Casino City's Friday Five: Games and gamification edition

If "the future" means high-flying zip lines, incessant gamification and the expansion of online gambling, then, yes, the future is most certainly here.

We also have a couple of other news stories for you — as we always do on this occasion — including heartening news from Las Vegas and a slightly sneaky innovation for our friends in the U.K.

5. Caesars Entertainment announces Fly LINQ attraction
Caesars Entertainment continues to terrify us with its choice of attractions. The company will install a $20 million zip line on The LINQ Promenade, by The LINQ Hotel & Casino, with construction scheduled to begin in the spring of next year. Guests will be able to take in some serious views from a 122-foot-tall observation deck before they strap in, launch and let fate take care of the rest. Intrepid guests can be positioned in a superman pose for the duration of their flight. Best of luck to them!

The Strip's first and only zip line will debut in late 2018.

Get ready to #FlyLINQ ???? #2018 #ComingSoon @LinqPromenade

Details: https://t.co/P5mLCdGduE pic.twitter.com/8TABXqJHaJ
— The LINQ (@TheLINQ) November 8, 2017

4. Las Vegas community to come together for Vegas Strong Benefit Concert
In support of victims of the 1 October tragedy, the Las Vegas entertainment industry is getting together on 1 December for a benefit concert. Big names in both music and entertainment — such as Boyz II Men and Penn and Teller — will perform. Interested parties may also donate directly to the relief fund via text message. One hundred percent of the funds will go to victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

3. Top 10 facts and figures from PlayPennsylvania's online gambling report
In the wake of Pennsylvania's decision to legalize online gambling, PlayPennsylvania released a report detailing prospective pitfalls and successes. This report contains some food for thought, including: Will the high tax rate impede revenue? What's the implication for other states? Will Pennsylvania effectively play catch-up with states with more established online gambling markets, like New Jersey?

Time will tell, but this report gives us a snapshot of the possibilities.

2. Gambling Business Group develops cashless payment system
In the U.K., using debit cards to fund your gambling hobby is a no-go. Quite inconvenient for pretty much anyone who likes to gamble. The Gambling Business Group, working with Agile Gaming, has developed a neat little workaround in the form of a system that processes debit card transactions and turns them into Game Play Tickets.

It's an intermediary move, but until such a time as the U.K. decides to rescind the ban on cards, it's what we have to deal with.

1. Foxwoods rolls out gamified campaigns with OfferCraft
This being the year 2017, we don't think anyone is surprised to hear the news that Foxwoods Resort Casino is "gamifying" its player loyalty program.

Partnering with OfferCraft, FoxwoodsONLINE will increase player engagement via trivia quizzes, guessing games and digital scratch cards, all designed to draw in new customers and reward existing ones. Over time, rewards and promotions will tailor themselves to a specific player's preferences with the help of artificial intelligence.