While online means of entertainment have always been popular, due to pandemic restrictions, people are turning to the Internet more and more.
Social distancing is keeping casinos closed, but online gambling allows people to bet and have fun with their money (potentially even improve their financial situation). Since COVID-19 took over the world, the demand for online gambling has greatly increased and data only suggests it will continue to grow and get more popular. So how did COVID really impact online casinos?
Changes in online gambling laws
Right now, brick-and-mortar casinos are facing serious losses and challenges, but online gambling allows casinos to get out of the red. However, their position greatly depends on the state rules for online gambling. Some countries are limiting online resources (Latvia and Austria) while others are adopting new regulations and establishing new laws. Countries most suitable for online gambling growth are Italy, Spain, India, Philippines, Belarus and the USA.
CIS countries like Russia and Ukraine also have a positive dynamic when it comes to online gambling laws, but some countries like Latvia have greatly blocked internet gambling platforms. Latvia declared war on online gambling and created a huge problem with jobs in the industry causing many people to lose their jobs.
Growth of online gambling
Since many people are forced to stay at home, online traffic is surging on all internet fronts. Gambling websites started attracting thousands of new visitors per day as land-based casinos closed their doors to regular visitors and switched to online platforms. More players started frequenting poker rooms and tournaments and playing online slots. Some countries saw an opportunity in this statistic, so we have Belarus officially legalizing online casinos and Armenia considering changes in their laws.
According to some sources, online gambling resources have increased anywhere from 10 to 15 percent, and March traffic in online casinos and poker rooms made the highest jump in the last three years. A gradual decline is also expected since some people will get bored and some countries will adopt more strict online gambling laws. However, platforms like New American Casinos are slowly becoming one of the most popular resources for online casinos. Plus, they provide you with news and reviews of all legal American Casinos so you can get the best out of your online gambling experience.
Gambling is made more fun
COVID-19 reached absolutely every aspect of society today, gambling included. So, many casinos choose to use the pandemic in their marketing strategies and attract more new players. Operators are creating a variety of interesting tournaments and promotions which might be interesting to beginners. Also, bonus programs are growing every day, together with more opportunities for betting—and all of these strategies work!
Content is changing
One thing that’s more practical in online gambling is the themes of the games and casinos which can be changed very quickly. With stressful events happening every day and with great isolation, people are gravitating towards games that boost positive adrenaline and are aimed at the plot that’s relevant to today’s events. Favorite slot themes are quickly becoming dystopian motifs like bacteria, viruses and apocalypse, so the classic approach to casinos and games is losing its relevance. Users constantly want new and relevant experiences and developers need to work hard to create new content. Many casinos are really succeeding on this front and they can expect great profit and constant hits from new users.
COVID-19 started a chain of events and changes which will affect our society for good. Many of these changes caused financial consequences for both people and corporations, gambling industry. In some cases, the gambling industry is experiencing great losses, but in others, mainly online, it’s flourishing. One is for sure, gambling is not going anywhere, it’s just changing and adapting to these troubling times.
