A developing feature which has been talked about since 2014 may be coming out in the next
Google Glass release. This feature tracks the movements of the user’s eyes, letting the user
interact with the screen like using a mouse. What does this mean for the gambling world? For the
first time, gamblers will be able to play any sort of gambling game anytime, anywhere, without
lifting a finger.
As vision scientist Michael Dorr explains, the eye-tracking device can tell what the user is
looking at, and even gets a hint as to how the viewer responds to it. For example, the device can
tell whether the user is trying to select something, or if they’re just reading what’s on the screen.
The possibilities are virtually limitless. Every gambling game that has ever been put on a
computer can be controlled with this device.
Here’s how it works. The game is opened on the Google Glass screen just like any other
computer game. Let’s say it’s Video Poker. The gambler selects all of the cards they wish to
keep by looking at them and selecting them. The device notices through changes to the gambler’s
retina that the card has been selected, and the card is highlighted on the screen. When the
gambler is done, they select the button to receive a new set of cards, and either is awarded or
loses their chips from the bet. The game goes on until the gambler selects a new game or closes
the program.
Meanwhile, the gambler could be doing laundry, sitting on the bus, or doing just about anything.
This new form of gambling allows players access to their favorite games at any time of day, no
matter where they are or what they are up to. For many, this development could be life-changing.
The problem lies within the price tag. So far, only a handful of interested people have purchased
Google Glass because the price is sitting at $1,500 a pair and so far it doesn’t do much at all. The
face computer in its full glory can make phone calls, play music, and take notes. Google Glass
users have a greater stigma than Bluetooth users at the turn of the century, and most people could
not afford one even if they wanted to.
When eye tracking comes out, gamblers will finally be able to play any sort of gambling game in
the privacy of their own bus stop. Sound enticing? Time to start saving up. Perhaps a jackpot
would do the trick.