Over the last few years we have seen a slow decline in the number of casinos, with even the biggest casinos in Las Vegas reporting losses in revenue. The online casino industry however has been booming, with more people than ever taking up games such as online slots.
Recently, Casino Bonus Tips ran a survey of 500 online casino players, to find out what they thought about the claims that online casinos are helping the casino industry reach a much wider audience.
A huge 85% of the respondents said that they agreed that online casinos did in fact allow those less likely to visit a casino, a chance to explore the world of slots through the many online casino sites. When asked what effect they felt this would have on the casino industry, many said they felt it would greatly increase the profits and introduce beginner gamblers to a new platform in order to enjoy the games.
This online casino boom and the relaxation in advertising regulations, have seen many online casino and bingo TV adverts grace our screens, as well as our billboards and magazines. By making games such as slots and roulette accessible to a huge and varied audience, online casinos have helped to normalise and take away the slightly threatening persona they once had. The advancement in mobile technologies have helped to give people the option of gaming on the go and again, has increased the reach of casino gaming.
In 2009, online slots brought in around £86 million with that number growing exponentially to reach a huge £366 million in 2014, and looks set to beat that record again by the end of this year. Despite traditional casinos seeing a consistent losses, due to the economy and alternative tourist attractions, the online casino industry seems to be growing enough to bridge the gap.
One of the biggest and most overlooked demographics of the casino industry, the female audience, has grown massively over the last few years. Nearly 47% of the survey respondents were female, that’s nearly half of all players surveyed. This is down to games such as slots and bingo being more attractive to people such as busy, stay at home mothers who want a quick source of entertainment. The majority of casino attendees are male and the casino floors are usually very male dominated. For the female players this could be less attractive than playing a quick game in the privacy of their own home.
What we do know is no matter what the traditional, bricks and mortar casinos report year on year, the online casino sector continues to show amazing growth and consistently brings in a new, fresh and engaged audience, helping keep the casino industry alive and well in the modern age.