The global online gambling industry is expected to surpass £26.5 billion by the end of the year, and the industry is still waiting for the real shot in the arm that could take it to another level altogether.
General acceptance of online gambling, together with the explosion in mobile devices, means the industry has undergone rapid growth in recent years. By 2018, more than $100 billion is expected to be gambled on mobile devices, with 164 million users hitting the casinos, betting shops and lottery sites.
New online gaming trends
Casinos that have been optimised for mobile devices and new gamblers, with microgaming sites that simply offer the traditional casino games and make them less confusing for the public at large, have led an online explosion in online gambling. Now grandmas can log in to the best casino online while they’re waiting for the bus on their smartphone for a few hands of Blackjack; they don’t even need to wait to get home.
Social gambling is the next big revolution, and we can expect a new wave of free-to-play games with microtransactions, which should bring a new wave of gamblers who have got used to the likes of Farmville and Candy Crush Saga on social media. The casinos are looking closely at these phenomena and tinkering with the right recipe to bring users of Facebook and Twitter into the casino.
Bitcoin as a new payment option
A new payment system could also spark a major growth spurt in the online casino industry. At one time Bitcoin looked almost certain to adopt this role, but many users have lost faith in this abstract and complicated currency, so now the casinos are looking at ways to incorporate frictionless methods of bringing casual gamers into the casino proper and inviting the casual user to the high-stakes tables.
Virtual Reality is some way away, but when that comes to pass it will certainly provide a major boost to the industry, too.
There is no doubt that online gaming in all its forms is flourishing right now, and online casinos are a big part of the revolution. Quite what the future holds is anybody’s guess, but the future of online casinos looks bright indeed.
