Online casinos have really come into their own in recent years and look as though they’ll grow in popularity for years to come. There are many reasons you might decide to play games online rather than at a land-based casino and the market reflects this.
But just how much has the online casino market grown? And does this mean the end for the land-based casinos that we know and love? We’ll be answering all your queries right here.
How the online casino market has grown in recent years
The online casino market is one of the only markets to have grown exponentially since its fruition. Ever since the internet became commonplace in people’s homes, online casinos have taken off. But let’s take a look at just how well the market has grown in recent years.
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In 2024, the global online casino and gaming market reached $58 billion
When you put it all down in numbers, it is astonishing how much money is held within the online gaming and online casino market. The numbers from 2024 are very impressive, but the market is set to grow even further.
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The market is set to reach $112 billion by the year 2025
If you thought the 2024 numbers were impressive, the predictions for 2025 are even more staggering. Of course, we are talking about the market on a global scale however, this amount of growth is unprecedented for any other source of entertainment.
In comparison, the film industry, which has always been top dog in the entertainment market, reached $244.43 billion in 2024. This is a much larger figure but when we consider how much more reach films have and how many more people it appeals to, we can see that the online gaming market is catching up fast.
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1.6 billion people take part in some form of casino games each year
Even if you’re not a regular player, around 26% of the global population is said to play some form of online casino game every year. This shows us the extent of the online gaming industry’s reach and popularity. It’s now not as surprising that the industry is growing so quickly and that its revenue intake is so high.
Why have online casinos become more popular?
There are many reasons for the popularity of online casinos:
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Easy to play
There’s a YouTube tutorial for literally everything now and that goes for online games too! Previously, when you had to play games at a land-based casino, it could be a bit intimidating to try and play a game you don’t quite understand or know. However, playing online takes all the stress away with easy guides and instructions for what to do.
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Play anytime, anywhere
In the modern world, time is one of our most precious commodities. We never feel like there are enough hours in the day to get everything done, let alone relax and recuperate.
This means that the ability to play casino games online rather than at a land-based casino pays dividends. It saves us precious time (and money) that we don’t wish to spare as anywhere you have internet connection, you can play your favourite games.
There’s no need to arrange transport or find a spare weekend to go and have fun. Being able to play wherever you are means that your sole focus is on the game at hand. Having to consider transport and timings takes some of the fun out of the gaming and makes it feel more like a hassle. Playing online means that it’s all fun and you can skip the boring parts.
Sites such as Gambling.com/ie now do all the hard work for players too, by listing the top online casino sites available in a players area as well as the top promotions on offer so players can easily select the site they want to play on.
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Diversity of games
Land based casinos are limited to the number of games they can fit in the space. However, online there is unlimited space for every different game you can think of. And as there are new games being invented all the time, you can play a new game every day and never get bored!
Will land based casinos still exist in years to come?
The future is always difficult to predict, especially in our ever-changing world. However, the answer to this question is probably still, yes. Despite the fact that online casinos are vastly popular, there is still a certain novelty that a land-based casino provides.
There are many famous casinos all over the globe that tourists and gaming fans still enjoy visiting. For example, the Monte Carlo Casino is one of the most famous in the world. Not just because of its size and location, but because of its beautiful architecture and design.
It is also one of the oldest casinos that is still up and running. It first opened its doors way back in 1865 and has held a prestigious reputation ever since. Monaco receives around 300,000 visitors a year and the casino is one of its most popular tourist sites.
Las Vegas is another place that is renowned for its casinos and liberal gambling laws. There are a plethora of casinos that you can visit and even stay in, so the fun never has to end! The majority of visitors to Las Vegas are there to partake in playing games at casinos – even if they are not regular players at home.
The popularity of both of these places goes to show that despite the online casino market growing more and more each year, there is still a place for some land-based casinos. While we might see them slowly die out in your local neighbourhood, there are still some places that will continue to thrive due to their touristic popularity.
Despite the growth in the online casino market, some of the land-based casinos we know, and love look as though they’re here to stay. But if you prefer to play games online, there’s nothing to stop you!
