While land-based casinos in major US markets have reopened since May, the revenues of their digital counterparts are still growing, statistics show. Naturally, the in-person operations have upped their revenue even over the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. But overall income from online gambling sites continues to surge.
News Highlights
- Online casino revenues continue to soar as land casinos reopen
- Walk-in casinos report a record-breaking month
- More people enjoy the advantages of hi-tech gambling
Online Gambling Keeps Rising as Land Casinos Reopen
Experts expect the online gambling market worldwide to grow to $72.02 billion this year, compared to $64.13 billion in 2020. That reflects the same growth rate of about 10% to 12% that the industry has experienced in recent years. In 2019, the industry was valued at more than $50 billion before the onset of COVID-19 restrictions. It later benefited from the lockdowns that kept gamblers at home.
The projections also reflect the confidence that internet wagering will continue to grow at a healthy clip. The online betting segment’s market value is expected to swell to $100 billion by 2026.
Revenue reports from specific regions already show online wagering is keeping pace from last year. Figures from the early months of 2021 indicate that revenue has increased by 50% in the US.
Land Based Casinos Big Jump
Walk-in casinos have certainly rebounded from last year when most of them closed because of the pandemic. In May, those operations set a record by bringing in $4.68 billion from traditional casino gaming, sportsbooks, and internet gambling.
Nevada accounted for $1.23 billion in gambling revenue, despite casinos operating under capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. They were allowed to go to most of their capacity on June 1.
Why Is Online Gambling Still Growing?
Considering many gamblers returned to brick and mortar casinos after the lockdowns, one might wonder why online gambling is still on the rise. Below we listed some of the latest trends that are undoubtedly influencing this tendency.
Technology
Virtual reality, augmented reality, and live dealer games are becoming more popular and accessible with technology enhancements at many online casinos. More people are also using mobile devices with the growing 5G technology. Digital games are much faster, and transactions are easy and quick.Low Limits
Because of low-limit betting at online gambling sites, more and more people realize that small deposits can get a lot of playing time.Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin and other virtual currencies are a more prominent presence in online casinos because gamblers like the privacy, security, and swift transactions these payment methods offer.
Where Can You Play Online Casino Games?
Below we listed some of the top legit casino sites where players can enjoy a safe gambling experience.
Las Atlantis
Here you will find some games that you won’t find at other sites. The excellent design and organization make those games easy to find, too. The casino employs state-of-the-art security through SSL encryption.
Wild Casino
This site has six live-dealer tables in its wide array of games. They feature games accessible by mobile devices and home computers. Wild Casino earned a solid reputation since it launched in 2017.
BetUS
Launched in the early days of online gaming (1994), BetUS has a long-standing reputation for security and fairness. You can find plenty of tournaments at this site, and it has an A-rated sportsbook.
Online Gambling Expected to Keep Rising
Experts cited the pandemic as a big reason for the popularity surge in internet betting sites last year, and it certainly was a factor. But since the reopening of land-based casinos, the digital side of the industry is still gaining ground. As more US states adopt gambling as a revenue source and more people catch on to the fun of real-money betting, the online trend should continue.
