Virtual benefits you wouldn't bet against

well-built virtual betting product can trump real sports betting both for players and operators says Golden Race CEO Martin Wachter

It is undeniable that humans have always loved, and continue to love games of luck and chance. According to Greek mythology, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades rolled a dice to decide who ruled over different parts of the universe - Zeus took the Heavens, Poseidon took the sea, and Hades lost and took the Underworld. Ancient dice have been discovered in Egyptian tombs dating back to 6000 BC.

Gambling is part of our culture, and we continue to look for new and exciting ways to enjoy it. At home with friends, back rooms, to clubs, casinos, through race tracks and arenas, devoted retail locations, online and into virtual gaming – betting on computer generated or otherwise “unreal” events. The technology is always improving, we are always innovating and pushing forward. And while a few seasoned gamblers might scoff at virtual gaming, claiming it is not a patch on the real thing, its popularity clearly shows that it is here to stay.

Virtual gaming itself is evolving, and at Golden Race we are blurring the lines between the real and the virtual – this is perfectly encapsulated in our new product Real Fighting. MMA world champions were filmed from every angle in live combat, forging an endless video library capable of delivering any outcome including spectacular knock-outs and nail-biting last minute wins. We added real odds for real markets created by professional bookmakers, and seamlessly combine the footage with 3D virtual environments to create a cutting edge product which is at least as good as the real thing.

A huge advantage of virtual gaming for players is that it brings them so many exciting gaming opportunities to enjoy, at all hours of the day, all around the world. They can bet on real videos of real races, immersive 3D football with their favourite teams in various formats, MMA fights in fantasy worlds, tennis, poker, roulette, keno... classics and innovative new games, all side by side, on a schedule that suits their needs.

Virtual gaming also makes the excitement accessible to new and inexperienced players. By providing all of the data there on the screen, it levels the playing field and removes the need to obsessively follow endless data, such as who is injured, who is playing away, who is less rested etc. It provides truly fair gaming for all – especially when you consider that it is not possible for people to “match fix”, throw games, or bribe referees. Virtual gaming is above and beyond all of the corrupt practices that sadly plague real world sports and betting – it not only brings the best of the real side, it removes that shadowy side.

Operators cannot beat the value of virtual gaming, with impressively low acquisition costs, plug and play hardware solutions, and seamless website integrations. Golden Race even offers an entry-level Android device which is still capable of live-rendering multi game 3D football leagues which is not replicated elsewhere. An operator can get up and running, meeting local demand extremely quickly – they can provide that fun their players want, and we get them the returns they need to do so viably.

All our products are white-label, allowing operators to put their colours, their logo, even their animated or video based promotional content directly into the games. You want the billboards around Premier League matches showing your promotion? In real life, the cost would be entirely prohibitive for almost all companies. With virtual gaming, it´s no problem at all.

And speaking of costs – for players there really is no comparison. No entry costs, travel costs, resort costs, drinks costs, hotel costs. No queues, no time off work, no hassle. They can access the games they love in retail locations, online (we integrate our solutions into operators existing websites), via mobile, and even in self-serve terminals.

For such an ancient and ingrained human pastime, we have come so far. Looking to the future, things are even brighter and more exciting – a world of possibilities awaits. Virtual and augmented realities are no longer technologies of the future, but technologies of today. The recent rise of eSports alongside the popularity of virtual gaming really highlights a key point: Not only do existing players enjoy and benefit from virtual gaming, but the new generations are happy and excited to put their money on computer generated events – even complete fantasy video gaming events such as League of Legends or Counterstrike: Global Offensive.

While Golden Race is working hard, continuously creating, innovating, and applying new technologies to deliver even more, virtual gaming already offers so much to both players and operators alike; increased excitement, availability, accessibility, reliability, variety, manageability, affordability, new player attraction and retention… serious benefits that you would be wise not to bet against.

For over 15 years, Golden Race’s Martin Wachter has spread innovative, exciting games that attract and retain players worldwide. He provides tailored solutions to over 25.000 outlets and hundreds of online partners