BetGames has revealed the results of an in-house test that saw whether AI presenters could work in a live gameshow format without impacting player behavior. One of its live games had AI presenters instead of human ones, and this went live without players being aware of it. The company then monitored the audience’s response.
The major consequence of this experiment was not only that the avatars continued to be on air. It is that apparently most of the players did not even realize what was going on. As BetGames reported, more than 70% of users didn’t recognize that the presenters were AI-generated.
Stable Metrics, Limited Commercial Impact
For operators and suppliers, the more important finding may be what did not change. BetGames said core performance indicators stayed broadly in line with normal levels during the test. Session duration, average stake, and betting volume showed no statistically meaningful shift compared with broadcasts hosted by real presenters.
This finding is significant, as it might eliminate one of the key concerns around AI in live formats. When the human aspect is diluted, player engagement and trust are often expected to drop. In the case shared by BetGames, that did not happen.
Nevertheless, the trial did not deliver the kind of upside that would make rapid rollout easy to justify. BetGames explained that the technology was effective, but it did not improve margins or alter the player experience. In other words, the test proved the technology’s feasibility more than its potential commercial value.
Why Wider Rollout Still Looks Premature
The company also referred to the practical challenges that still look unresolved. For instance, there is technical strain in the live usage of AI presenters. BetGames referred to latency, lip-sync, and live language translation as challenges that affect live output quality.
Another weakness is speech generation. In a prerecorded environment, small flaws are not easily noticed. In a live gameshow, where rhythm and timing are essential to the product, even minor defects become far more visible.
Therefore, BetGames is not presenting this experiment as proof that human hosts are about to be phased out. Instead, what is suggested is that AI may be able to imitate this role, but it has not managed to surpass it.
A More Useful Question for Suppliers
The broader point is that iGaming technology providers may be asking the wrong question if they only focus on replacing existing on-screen talent. BetGames’ research may indicate that substituting human presenters does not create much value on its own. The use of this technology may pass unnoticed in some media formats, but it’s still not good enough to change the economics of live content.
Perhaps, the opportunity for now is not to replicate current models of live content, but to identify product features that only AI can provide.
