Online Gambling Highlights

In 2022, the value of the global gambling market was $63.53 billion. This figure will probably increase by 11.7% annually until 2030. As you may know, the US, Australia, and the UK are among the major players in online gambling growth. In this article, we’ll focus on the online gambling highlights in these three countries; their gambling statistics, and trends.

Let’s dig in.

Online Gambling Highlights in the US

The reports by the American Gaming Association make it apparent the US gambling market is on the rise. Here are the online gambling highlights in the United States:

US Recent Online Gambling Statistics

In 2020, the online gambling market in the US was $8.7 billion. It increased to $9.5 billion the following year.

In September 2021, about 32% of gamblers bet on sports. Following close behind was the lottery, with about 31% of US gamblers.

Meanwhile, 22% of gamblers in the US aged 35 to 44 play online slots. The percentage drops in players aged 55 and above, as only 11% in this age group play online slots.

Regarding sports betting, over 51% of US gamblers used DraftKings. It was the most used betting service as of December 2021.

Online Gambling Trends in the US

The number of crypto gamblers in the US continues to rise. As of 2023, approximately 74 million people in the US use cryptocurrencies when gambling.

Additionally, there’s an upward trend of gamblers in the US using mobile phones when gambling. Gamblers continue to abandon desktop gambling and use mobile devices because of their convenience.

However, a section of US players has stuck to gambling on desktops. That’s because of the large screen sizes compared to handheld devices.

When it comes to sports betting, about 9 out of 10 US bettors wager via betting apps. This is as opposed to the web-based version of the betting sites.

The Future of Gambling in the US

The online industry in the US keeps growing. Online sports betting is likely to attract millions of gamblers in the coming years.

In 2022, the number of US sports bettors was about 19 million. This figure is likely to hit 23 million in 2023.

Notably, more gamblers in the US continue adopting cryptocurrencies. These digital coins are the future of payments in the gambling industry, no doubt. So, the number of crypto gamblers in the US is likely to increase.

Concerning the legalization of gambling, we expect to see some states lift bans. This will see more players in the US join the gambling club.

Online Gambling Highlights in the UK

The UK’s gambling authority, the Gambling Commission, is among the strictest in the industry. Notably, the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS) is the major sponsor of the Gambling Commission.

Having said that, what are the trends and statistics of the gambling market in the UK? This, bearing in mind gambling in the nation is under the supervision of the Gambling Commission?

Let’s find out.

UK Recent Online Gambling Statistics

In the UK, 48% of men and 40% of women gamble because it’s fun. This is according to a poll carried out in March 2021.

Also, 32.8% of people in the UK aged 45 to 54 gamble regularly. Meanwhile, those that take part least in online gambling in the country are between 16 and 24 years old.

Away from that, about 56% of UK gamblers use smartphones to gamble online. Regarding timeframes, 39% of gamblers gamble once a week, and 30% of players gamble once a month.

Like most gambling markets, COVID-19 affected the UK’s gaming market. Between April and September 2020, the gross gambling revenue was about £3.1 billion. This was a drop compared to the previous year.

Similarly, the gross gambling yield in the UK was £14.12 billion in 2019. It dropped to £5.9 billion in 2020.

Online Gambling Trends in the UK

The UK’s Gambling Act threatens to shrink the gaming market in the country. The Act comprises tighter limitations for online operators. Some of the restrictions include:

• Stake limits
• Ban on direct marketing
• Affordability checks

Notably, online casino operators are now shifting focus toward “recreational customers”. These are low rollers who gamble as a form of entertainment.

The Future of Gambling in the UK

UK’s gambling authorities don’t seem to let go of some restrictive measures. This is likely to continue, especially regarding illegal forms of gambling.

Regarding technology, the UK seems to be at the forefront of embracing new technology. So, it’s likely they’ll continue adopting new technology. This will see the creation of more exciting games.

Undeniably, with the advancing technology and increase in online casinos, there’ll be more people with problem gambling. As a result, we expect more centres in the UK that deal with gambling addiction.

Online Gambling Highlights in Australia

Australia’s gambling landscape is vast. In fact, it ranks among the top 10 countries. Sadly, though, Australia is still among the top 10 countries when it comes to gambling losses.

Let’s take a deeper look at the statistics and trends in Australia’s gaming market:

Recent Online Gambling Statistics in Australia

Most Australian adults gamble during their pastime. Over 6 million Australian gamblers (over the age of 18) gamble regularly. This represents about 35% of the adults in the country.

However, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australians make huge losses as a result of gambling. Here’s a 2014-2015 breakdown:

• Financial losses – AU$1.3 billion
• Work-related costs – AU$600 million
• Family problems – AU$2.2 billion
• Crime activities – AU$100 million
• Depression, violence, and suicide – AU$1.6 billion

In the 2018-2019 financial year, Australia’s gambling market reached AU$25 billion. According to the report by Australian Gambling Research Center, this figure covered all gambling types, including:

• Table games
• Dog racing
• Horse racing
• Sports betting
• Slot machines

In 2020, Australian gamblers spent about AU$17 billion on lotto and other gaming activities. The year 2022 saw a gross value of AU$420 million from gambling. This shows Australia is an attractive market for investors in the iGaming niche.

Online Gambling Trends in Australia

Here are the highlights of the trends in the Australian gambling market:

Impact of COVID-19

When the COVID-19 virus struck, the number of brick-and-mortar casinos in Australia reduced. That’s because of the restrictions that limited social interactions. However, there was a 67% increase in the number of online gamblers in Australia.

Cryptocurrencies

In Australia, about 1 in 4 adults own a cryptocurrency. That puts gamblers on the list of crypto users in the country. The crypto market continues to rise in the country, as seen with an increase in the number of crypto wallet apps.

Adoption of Technology

Worth noting, the Australian gambling market has adopted the latest technologies. The use of Virtual Reality in Australian online casinos is on the way up. Australian gamblers love this technology because it makes their gaming sessions immersive.

The Future of Gambling in Australia

Australia’s future in gambling is already apparent. With the advancing technology, we expect to see wide adoption of VR in Australian casinos.

The widespread adoption of Virtual Reality will see the production of cheaper VR sets. In turn, low rollers will afford the low-cost VR sets.

Additionally, we expect to see the ballooning of Australia’s gambling market. There will be a rise in the number of online casinos. Also, there will be an increase in the number of Aussie gamblers.

Speaking of that, the number of problem gamblers in Australia will slope upwards. Unless the Australian government sets up more facilities to deal with problem gambling, this will be a burden.

Bottom Line: Online Gambling Highlights

The gambling industry has had its share of ups and downs. That’s for sure. It’s expected, though, since the governing authorities play a major role in regulating online gambling.

Having said that, the gambling market in the US, UK, and Australia seems to take an upward trajectory. There’ll likely be wide adoption of technology and lifts on some bans. As a result, there’ll be an increase in internet gamblers.

There’s only one problem, though: problem gambling. Currently, the US, UK, and Australian governments don’t have gambling addiction under control. So what will happen if the upsurge of online gamblers also leads to more gambling addiction? That’s food for thought.