Online gaming, otherwise known as iGaming, has enjoyed massive success over the last few decades. The Gambling Act of 2005 opened new doors for gambling operators throughout the country, empowering them with the freedom to promote their services to bettors online. Developments in technology has seen the introduction of live casinos in the UK, allowing bettors to replicate the experience of playing at a physical casino remotely.
As advertising regulations became less strict, ads for bingo sites, online casinos, and sportsbooks have been a common feature of British television over the last few years. This has had a significant impact on customers. The yield in the UK gambling industry from October 2017 to September 2018 was an astonishing £14.5bn, 39% of which came from iGaming.
Mobile Casinos Drive Growth
One of the major aspects of driving online gaming’s growth in the UK is mobile casinos. Bettors can play their favourite games and bet on national and international sporting events anywhere as long as they have a stable internet connection.
This removes the need to travel to a brick-and-mortar casino or physical bookie and allows operators to penetrate a broader audience. Players who may never have thought about gambling or placed a bet before can now do so. Additionally, for any new players unsure of how to get started, they can play slots and table games for free thanks to many sites’ ‘demo modes.’
This is a convenient, risk-free option for amateurs looking to enjoy the experience without betting real money. They can find out which games they enjoy most before eventually moving to play for cash.
Another crucial factor of the industry’s expansion is the reliance on promotions to attract customers. Most iGaming sites offer new players the opportunity to double or even triple their first deposit. This means their money stretches further, and they are likely to continue playing. Operators may match users’ first three or four deposits as part of larger welcome packages, in addition to free spins on selected slot games.
iGaming continues to enjoy success
Although brick-and-mortar casinos were responsible for declining gross gambling yield (GGY) between April 2018 and March 2020, online gambling actually increased exponentially. From April 2018 until March 2020, online casino gambling increased by approximately 4% and remote betting increased by 15.5%. There are notable increases in popularity, and the market is showing no signs of slowing down for online gambling and betting.
There are currently hundreds of different online casinos and gambling platforms for bettors to choose from. Each one is competing for new players as most realize they can now spin the reels on slots on their way to work or while watching TV at home. To try and stand out in a highly competitive online marketplace, online casinos offer players extensive games libraries, state-of-the-art digital platform technology, and welcome bonuses.
These features are driving people to online iGaming, meaning the market has grown massively in recent years. With the development of live casino games, replicating the experience of a live casino floor, players no longer feel like they are missing out. All of this means the iGaming market in the UK has grown to be huge and will likely grow further over the following decades.
