What is an RTP and how does it come into play at the online casino?
Online casinos are on the rise and will continue to take over an increasing share of the market in the coming years. According to a report by Grand View Research, the online gambling market — including online casinos, sports betting, bingo and poker — is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of just over 11% every year from 2020 to 2027.
This growth rate is staggering considering the current state of the global economy. The research attributes this growth to a variety of factors including ease of access, legalization and a decrease in the social stigma associated with gambling. They also note the importance of celebrity tie-ins and corporate involvement as factors that have changed how people view gambling.
One important reason that has contributed to the rise of online casinos that this research overlooked was improvements in technology. Technological developments have impacted every sector, so of course they have impacted the gambling industry as well. Most people are familiar with the rise of mobile gaming, digital payments and developments like improved security systems. One element that is less well known but equally important is Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).
What is an RTP?
Real-time Transport Protocol is a name that doesn’t really explain what it does. It sounds more like some sort of meaningless tech jargon. RTP is actually an essential step in the digital communication process.
RTP, as defined by the Network Working Group, is “a standard protocol to enable real-time connectivity for exchanging data that needs real-time priority”. It is, at its heart, a data transport protocol that reduces latency to a minimum. This allows for communication online to be done in real time. SRTP can also be used — it is a secure version.
Another important part of RTP is that it timestamps and numbers all packets. That means that even if they arrive jumbled, they can very quickly be placed back in order. Again, this reduces latency because it is a more efficient system. RTP works for more than just audiovisual communication. It is also available for active data transfer, like streaming.
Sportsbetting
Sportsbetting is one of the biggest facets of the gambling industry. It has been a popular pastime in the United Kingdom for decades and now more and more countries around the world are legalizing sports betting, growing the industry even further. Using a trusted sportsbook Such as BetRivers is the best way to get in on the action.
RTP allows bettors to know exactly what is going on as it happens. It allows both the bookmakers and the bettors to have access to information immediately. This can help bettors make smarter decisions with their bets, like being able to choose to cash out a bet as soon as things look like they won’t be going their way.
Live dealer casino games
The introduction of live dealer casino games has been one of the biggest steps for the online casino industry. These games pull in users who want the real casino experience but were unsure about moving to online gambling. These games provide the closest thing possible to the land-based casino experience.
Live dealer casino games are table games, such as poker, blackjack and roulette, that are dealt in real-time by a dealer being streamed to the players. The players can then interact with the dealer, the cards and one another. The play is generally seamless and therefore moves in a natural way, just like at a land-based casino. It is perhaps the best way to get experience playing card games before playing with people in real life.
Without Real-time Transport Protocol none of this would be possible. The dealer and cards must be streamed to the players and the players’ responses and actions must be immediately communicated back to the dealer. If a card is flipped over, all players need to be able to see that action as quickly as possible. Lag and latency would ruin the flow of the game and make it difficult or impossible to follow. Without RTP, the frustration of trying to play but constantly having to wait would be too hard to deal with.
Real-time Transport Protocol has had an impact on so many facets of our digital world. From video gaming to conference calls to remote teaching, being able to communicate with each other from all over the world as if we were sitting in the same room is an impressive feat. Even events like weddings and parties can now be thrown online with guests joining in from all over. We lose less information, save time and are able to enjoy improved forms of entertainment.