Stake by stake, AI is fundamentally transforming the global gaming business.
From accelerated product development to bonus abuse identification, businesses are increasingly harnessing next-generation technology to deliver in-house efficiencies.
However, from a player perspective, personalisation is where AI is making the most visible impact through tailored marketing campaigns, game recommendations, and more.
Changing the calculation
Now, though, AI is quite literally joining the gambling conversation, opening up a new category of casino game, according to Andrii Savyntsev, product owner at ICONIC21, a provider of live dealer and casino games.
“Not every player wants to sit in silence. Equally, not every player wants the commitment of a live casino table.”
“For decades, RNG games succeeded because they were designed to be fast, efficient and solitary. That was not a weakness – it was the point,” he says.
“Players could jump in, play a few hands and leave. No need to join a live table. RNG became one of online gaming’s most successful formats precisely because it removed friction.
“AI made us realise that this design choice also left room for something in between. Not every player wants to sit in silence. Equally, not every player wants the commitment of a live casino table.
“For years, there was little in between. You either chose silent RNG or live casino. The arrival of conversational AI has changed that calculation.”
Conversational AI
Across everyday life, conversational AI is booming. According to research published in June, the global conversational AI market size was valued at $14.3bn last year, and is projected to grow from $17.7bn in 2026 to $78.9bn by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate of 23.8% over the next seven years.
The technology is now readily available to the public at the touch of a button on their phone and is being used to provide information, guidance and support on every aspect of daily life, from meal suggestions to fitness routines.
In a gambling setting, though, the role of conversational AI is more nuanced.
Whether at the racetrack, casino table or betting shop, this has traditionally been an industry built around human interaction. In a world in which businesses like Blockbuster and Borders succumbed to digital alternatives, in-person gambling remains resilient despite the continued growth of the industry online.
“Much of the industry’s discussion around AI dealers has centred on the wrong question: can AI replace a human dealer? It is a fair question, but it assumes every AI-powered dealer is trying to solve the same problem,” Savyntsev says.
“One model uses AI to imitate human dealers as closely as possible. Sceptics of that approach make valid points, arguing that players value authenticity, trust and the unique atmosphere of live casino. The problem is that this debate often treats all AI dealer products as variations on the same idea: recreating the live casino experience through technology.”
A transparent approach
Transparency was a foundational principle behind ICONIC21’s launch in May of iDealer Blackjack, a classic RNG seven-seat blackjack game featuring an AI-powered dealer.
Developed in collaboration with RAVATAR using its real-time interactive AI avatar technology and described by ICONIC21 as a “real-time presence”, the dealer welcomes players by name, remembers past interactions and adapts naturally to every session.
According to Savyntsev, a key lesson from ICONIC21’s work on iDealer Blackjack is that transparency changes the interaction.
“Rather than trying to blur the line between human and artificial, we made it clear from the outset that players were interacting with an AI-powered dealer in an RNG game. Counterintuitively, that honesty became a strength,” he says.
“Many people assume AI experiences improve as they become more human-like. Our observation was different. By openly presenting the dealer as AI-powered, we removed a layer of social friction and allowed players to engage with the experience on its own terms.”
“This is not a live casino replacement”
Savyntsev’s perspective chimes with wider evidence suggesting people can sometimes feel more comfortable interacting with AI than with another person. In the gambling space, for instance, FanDuel co-founder Nigel Eccles is not alone in believing some people find human dealers intimidating.
Meanwhile, multiple studies have shown that people can be more willing to open up in interactions with AI. New academic research, published last month, revealed that people find AI-generated messages to be more empathetic than human-written ones.
Complementing, not replacing
That is not to say that conversational AI, or products like iDealer Blackjack, are primed to displace human dealers any time soon.
ICONIC21 says the product “enhances what players already love about RNG blackjack without trying to replace what live casino does best”. In other words, it adds a layer of interactivity through advanced technology.
“This is not a live casino replacement,” Savyntsev says.
“Live casino serves a different player need and a different mood. The atmosphere of a real table, interaction with a human dealer and the social dynamics between players remain distinct parts of the experience. An AI-powered dealer inside an RNG game occupies a different space.”
The result is an RNG product that “occupies new experiential space between traditional RNG and live casino” – and Savyntsev insists, therefore does not cannibalise human-to-human experiences.
“iDealer remains firmly within RNG. The shift is experiential rather than structural”
“What we found particularly interesting was how players interacted with the AI-powered avatar,” he adds.
“Based on observations from our own tables, conversations often extended beyond gameplay itself, covering topics ranging from trivia and sport to current events, as well as switching between languages. Rather than simply making RNG more talkative, the technology appeared to create a different type of interaction altogether.”
An adaptable framework
The iDealer concept has already expanded into new formats. In August, ICONIC21 unveiled iDealer Boulevard Blackjack, which “provides a further example of where this model can go”, Savyntsev says.
The same AI-powered dealer now exists within a completely different environment, surrounded by the visual language of a neon-lit coastal metropolis, palm-lined boulevards and urban nightlife. According to Savyntsev, the significance is not the setting itself, but the fact that the same conversational dealer can exist across entirely different branded experiences.
“That moves the concept beyond a single game and towards a more adaptable framework,” he adds. “For operators, the opportunity is no longer a one-size-fits-all AI experience. Personality, environment and brand identity can now become part of the product, without replacing live.
“This is why I believe AI is creating a new category of casino game. Not a new vertical. iDealer remains firmly within RNG. The shift is experiential rather than structural.”
Creating valuable experiences
The emergence of AI-powered casino experiences does not necessarily point towards the replacement of human dealers. Instead, Savyntsev argues that there is room for AI to create a distinct type of casino experience alongside traditional RNG and live casino.
“The industry has spent a great deal of time asking whether AI can replicate a human dealer. The better question is what happens when it doesn’t try to,” Savyntsev says.
“The future of AI-powered dealers will not be defined by how closely they resemble live casino. It will be defined by whether they create experiences that players genuinely value for reasons of their own.
“The providers that succeed will be the ones who understand that distinction, remaining precise about where AI adds something meaningful and disciplined about where it doesn’t.”