According to forecasts, the gambling market is expected to grow exponentially within the next few years. Currently, gambling accounts for only 36% of the market, while sports betting has a 45% share. Consequently, sports betting is still more popular, but this could change.
Due to the pandemic, people around the world were forced to stay at home. But what do you do with all that time at home when you have nowhere to go? Gaming has become one of the most popular pastimes. Just like in the old days, when online casinos didn’t exist, you can forget about the world out there for a certain period and immerse yourself in a completely different one instead. Online casinos offer the same effect and a little more than traditional games: The prospect of a grandiose win. Sports betting, on the other hand, is no less unpopular and has recently been joined by eSports betting. But what will be the future of casino gambling and sports betting?
Mobile casino and sports betting
Gambling has become increasingly mobile. Every online casino and sports betting provider offers at least their web presence in an optimised form for mobile devices. Some have developed their apps to make mobile gambling and betting even more convenient for users. As cell phones become more and more possible, more and more people are doing without a laptop or desktop PC. Thus, more and more are shifting to the mobile sector.
On the way to work or the long train ride to the family, people like to play more and more on their cell phones. Men and women alike are passionate about playing online slot machines or bingo. More and more people are also placing sports bets on the move.
With the ever-increasing popularity of digital-mobile living, the iGaming industry will undoubtedly continue to focus on the growing mobile user market.
Betting during the game and new forms of betting
Originally, sports betting was done before the game or race. However, a lot can happen during a game, so sports bettors are offering more betting options. These include bets that can be made during a match. eSports offer even more opportunities for betting, especially with tournaments that can be quite long. With eSports, there are more and more betting options that can be placed live as well. It is to be expected that sports betting providers will come up with even more to make games more exciting for spectators.
In addition, more betting forms are opening up. Some providers are already starting to offer bets on the outcome of political elections and other social events. This area will most likely continue to grow.
Interactive Slots
Interactive slots are the latest generation of slot machines. Instead of just activating a spin button, interactive slots offer players more. They can actively shape the game through various elements, much like a traditional computer game. Thus, new incentives are created in slots, which could even convince Millennials or Generation Z. Bonus games in interactive slots are designed more for player skills than just pure luck. However, classic symbols like the wild or scatter are still part of the version of the modern slot.
Virtual and augmented reality
Both virtual and augmented reality have been invested in for years. The first virtual reality casino already existed in 2015, but virtual reality has not yet found the desired appeal.
While players increasingly have to spend their time at home, they would love to see a real casino from the inside again. Lockdowns are already being threatened, again and again, so we can probably expect more in the future. With virtual reality, players can visit a casino again – but without having to leave their own four walls to do so. You could imagine visiting a virtual reality casino like visiting the holodeck on Star Trek. You can enter the casino and see dealers and also other players at a table. You can even operate slot machines just like in reality.
The only difference is that you need a special headset for virtual reality. The prices for such headsets are currently still quite high but are guaranteed to fall in the next few years. Augmented and virtual reality are two other aspects that the trend will move toward in Europe in the next few years.