The Future of Online Blackjack – Blackjack Tournaments & More
Blackjack is an old game, like, really old. Card games involving players trying to make hands closest to 21 date back to the 1600s. A lot has changed since then, of course, with the introduction of unified rules, side bets and gameplay tweaks. Since online casinos burst onto the scene, the game has been developing even faster. Now, with live streamed blackjack games being common throughout the UK market, we ask: what’s next? What exactly can you expect reasonably expect will happen in the future of this amazing game? And are you ready for it? Can you even be?
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On this page, we’ll walk you through the future of the online game including blackjack tournaments, virtual blackjack and multiplayer blackjack. The industry is so much more than classic and high limit blackjack these days, and it’s only going to get more diverse. The golden age of online blackjack is upon us. Strap yourself in! Or check out the best current real money blackjack casino in the box above.
Blackjack Tournaments
When the poker boom crashed back down to earth in 2006 it coincided with the rise of online casinos offering quality gambling games to play against the house. There was something missing, though, and the old poker veterans longed for a replacement player versus player game. Today, blackjack tournaments are rising in popularity. The concept is more of a prize draw format than an actual tournament. During the blackjack tournament period, players receive points for money waged on qualifying blackjack games. When the tournament ends, the highest ranked players win a portion of a pre-determined prize pool. Tournaments typically last around a week and pay out up to £10,000. We’ve seen prizes as high as £2,500 for first place. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose during your blackjack games, only the money staked goes towards your final points ranking.
Survivor blackjack tournaments add extra tension to this multiplayer blackjack format, eliminating players at the end of specified rounds. The scores are then reset and all surviving players must resume from zero, rushing to rack up enough points to survive the next wave. Some operators are now even offering a freeroll blackjack tournament with real cash prizes. Entry is free, so you’ve really got nothing to lose.
High Limit Blackjack and New Game Modes
As blackjack moves into the future, we predict that high limit games will begin to dominate. Modern online casinos are moving in this direction already, especially in the live space. VIP tables for players willing to bet larger amounts are already up and running, and we’re starting to see more and more four-figure bonuses being offered – perfect for online blackjack players looking to play for big money.
Mobile casino blackjack has also come on leaps and bounds since we all ditched out old Nokias for smartphones and started surfing with 4G and hitting up Wi-Fi hotspots. All the best online casinos offer at least one or two mobile blackjack games and big live streaming providers such as Evolution Gaming have made live leader blackjack on the go a reality.
Whilst classic blackjack in its European and American forms remains dominant on the UK blackjack scene, we’re predicting this is all about to change. New, exciting variations on the traditional twenty-one format are springing up everywhere. These new games, such as Blackjack Switch and 21 Duel, range from subtle gameplay twists to throwing tradition right out of the window. As these games continue to flood the market, expect players to start branching out in the future.
The Rise of Virtual Blackjack
If you haven’t heard of virtual reality, you really need to wake up and smell the coffee. VR is going to be huge in several entertainment industries. Videos are already playable in VR with Playstation launching its dedicated product in October 2016. We already have play money blackjack VR on Android, playable via Google Cardboard, and it’s only a matter of time before the real money scene really takes off. If VR poker is anything to go by, virtual blackjack players will be able to move chips by hand as they would in real life, scan the tables to see fellow players, and rake in winnings themselves.
Virtual blackjack will also come to live streaming services, meaning you really will, truly, be able to feel like you are sat at a real blackjack table. We’re not quite there yet, but this technology exists and we’re anticipating the games to be available for those lucky enough to own VR units within the next couple of years. Expect to be able to chat to dealers and fellow players easily. There’s also rumours of VR gift boxes coming out of Evolution Gaming’s Riga studio for VIP players.
The Growth of Online Multiplayer Blackjack
Online participation has changed drastically over the past couple of years. Gone are the days of the lonely online casino. Today, chat features and community events and tournaments are creating communal atmospheres among online casinos. We expect this to grow and grow, and with the introduction of VR, online casinos could well become a place people go to just hang out, speak with their friends, and play a few hands of multiplayer blackjack.
Playing habits and bonus are also changing. The £1,000+ bonus is now commonplace, and with mobile browsing overtaking desktop in the UK, the way we play our online casino games is evolving. This ties into the jackpots as well. It seems like every few weeks the records are smashed again. A £10m jackpot win is not really big news anymore, and that says a l lot. We expect people to play more, in a variant of new places on all sorts of devices, for much bigger jackpots in the near future.
Online blackjack, especially in the live space, is coming out of Eastern Europe at the moment. The number one provider, Evolution Gaming, runs its studios out of Riga, Latvia, and Malta. All the live dealers speak English as a requirement, but the communities are made up of players from around the world. Communication between players is the only really stumbling block for these big online communities in the near future.
If you’re new to the world of blackjack, and this all sounds a little daunting, fear not. We’ve compiled lots of handy information about blackjack rules to help you, as well as a comprehensive guide to all the latest blackjack terms, slang and buzzwords to get you to speed.
How Will the Law Affect Online Blackjack Casinos?
There’s a lot of noise in the UK at the moment about advertising in the gambling market. You only have to look at the English Premier League, where more than half of the clubs are sponsored by betting companies, or turn on your TV to see how huge the market currently is. A lot of the crackdown talk is centred around fixed-odds betting terminals in betting shops on the high street though, and any law changes there will only force the casinos to improve their online services.
Confidence & Trust in Online Casinos
The online casino industry is regulated by UK Gambling Commission – the guys that also handle the National Lottery – and it is all taken very seriously. Safety is paramount to online casinos but as technology advances, so must the guardians who keep all of us, and our money, safe. VR and changes in payment technologies will no doubt bring problems to the table, but the Gambling Commission has been doing this for a long time, and we don’t expect any major issues to hold back the future of blackjack. If you are keen to learn all about blackjack and looking for more information on blackjack tournaments, game variants or live dealer experiences, head to the main page of our blackjack guide where you will find all the latest reviews and tips for this magical game of twenty-one.