Why iGaming Became So Successful: A Deep-Dive
iGaming is something that has been growing quickly over the last ten years, and particularly in the last five. New companies seem to be springing up all the time, offering gamers experiences that they’ll struggle to find elsewhere. But what’s really driving this trend and how did it spring up so quickly? That’s the topic we broach in this article. We get to the crux of this gaming revolution and it’s suddenly become so enormously popular.
Smartphones Are A Casino In Everyone’s Pocket
Perhaps the biggest reason that the iGaming industry is really taking off right now is the fact that smartphones are literally putting casinos in people’s pockets. Players have more access than ever before to the betting experiences they want, and they don’t even need to go to a bookies or a club. It’s all right there on their devices. Think about what a change in the dynamic that represents. Previously if you really wanted to bet money you had to (at the very least) leave the house. A lot of people got into the habit of traveling to Vegas every year, but, again, that was expensive, even if it was a lot of fun. But now, none of that is necessary. Most of these iGaming companies have their own apps, so it’s super simple to just connect and play. Nothing is challenging like it used to be.
The Legalization Wave
At the same time, there was a massive legalization wave in Europe and then the U.S. Changes to the law meant that players could enjoy their favorite slots online and didn’t have to worry about legal repercussions or even use a VPN. For example, in 2018 in the U.S., electors and politicians overturned the PASPA rules in more than 38 states. Sports betting was suddenly allowed online and then casinos later flourished. In Europe, changes to the law in places like Malta, Italy and Sweden as far back as 2005 also made a difference. Online providers had legal clarity and were able to set up their businesses around the new rules that the authorities had laid out.
Live Dealer Games Improved The Experience
Another factor worth considering is how live dealer games improved the experience. Once the internet became fast enough to support live feeds, it was only a matter of time before somebody implemented these. Live games were popular because they essentially recreated the sensation of being in an actual live casino. Players could follow along and imagine that they were at a roulette wheel or a poker table. Despite the fact that non-live digital versions had existed for a while, almost every online casino now has a live section. All they need to do is connect to the developer’s portal and their clients can start playing. It’s very simple these days and doesn’t require any special integrations.
What’s more, live games improved trust. Because players could see someone real on the website, it added a sense of familiarity which then led to faith in the rest of their games. Most players wouldn’t automatically deposit a large amount of cash to enjoy some slots in a casino they’d never heard of. But if they could access live games of some description and develop relationships with the hosts, then that encouraged them to play more, boosting the popularity of many of these sites.
Live Betting And Streaming
Related to this last point, many casinos also got into the habit of offering live betting and streaming. Live in-play betting while watching games on smart devices was a significant step forward for the industry and something that really made a difference on the ground level among players. What’s more, it gamified the betting experience. Players could suddenly change their betting odds mid-match with live-updated odds, adding a new dimension and element to what was already an exciting setup. It meant even more dopamine with minimal effort and a greater level of interaction.
Crypto Payments
Then on top of this, many players began playing using crypto and other currencies. These allowed them to make withdrawals with almost zero fees while, at the same time, keeping their spending more private. Many could pay from e-wallets that weren’t connected to conventional bank accounts, preventing unwanted snooping of their activities (which might affect their credit score).
If you go to many modern online casinos today, you’ll see a bunch of options for using crypto. These are available through special payment portals managed by third parties, providing multiple payment options (including with more obscure cryptos, like Dogecoin). Many gaming sites actually grew much faster because of this one feature. Players preferred the fact that they could use their blockchain-based money instead of having to deal with the stuffy old-fashioned banking system.
Affiliate Marketing Grew
The rise of the best iGaming traffic to many of these websites was also the result of affiliate marketing. TikTokers and all sorts of social media personalities saw the opportunity to plug casinos and then take a cut of the revenue for life. In fact, these deals were so good, almost everyone started to use them. Thousands of people made millions in the space of a few years, just by plugging many of these online iGaming brands and then living off the revenues from that point onwards. Only perhaps the software industry pays affiliates this well, and even that’s rare, leading to massive opportunities.
The Pandemic Added Rocket Fuel To The Blaze
Finally, the pandemic added what many see as rocket fuel to the blaze that was the iGaming industry for a while. With people spending more time at home and less at work, many bored players looked for casino action online. And because all the infrastructure was in place, they found it. Many of the top operators saw their revenues increasing by 300% to 600% in the space of a few months after March 2020, underscoring the enormity of the impact. When stimulus checks came through, many people used them to play the slots online and look for big jackpots.
