It is without a doubt that 2020 was a pivotal and successful year for the online casino gaming market. The rate of growth differs depending on location. Some locations are enjoying growth rates double what were expected at 20%, while some areas are experiencing even more online gaming uptake, as much as 40%.
The Sri Lankan authorities have been wary that such growth could cause a spike in fraud attempts. But why has online casino gaming grown so much of late?
Three Reasons Why Online Gaming Has Flourished
- Casinos Have Been Closed
The most apparent and rationale reason why online casino activity has risen over the last year is due to casinos being closed. Due to the worldwide events of 2020 and still occurring in 2021, many of the best casinos in Europe and indeed the world, have had to shut their doors. With the regular casino venues closed for locals, they’ve had to find comparable gambling services virtually instead.
In Sri Lanka, just before Christmas, authorities requested that all bars, restaurants and casinos were to close. This led to an uptake in online casino memberships.
- Improving Internet Penetration (5G)
Another reason for the increasing activity on online casino sites could be due to improving internet speeds. In general, internet speeds are getting faster thanks to tech advancements. These quick internet speeds increase accessibility to casino sites, which is one of the advantages of online casinos compared to land-based casinos.
Of course, the majority of the world is yet to access 5G connectivity. Still, its gradual rollout will make playing casino games from a smaller device, such as smartphones, more appealing to consumers. Improving internet speeds and reduced lag could even grow player confidence in choosing live games that are streamed to devices. Previously they may have been concerned about losing connectivity at a crucial moment in the game.
- Game Development Innovation
A third reason why online gaming has flourished over the previous 12 months is due to the quality of the products and services on offer. Game development companies have increased and improved their offerings, meaning there are more games and better games to choose from on your preferred trusted casino site.
One of the most significant game development improvements of late is in the live gaming niche. Now players can enjoy live casino games that mirror the experiences you would have enjoyed visiting a local casino venue. Another development is developers increasingly buying naming rights and royalties from musicians to include their name and music within slot games. This attracts a ready-made music fanbase to these newer casino games.
Will Land-Based Casinos Follow Suit?
Mobile and online casino gaming has been chasing down venue gambling for some time. 2020 was a year when this particular niche caught up with land-based gaming. Over the course of 2021, it is predicted that land-based trends will bounce back and recover. But due to technology and overarching gaming trends, online casinos look set to become the future dominant force.
