The interactive entertainment sector is fully embracing digital evolution. The global health crisis was a significant alarm, compelling everyone to conduct more of their lives virtually. Johal contends that the sector must adopt this transition not merely to rebound, but to return even more resilient.
He highlights the severe consequences COVID-19 inflicted on both businesses and personnel within the gaming realm. While circumstances are gradually normalizing, Johal perceives this as an opportunity for a revitalization. He’s conferred with executives industry-wide who concur that intensifying digital efforts is crucial for a more vigorous resurgence.
Prior to the pandemic, technology was ubiquitous. However, we retained the option to disconnect. Now, Johal posits that we’ve reached a critical juncture. The future is entirely digital, with innovations like autonomous vehicles and remote conferences becoming routine. The gaming sector must be prepared for this transformed landscape.
The times ahead are upon us.
From telecommuting and video conferencing to simply connecting with relatives via video chat, we’ve demonstrated our ability to maintain momentum through technology. We’ve welcomed the ease of online shopping and meal deliveries, only venturing to brick-and-mortar shops when absolutely essential.
A completely digitized existence might still be a few years off, but we’ve significantly sped up the schedule given the present situation, and there’s no need to slow down now.
As much as we all appreciate in-person engagement, we must acknowledge that for the foreseeable time, physical presence might not be as frequent.
Our conduct patterns are evolving, and the gaming sector must adjust.
Luckily, we’re in a technologically advanced and progressive field where numerous operators, providers, and partners generally concur that they’ll persist with primarily remote work arrangements, as its effectiveness is proven.
This mandatory transition to the digital realm, fueled by the pause of live sporting events, has also witnessed the surge of esports and simulated sports, two heavily digitized verticals that have thrived.
During Gambling Insider’s AffiliateCon Virtually Live gathering in May, Golden Race Chief Executive Officer Martin Wachter noted that simulated sports experienced an average player growth of 206% due to the global health crisis.
At a recent gathering, Tom Wade, who started the esports wagering platform Sickodds, emphasized the remarkable 4000% surge in esports wagers on games like FIFA and F1. This rapid increase is mainly due to the move towards easy-to-use internet-based systems.
These figures clearly demonstrate a swift sector-wide change towards digital-centric activities, occurring even quicker than predicted.
For providers in areas such as Latin America and the United States who have been reluctant to fully adopt online operations, this pattern should act as a clear indicator. The SBC Digital Summit held in April concentrated on the current situation in Latin America, stressing the pressing requirement for the region to strengthen its online visibility.
While a historically physical location-heavy area like Latin America will need to adjust to the internet to stay competitive, will this be sufficient to advocate for broader internet-based gambling authorization, particularly given the ambiguity surrounding it in major markets like Brazil and Argentina?
The United States presents a comparable scenario, with numerous states still opposed to internet-based gaming. During the same meeting, Barry Pack, head of the Oregon Lottery, stated that bouncing back from the global health crisis will compel the sector to hasten its digital makeover.
This urgency might leave areas like the United States and Latin America with no alternative but to accelerate the process of moving online to maintain their competitive edge.
The COVID-19 global health crisis has undeniably affected everyone, but it’s vital to gain insights from this situation and progress.
The technological shift is changing all sectors, and gaming is certainly not left behind. To flourish in this modern age, harnessing the potential of simulated environments is no longer a choice, it’s a necessity.
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