How Will 5G Connectivity Boost iGaming in the UK?

Posted by Harry Kane on Friday, November 1, 2019

5G technology has been in the headlines recently, with China’s mobile operators having rolled out one of the largest networks in the world. Formed by state-owned carries China Mobile, China Unicorn and China Telecom, this network as emerged at a time when Beijing and Washington remain gripped in a power struggle over trade and technology.

Of course, we’ve also seen numerous 5G networks rolled out in the UK too, with this technology creating a significant window opportunity for in-game sports betting, online casino gameplay and virtual reality.

But how exactly will 5G connectivity boost iGaming in the UK, and how will operators be able to benefit? Let’s find out!

A Brief History of Wireless Technology

Fifth generation wireless (5G) technology is best defined as a wireless networking architecture, which is built on the 802.11ac IEEE standard.

Interestingly, this iteration of wireless technology is thought to represent a significant upgrade on 4G connectivity, with its data communication speeds up to three times faster overall.

Make no mistake; the increased data communication rate associated with 5G networks is central to its appeal, whilst this technology also leverages a technique called ‘beamforming’ to achieve a far larger coverage area.

This is far removed from the world of 1G, which was the first generation of wireless telephone technology and was rolled out at the end of the 1970s. This introduced the first ever range of analog telecommunication standards, and continued to do so for more than a decade until the launch of 2G in 1991.

2G also brought significant improvements and benefits as part of the upgrade, primarily by encrypting phone conversations and introducing 2G data services for mobile devices. Interestingly, 2G technology was also responsible for allowing text and MMS messages, creating significant progress in the development of smartphones.

In the case of 3 and 4G iterations, we saw a significant emphasis on the provision of mobile Internet access across a number of different devices.

3G technology also provided an information transfer rate of at least 200 kbit/s, which also created technology standards for sending voice and signalling data between mobile devices and cell sites. 4G continued this trend, although it increased the transfer rate and boosted the performance of mobile networks.

In many ways, these two technologies represented relatively incremental upgrades, and some considered them to be stepping stones towards full 5G connectivity.

This appears to have been borne out by the recent 5G rollout, which is something that iGaming operators and gamblers will be keen to capitalise on.

How Will 5G Boost the iGaming Market?

As we’ve already touched on, 5G delivers significantly faster data communication speeds than any previous iteration of the technology.

This translates into considerably quicker download speeds and much lower latency (1ms), with the latter enabling Internet users to experience less delay when requesting data from within the network.

These improvements will certainly have an impact on live wagering and in-play sports betting, primarily by streamlining the delivery of calculated odds and processing real-time bets as efficiently as possible.

As a result, punters will be able to realise the numerous benefits of in-play betting when leveraging 5G connectivity, without compromising on the number of wagers that they place or their effectiveness.

The potential impact of 5G in the iGaming market extends far beyond in-play betting, however, as it also enables developers to realise the true potential of virtual reality (VR).

Prior to the launch of 5G, VR applications were significantly hampered by limited broadband strength, creating a scenario where punters weren’t always able to make the most of a three-dimensional gambling experience.

Fortunately, 5G technology will create far more potent and high-performance connections, whilst prompting operators and game developers to launch a larger number of VR-inspired games. With new VR hardware also likely to hit the market to coincide with the rollout of 5G, we’re also sure to see an increase in the number of casino platforms that are underpinned by this technology.

On a similar note, the introduction of 5G technology may also enable operators to introduce haptic feedback into the iGaming experience. This refers to the transmission of tactile sensations over long distances, in a bid to enhance the sights and sounds associated with three-dimensional gaming.

Referred to as the ‘tactile Internet’, this is something that casinos have been unable to access historically, thanks largely to the sheer amount of data required and the pressing need for low-latency connectivity.

In this respect, 5G has the capacity to make VR far more authentic and immersive, creating a scenario where online gambling experiences are able to fully replicate those available offline.

Of course, it has been argued for years that VR represents the final frontier in online gambling, particularly in terms of bridging the once seismic gap between virtual and corporeal gameplay. However, the ability to transmit haptic feedback is arguably even more pivotal, and 5G technology will play a key role in making this a viable reality.

The Last Word

As we can see, the rollout of 5G represents a significant development in the world of iGaming, and one that can impact on various stages of the online gambling experience.

From the streamlining of in-play betting to the introduction of haptic feedback and enhanced VR gambling, there’s no doubt that the launch of 5G technology could even sound the death knell for offline gambling across the western world.

This innovation has certainly come at a great time for the U.S. market, which has seen a number of states legalise sports betting after the federal PAPSA ruling was struck down by the Supreme Court last May.

At present, the U.S. is projected to have the highest number of 5G installations by the end of 2019, so licensed operators will have a unique opportunity to leverage this technology and deliver an outstanding gambling experience to punters.

This is just one of the reasons why UK operators are so keen to make their mark stateside, with William Hill and Paddy Power currently leading the charge in this respect!