Is It Getting Easier to Play Casino Games Online?
Is it getting easier to play casino games online? In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down the Federal sports gambling ban which triggered an accelerated adoption of online gambling across the U.S. In light of this and the ever growing list of states legalising online gambling, the growing list of companies providing these services and the clear appetite for it – all signs are pointing in the right direction. Below, we will go into the growing popularity of online casinos.
COVID-19
COVID-19 affected the gambling industry worldwide. In today’s day and age, we do everything online. We bank online, we read our news online, we watch movies online and game online. When COVID-19 hit, people were forced to work online as well. As a result, we’re seeing companies concentrate more of their resources on their digital efforts than ever before. One of the beneficiaries of these digital pushes was iGaming, in no place more than the U.S. When casinos, much like most other businesses, had to close their floors to customers – they had to think on their feet and shift more of their efforts towards online gambling.
Is It Legal?
Whilst gambling is not illegal in the U.S, there has been a long and historically complicated relationship between the two. After the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, it has now been left up to each state to decide for themselves – with six states, predominantly in the North East having chosen to legalise online casino games. That number is expected to keep rising. Among U.S. markets for online gambling, New Jersey is the largest. More than $225 million passes through the market annually, with around a dozen licensed and legal sites competing for this revenue. As well as this, sports betting apps and sports books are now able to legally operate in the Garden State.
An Interactive Experience
Playtech is a gambling technology company that offers live dealing software where dealers flip cards and spin roulette wheels in real-time for gamblers at home on their phones. It’s aim is to create a more interactive and unique experience that’s as close as you can get to a casino floor without actually being on one. In 2020, Playtech agreed to supply it’s software to the BetMGM network in New Jersey, which will be made available to BetMGM Casino, Borgata Online and PartyCasino NJ. Whilst the company and software have been around for some time, efforts in the U.S market have increased in recent years which points to a clear demand for their services.
What once was deemed a very unsafe and insecure area – banking with gambling operators, seems to have finally turned a corner. 5-10 years ago, the thought of players making deposits and withdrawals online was still risky business. Players just didn’t feel safe sending large sums of money to online operators. It is entirely different using a card to play online than it is buying chips in a casino.
Luckily several online banking options are now available. There is enhanced protection and security for those making deposits by credit and debit cards, and the new range of online wallets, such as PayPal and Skrill who have protection policies in places have only encouraged players to make transfers online. Google Pay Casinos in the US have also become really popular thanks to the trust of players in the Google name.
What Does This Mean For The Average Gambler?
The gambling industry is an extremely popular one in the U.S, you only have to look at the long-standing place Las Vegas has in the heart of American pop culture for evidence. The American public loves a gamble and it is easier now than ever before. With more and more states opting to legalise online gambling, the industry is growing fast and it’s here to stay.
Photo by Ameer Basheer on Unsplash