Online Gambling Continues Impressive Growth

Mobile Technology Spurs Innovation

As more nations embrace online gambling via legalization and regulation, rapid growth of mobile gambling is spurring the overall growth on the global online gambling market.

You can play slots on your iPhone and other mobile devices, as well as other popular casino games.

This year, bettors will wager some $500 billion at online casinos, according to gambling industry experts. That $500  billion represents more than 10 percent revenue growth from a year ago, and roughly matches the growth rate posted by online gambling since 2013.

That growth rate is expected to continue through at least 2020, as more nations and states weigh the benefits of legalizing and regulating online gambling within their respective borders.

While online gambling is growing my more than 10 percent annually, the fledgling mobile gambling market is growing about twice as fast. About $100 billion of the anticipated online casino revenues this year should come from mobile gambling, industry experts say.

That’s a 20 percent increase in just one year, Next year, that amount could rise to $165 billion, representing some 66 percent revenue growth in just one year — if it happens.

Spurring much of the growth of mobile gambling is the low barriers to entry for consumers and casinos alike. Consumers can get free or discounted rates on smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices by simply signing up for an account, and pay $40 to $60 per month for cellular service.

By comparison, gambling via computer requires buying an expensive computer, a cable modem and possibly a Wi-Fi router, and high-speed Internet access. The computer is tethered to either an Ethernet cable or the Wi-Fi signal, and is far less portable than a smartphone.

A computer also requires anti-virus software and other security measures that are not needed when using a mobile device to gamble.

The only real advantage of using a computer is the larger size of the computer screen and monitor. Yet, the graphics, sound and gameplay are exactly the same as bettors get when they engage in mobile gambling.

Ultimately, the convenience and affordability of using mobile gambling will lead to more bettors choosing to use their mobile devices to gamble instead of logging on via their computers.

As mobile technology continues to improve and expand service areas, even more bettors are likely to switch to mobile devices to lay wagers and win cash playing their favorite casino games.