One of the largest online casinos announced in March 2011 that it had played its 1 billionth hand of blackjack. It’s amazing how popular it is to visit online casinos when you consider how many there are. Nobody could have anticipated the changes and rapid growth that the industry would experience when the first online casino was launched in 1996. This is especially true when you consider smart mobile devices which are becoming more accessible every day Ezwin.
Nielsen Media Research’s 2010 statistics showed that online gambling traffic increased by 40% in the UK, compared to 2009. The study also showed that 46% of online gamblers were women, and 50% were middle-aged men earning above average wages. The National Annenberg Survey of the Young in the USA found that 16% of college-aged males visited online casinos at minimum once per month. This is a significant increase over 2008 figures.
Many online gambling sites credit their popularity to the establishment of industry standards by groups such as eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), better customer service and a commitment providing safer and higher-quality sites for players. Online gambling sites are experiencing a rapid growth. They are now accepting new payment methods, as well as offering more currencies and languages.
Latin America is the largest region for online gambling expansion. These 33 countries have a population of approximately 570 million and are ideal for web gambling companies to invest. Investors in financial services providers and online servers operators are eager to explore Latin America as a potential expansion area.
The existing infrastructure for telecommunications, which includes widespread access to broadband and mobile internet, is a major reason why online gaming has become so popular in Latin America. Access to internet was available for nearly 200 million Latin Americans in 2009, with a growth rate of 30% annually.
Because Latin America has a high level of device penetration, mobile online gambling is expected to grow the most. In 2009, the region had 80%, which was higher than the global average. Nearly 500 million people have access to mobile networks. This is in addition to the rapid evolution of graphics and game features for mobile devices. It is obvious why any online casino would want to expand.
Mobile device gambling isn’t just a Latin American phenomenon. The popularity of mobile devices is increasing rapidly all over the world, and web casinos that create applications for them will be the first to profit from this market.
Since 1996, online gambling has advanced a lot. To reassure customers, there are more regulations in place and more currency and payment options. Online gambling is evolving rapidly. With better graphics and software, casinos are rethinking customer service. Mobile handheld devices such as iPhones and Android phones are opening up new markets. It is an exciting time in the online gambling industry.
