Long gone are the days of brick-and-mortar casino dominance on the online gambling vertical. Not later than ten years ago, gamblers would make their way to the nearest casino venue to feel this mixture of excitement, adrenaline and fun. These days they luckily don’t have to give up on this incredible feeling but, instead, can intensify the experience without the need of leaving home.
The online gambling market worldwide is sized at about $45bn a year and continuously grows. In 2018 only, there were 36.6 million online gambling customer accounts at facilities licensed by the Gambling Commission in Great Britain, of which 33.6 million were active, meaning they were used to gamble in that year. The numbers are quite impressive, yet not that surprising. We have heard endless stories about casinos, bonuses and winnings. But do we really know everything? Find out 5 facts about online casinos you had no idea about!
1. Online Casino Mechanism
We’re experts on all-things casinos. At least that’s what amateur and professional gamblers like to believe. If we really are, can we answer this one, straightforward question? How do online casinos work? Simple as that. They offer games, they lure players in by offering great promos, they make users lose, they generate massive incomes. This hugely simplified scenario isn’t quite right, though!
With high-end technology behind modern online casinos, there’s always an algorithm that ensures casinos do make money regardless of the offered games. Each of the games had a so-called “house edge”, which, in other words, is a profit margin. Whether it’s a poker room or a slot game, they will all have a house edge. Operators stack the odds in their favour to ensure that over time, when the variance is smoothed out, they will end up generating a profit.
In the long run, the probability would be going to be titled in favour of the casino. Players will always have worse chances than a casino unless they have their own edge over the house (a form of card counting or a cheating system).
2. Slots Are The Most Popular Games
Flashy lights, funky characters, extra sound effects – online slots have their very own aesthetics and energy that attracts thousands of players worldwide. Today’s slots offer more fun and thrills than ever before – think of lucrative bonuses and progressive jackpots that have proven to successfully boost accounts of many players.
They have been gaining in popularity since the very early days of online casinos. In the UK only, between 2009 and 2015, there has been recorded a threefold increase in online slots gaming! The revenue from slots has increased from £86.08 million in 2009/10 to £767 million in 2014/2015.
What’s the reason behind this massive growth? We can list a few factors here but we’ll focus on the most important one. This type of game is one of the simplest that a user might play online. No special skills are required to enjoy playing slots, as the game is based on pure luck. The only thing controllable by a player is… their budget. It’s simple – slots are like guilt-free pleasures that many love for the fact that they don’t empty players’ pockets immediately.
3. Online Casinos Can Be Played For Free
Surprise, surprise! To enjoy a quality casino game one doesn’t have to invest any money at all. Many online casino operators these days offer demo versions of their games. And by “demo” we don’t mean simplified editions of the real games, but rather the exact equivalents. What’s the difference between the two, then? Well, one makes you deposit funds and gives you a chance to play for the real money, while the other one allows for pure fun with no cash involved.
No doubt, playing for real money is exciting but it’s not always a great idea. When on the budget, it’s smarter to try out free games and get the feel first. Players can practise sessions and assess what they might expect from the game when playing later with real pounds. It’s a great convenience that would never be considered in a land-based casino. It’s worth remembering about this feature whenever a player encounters a new, interesting game online but is unsure whether it’s worth their money.
4. Online Bingo Is A Female-Dominated Game
While thinking that the online casino world is dominated by male players is definitely right, the online bingo vertical brings a fresh breath to the industry and welcomes more women than men.
Recent studies have shown that there are over 100 million bingo players worldwide, but roughly 80% of these players are women that are aged between 30-50 years old. The spare 20% are men of the same age range. How does this trend reflect in the UK? In 2019, the split between WhichBingo’s survey participants was 88% female versus 12% male, which is even more distinctive than the global trend!
Why do women love bingo? Combine the social factor of the game, no need to invest huge amounts of money and the visual aesthetics of online bingo sites and you’ll have an answer to this question. Bingo is easy, fun and, first and foremost, gives players a great chance… to make friends! With countless bingo communities online, many have established great relationships with fellow players, proving that the magic of the Internet is real!
5. Online Gambling Is Over 20 Years Old!
Correct! In 1994, the Caribbean nation of Barbuda and Antigua was the first to regulate online gambling. They granted licences to companies who wished to offer gambling services via internet casinos online when it passed the Free Trade and Processing Act.
In 1996, the first-ever online casino was established! The well-known InterCasino made the start to the entertainment vertical that soon has proved to be one of the most lucrative and engaging business sectors. The operator has been actively engaging players in top-quality games ever since, setting up the industry standards at the highest possible level.