An interview with Jordan Marley from Casino.us
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is promising (or threatening) to transform the world. This is no longer a future concept but something that we are living through right now. The companies at the head of the race are returning millions to their shareholders, and there is even talk of governments becoming shareholders in some private firms.
We are certainly living in a time of great upheaval, and even Anthropic is urging AI labs to be cautious and pause some development, concerned that humans could be losing control. While all that may sound rather scary, the truth is that AI is already embedded in much of what we do, and machine learning has been assisting us for years. If we set aside concerns about AI training itself and look at its current deployment, we can see that it has been a major driver of a personalized iGaming experience.
We invited online casino expert Jordan Marley from Casino.us to come and talk to us about how AI is transforming online casino platforms from adaptive game design to tailored rewards systems and how operators are using data-driven insights to enhance player experience.
Gamification Summit
Welcome to Gamification Summit, Jordan. Before we look specifically at AI in online casinos, could you tell us a bit more about Casino.us? Are you a game provider, a review service, or something else?
Jordan Marley
Hi, and thanks for inviting me in. Just to clarify, Casino.us is not an online casino itself. We are an independent review service that helps our readers find the best online casinos in the country. In addition to our reviews, guides, and expert tips, we also feature more than 22,000 free games that readers can try out and practice on before committing to playing with their hard-earned cash. Our trusted team has more than 45 years of combined industry experience, and we spend countless hours checking out real-money and sweepstakes casinos, taking in the full gamut from existing operators to the latest new online casinos available.
Thanks for making that clear. Where would you say iGamers have been seeing AI used the longest on online casino platforms?
That is a good question because I think it is very easy for all of us to think that AI is the latest development in online casino gaming, but it has, in fact, been deployed by companies for ages. One of the most common areas where it is used really effectively is in customer service. At Casino.us, we are really hot on casinos that look after their customers properly, and the great ones offer around-the-clock services. However, many of the simpler questions can be handled by AI. We are so used to chatbots these days that we might not even think of them as AI, but they are.
They allow simple customer queries to be answered easily and mean that the customer does not have to sift through a list of Frequently Asked Questions. They are also great at directing players to the right service or department and should help avoid lengthy waits. The best AI chatbots also know when they are in over their heads, and rather than sending customers round in what feels like a death spiral of non-answers, can direct players to a human agent!
Oh yes! The eternal loop of unanswered questions, we remember those. I think we can all agree that Chatbots have improved massively in recent years. Where else do we see AI working in online casinos?
When players log on, the platform knows who they are (obviously, because they have logged in, and real-money casinos are obliged to carry out Know Your Customer checks). However, when I say the online casino knows its customer, I do not just mean from the details supplied.
AI can build a picture of their playing style by analyzing tried-out games and present them with a choice of other games that might appeal. This personalization can lead to a much more intimate feel. Promotions and bonuses can also be tailored to the player. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all loyalty bonuses; the best schemes now focus on the player’s playing history. However, it is not just about past events; the AI can predict what else might appeal in the future.
Does AI benefit the operator, or is it good for the user too?
Well, AI is now embedded in almost every layer of online casino operations, so we’ve got to assume it is working for operators and players alike. It is being used in everything from game design to fraud detection, helping players avoid gambling harms.
It is great at fraud detection and has been used by online platforms for years to do so. While this benefits the platforms, it also benefits players, particularly against fraudsters attempting to clone or take over accounts.
When it comes to responsible gambling monitoring, AI systems can identify escalating betting behavior and other risk factors, then issue players with warnings and advice. I’d say that was a good thing for the player.
How is it being used in game design?
I think there is a lot of concern about AI taking away creative roles in the industry, and that is fair enough, and because AI cannot innovate, games could become very ‘samey’. However, it is really useful behind the scenes, doing the grunt work, and is also great at testing games and helping to identify and iron out glitches.
In the playing environment, adaptive gaming can be a ‘game changer. This means that casino games play out differently for different people. Fairness is built in through the Random Number Generator, but the pacing, presentation, or content can change depending on how a player behaves. In many regulated markets, it cannot legally change the RTP, hit frequency, or volatility, but it can provide a more personalized experience through bonus rounds and animation speed.
Is AI becoming a feature in live dealer gaming?
You might assume that this is one iGaming vertical that would be the least affected by AI. After all, the whole appeal of live dealer gaming is that it is human-versus-human with real cards, tables, and chips. However, AI is being used in traditional live dealer studios to create more immersive play through camera switching, stream optimization, and card recognition accuracy.
AI versions of human dealers are also being introduced, with companies like BetHog using generative AI to create what they call photorealistic dealers, which they claim are emotionally responsive and multilingual. While it might sound counterintuitive, it is gaining traction.
Thanks for that, Jordan, all very insightful!
