With the rapid proliferation of the internet and smart devices globally, digital outreach among consumers demands a radically improved and experience-driven digital gaming journey. Online gaming is already taking rapid strides by leveraging digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cognitive analytics, and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) to enable hyper-interactive and immersive experiences. Cloud hosting services consistently churn up new platforms and possibilities while the digital bandwidth requirements keep getting wider. At the same time, gambling legalization continues to expand, with sports betting now legal in 20 states in the U.S.A and online gambling in 8 states.

The gaming paradigm is at the cusp of a business revolution. Enterprises will have to move beyond conventional business models and adopt a next-gen digital-IT ecosystem to capitalize on significant opportunities. Critical elements of a well-rounded operating plan for gaming companies in today's digital world include elevated experience, personalized engagement, an elastic ecosystem, and a digital-first approach.

The underlying business, technological, and consumer trends shape the future of online gaming and digital media. The developments are ushering in a revolution that is constantly redefining and stretching the boundaries of gaming and the business and technological innovations that go hand in hand. Today industry leaders need to prepare for the evolution with digitization, multi-platform content distribution, and social media acceleration.