Gambling is a worldwide pastime – I think that is a fair statement. For me, it is something I have done as a casual pursuit ever since I turned of age, placing my first-ever wager on the English Grand National Horse race, something that is now an annual tradition. In the past few decades, I have also had the good fortune to be able to travel to Las Vegas, the spiritual heart of casino gambling and gameplay, and lived but an hour from Atlantic City for a while too.
Add to that a little flutter on the Premier League here and there, and perhaps one on the odd boxing title fight, and you get the idea: gambling is fun and casual for me, as it is for billions around the globe. It’s fun, fast, and for many, it brings people together in a shared pursuit. It has created worldwide communities, especially online.
Since the birth and exponential growth of the internet and digital devices, the world of gambling has undergone something of a revolution, as well as a constant evolution.
As well as the accessibility afforded by online platforms, the sheer volume and choice are incredible. If you’ve ever checked out the number of options you have when it comes to something like online slots in US states, for example, you’ll see an absolute plethora of games available, with varied features and a myriad of themes to capture the attention of any player. You can enjoy fishing themes, Greek gods, Safari animals, fruit games, cowboy icons, and so much more. It’s quite astonishing just how varied online slots are!
When you think about it, online gambling and casino games are now everywhere, thanks to the power of the internet. For anybody who wants to enjoy the slots, or any other casino game, it’s as simple as opening an app or a browser and diving in.
So, how has gambling gone from being something that, perhaps, was less of a general pastime and considered to be somewhat niche, to being one of the most globally enjoyed leisure pursuits? Well, one of the main reasons is the way in which technology has enabled gambling to be more accessible and also safer. Let’s look a little deeper and see what else we can land on.
Gambling And Casino Experiences Digitally Delivered
In the early days of the internet, and indeed of mobile phones, the only card game you could play was solitaire, otherwise known as patience. It was, appropriately, a solitary game and about as far from the online casino and gambling app landscape that now exists as it could be.
Take a look at any search engine and you will find countless gambling sites, gaming apps, online casino destinations, and a landscape of great gambling options available around the world and around the clock.
Having the ability to have our gambling and casino experiences delivered digitally has transformed both how we gamble, who gambles, and in some ways, what we can place a wager or bet on. Whether it is poker or bingo, lottery games, or sports-based betting you love, the ability to enjoy this experience is now digital. Indeed, the online gambling industry is a billion-dollar sector, making the drive for competitors to keep things exciting ever greater.
Of course, before you tell me, there are still brick-and-mortar casinos, betting shops, and gambling establishments, but having these things digitally delivered unquestionably makes them more accessible, not to mention more convenient.
As well as this, it has made gambling and online casino gameplay, in my humble opinion, much more mainstream. With this, the audience and demographic of gambling and online sports betting are also expanding. Statistics now indicate that women are using sports betting apps in greater numbers than ever, displacing the previously held notion that it was something of a male domain.
For many, the pilgrimage to Vegas, the buzz of the horse racing track, or even the fun of the betting shop will never be replicated, but for others, gambling and gameplay online is either their preference or their only option. And with that, the mainstream mantle has been achieved.
Global Gambling Uniting Players And Creating Communities
One of the wonderful things to emerge from the exponential growth of online gambling and online casinos is the communities this sector has created. Or, to perhaps be more accurate, the way in which those who love the online gaming experiences and gambling have themselves enabled new communities to be born out of this global leisure pursuit.
Since the dawn of online casinos especially, communities of like-minded friends have come together to share their passion. The numbers back this up, with global gambling revenue projected to be over US $470 billion by the end of 2025.
Whether it is poker or pontoon, iGaming or slots, worldwide friendships have been forged and, in many cases, in-person tournaments and conventions created. From this has sprung amazing creativity, as we see particularly clearly in the world of slots and the myriad of new features that are constantly being released in this space.
As we draw this discussion to a conclusion, I think we have established that gambling has become more mainstream, and online casinos are a global behemoth. With so many positives for the gambling world, it is not surprising that it is one of the premier forms of online entertainment, and I’d put a bet on it getting bigger and better as time goes on.
