the limitation of computing hardware and software during that era.

Fast forward to 2010, when Palmer Luckey came onto the scene by developing the prototype of the Oculus Rift device. Interest in VR spiked drastically, and modern VR was born. Over the next ten years, advancements in technology meant that almost anybody could immerse themselves in a computer-generated world and interact with objects within it.

The technology spread like wildfire, with many industries adopting virtual reality to expand on their original offerings. Today, VR is commonplace in many settings, including workplaces, console gaming, and even fantastic online casinos that let players experience gambling like never before.

What Is a VR casino?

As you can expect from the name, a VR casino is a fully-fledged online casino you can visit in virtual reality. The first of its kind was launched in 2015 and was called the SlotsMillion casino.

Letting players walk into a digitally created environment that makes any land-based casino look like it is from centuries past, these casinos offer incredible architecture and unbelievable locations. After all, nothing is off the table when it’s digitally rendered.

Besides some of the most breathtaking settings, VR casinos offer all the games you expect to find in a regular or online casino. Slots and table games make appearances and offer the same great gameplay as usual, except in a more immersive way.

Two of the leading game developers in the industry, NetEnt and Microgaming, pioneered the move to virtual reality. Because of this, many casino providers feature games released by these two iconic development studios.

How to Access a VR Casino

Accessing a virtual reality casino is almost as easy as any other online casino. However, the hardware you’ll need is more extensive than a computer or mobile phone.

You’ll need to have dedicated virtual reality equipment. Depending on your preference, this could be HTC Vive, HP Reverb, Meta Quest 2, or even the newly announced PlayStation VR 2.

Once you’ve set up your hardware, you’ll need to select a VR casino and, in some cases, install an application to access it. Once that’s done, you can log in and start exploring the wonders that a VR casino brings out.

Playing in a VR Casino

Playing in a virtual reality casino is more akin to playing in a brick-and-mortar casino than an online casino site. For one, you’ll have a physical environment where you can move around and interact.

The first thing you’ll need to do, however, is more reminiscent of an online casino. That’s because you’ll need to register a player account, complete all necessary verification (if required upon registration), and deposit funds into your player account.

This process is simple, and it shouldn’t take long before you can head to the virtual casino floor and start looking for a game to play. After checking out all the available options, pick a game you think will bring luck and start playing.

Primarily, these games work like any other, except for the immersive experience they offer and some other things that are unique and dependent on whether you’re playing a slot game or a table game.

For slot games, the immersive experience of VR takes on new levels. One of the first and most widely regarded games released in virtual reality was NetEnt’s Jack and the Beanstalk. In this slot, the game’s hyper immersion includes reels that roll out of the slot toward you and characters from the game dancing around you to help celebrate a big win.

Meanwhile, table players can experience a level of interactivity that makes them feel like they are visiting a real casino. While live casino games already offer live chat, engaging with dealers and other players while sitting at a table as an avatar makes the whole experience much more engaging than simply looking at a screen.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of VR Casinos

All new technology comes with both pros and cons. In the case of virtual reality casinos, this is no different. Thankfully, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages and prove that VR casinos may be the future of this massive industry.

The advantages include the following:

- Immersive experience: As stated, VR casinos allow players to be fully immersed in a casino’s virtual setting or the game they are playing. This lets players genuinely engage with the experience and leads to more entertainment, joy, playing, and, hopefully, more winnings.

- Interactions: Due to the interactive nature of VR, online casinos (table games in particular) lead to more social interactions and change the unsociable aspect of gambling online.

- Unique games: Because games need to be specially developed for use in VR casinos, many games are unique and can’t be experienced without VR.

To counteract these advantages, here are a few disadvantages of VR casinos:

- Accessibility: While VR is more common than ever, access to VR hardware may still be out of reach for many players due to the costs involved.

- VR sickness: Players who may have been playing inside a virtual casino for a while may begin experiencing VR sickness. Symptoms include eye strain, a headache, drowsiness, and possible unbalance. However, removing the headset and taking breaks can quickly clear these symptoms.