Augmented reality betting apps – The future!!

UPDATE: We first wrote this blog back in 2014 when this was being talked about. Since then it hasn’t really taken off.

We have seen William Hill trial horses for you to sit on and race while you bet, without too much interest. We have also seen Paddy Power allow their app to tell you what game is on when you point it at the tv. This again hasn’t really taken off at all.

We’ll keep you posted on any further developments.

The future of betting apps has been questioned for some time, with scepticism on whether or not mobile betting would take off. The Smartphone industry going from strength to strength, it is fair to say that mobile betting is here to stay and is almost the main way people bet. Betting companies are now not satisfied with providing their customers with a mobile platform to bet on, they want to enrich the experience even further, taking advantage of the very latest technology.

News has started to emerge of companies now looking at augmented reality betting apps, hoping to allow for quicker bets, easier navigation, and more information consolidated into one app.

What is an augmented reality betting app?

So how does augmented reality work? The technology uses the real-world environment and adds a digital element to it, either visually or through sound. An example of this would be pointing your phone to the sky at night and your phone detailing all the constellations within the phone’s viewfinder. We are very excited to hear that this technology could be appearing on betting apps very soon.

Imagine being at a horse race and being able to point your phone at a horse and instantly getting the horse’s name, jockey, current odds, and an opportunity to place a bet with just a tap of the screen?? This would make life so much easier at live events or even in front of the television.

You could be watching a football match on the box and simply point your phone at the screen and instantly identify each player with a list of all available bets across all different markets on that actual game or individual. If you thought your phone was never out of your hands now, imagine what it would be like if this technology was released and actually worked effectively!!

With the release of more and more wearable technology, this is becoming a closer possibility. Betfair currently has a dedicated site for Google Glass users where you can access the site, place bets and see the real-time data as you watch the race. Whilst this is not an augmented reality solution we don’t think it’s too far away.

Reliability

With all aspects of technology, we wait with bated breath on the reliability of augmented reality betting apps and the full capabilities that this type of technology holds. If it works well this could well be a game-changer, if it doesn’t it will just be seen as another quick gimmick and never get used again, similar to the way Siri is currently being used on Apple devices.

We hope this technology does work, that it does change the way we currently bet and that the technology continues to be developed to open up endless possibilities. With Google glass imminent you could literally be walking down the street with a full view of all the betting markets, whilst watching a live game of football while placing a bet without having to take your hands out of your pockets. With this type of technology, even men should be able to multi-task effectively.

Who is currently working on this type of technology?

The technology is currently being developed by Betfair but we are also expecting the other companies will not be that far behind. We are not expecting this technology to be hitting the high street any time soon but provides a small glimpse of what type of betting experience we can expect in the future.

Virtual reality apps?

This is an area where we have seen growth as VR devices increase in popularity. Although there are none yet for sports betting there are a number of Casino apps that offer virtual reality casinos. You can walk around, spend your money and play blackjack, roulette and poker. Apps such as the Slots Million app and Mr Green Casino app are the leading VR casino apps and are pushing this technology forward with their innovative games.

Keep up to date with all news related to augmented reality betting apps by following us at @bettingapps