There are always experts that predict how the gambling world is going to change and grow. But nobody saw the covid-19 pandemic coming in the Spring of 2020. All of the positive estimates about the growth of land-based casinos and physical bookmaker locations went out of the window. These were severely impacted in a negative way due to the pandemic.
The global pandemic forced most countries to embark on “lockdowns” to prevent the spread of the virus. This was definitely the right thing to do, but it resulted in land-based gambling operations having to close their doors for business.
But it was not all bad news for the gambling industry. The coronavirus pandemic saw a surge in the demand for online based gambling. All kinds of new markets opened in the online sports betting world. Online casinos saw a real business boom.
A Weekly Increase in Online Casino Players
When the covid-19 pandemic first took a hold in March 2020, emergency quarantine measures resulted in the halting of most sporting events. This included popular betting sports such as horse racing, greyhound racing, football and popular American sports. The land-based gambling market had never had to contend with something like this before and lost business immediately.
At the same time another positive trend emerged. There was a weekly increase in the number of people that were playing at online casinos such as Revolut casinos. It is very likely that the lack of sports betting opportunities caused by the cancellation of sports in general was a major driver for this increase in online casino activity.
A lot of People Isolated drove new Behaviors
During the periods of quarantine in most countries, people started to develop different behaviors. The sales of alcohol in most countries increased dramatically – in some places sales increased more than 60%. There was a rise in opioid use as well because people found it extremely difficult to cope with the isolation.
It was not all bad news though. The Internet saw an incredible surge in usage growth and many people learned new tech skills during the pandemic. Video conferencing went through the roof as people were desperate to keep in touch with their family and friends during the pandemic.
With the sudden quarantine measures applied, people found that their lives were out of balance. Many were concerned about their future and some experts claim that this resulted in an increase in the number of people gambling online.
The Online Gaming Industry took Advantage
The online gaming industry was well aware that quarantine measures resulted in a greater use of screen time. They knew that a lot of people were bored with the isolation. There was a bombardment of advertising for online casinos during the covid-19 pandemic.
For a lot of people, gambling online became an escape for them. They took note of the increased amount of advertising on websites for Revolut casinos for example. In addition to this, the online gaming industry were ramping up their advertising using a variety of methods which included social media and email marketing.
In order to lure new players to their online casinos, there were many offers of a “free first bet” and other casino bonuses. The appeal of online gambling was strong as there was no reliance on sporting events taking place in the real world. No need to wait – you can gamble instantly.
The Future of Gambling
The significant increase of the online gambling market coupled with the negative impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on land-based gambling is likely to drive more and more gamblers online. As the world gets used to a “new normal” it is unlikely that a land-based casino will have the same appeal as it would have done in the past.
More and more gambling operators are creating online versions of their gambling experiences. Those that do not do this are likely to suffer the after effects of the pandemic. It is unlikely that the rise in online casino players is likely to slow down anytime soon.
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