It’s hard to think of an industry that hasn’t been affected by the global health crisis of 2020. Perhaps few sectors have been affected quite as much as the world of casinos. Social distancing and reduced indoor capacities haven’t been good for an industry that relies on bodies through the door. Many casinos have been shut for months and have been forced to look at other ways to generate income and keep the doors open when it’s safe to do so.
Many, like the Mohegan Casino, have posted steady profits despite the economic uncertainty. They reported profits of $47.5 million after paying out prizes, a 1.7% increase over the $46.7 million made in July 2019. Despite this, the New Jersey-based casino still boasts a competitive online alternative and it’s easy to see why. The online casino industry was worth $45.8 billion in 2017 but by 2024, that number is expected to reach $94.4 billion.
It’s easy to see why players keep going back to online services. They can play a far wider variety of games than in land-based alternatives and these games can be updated on a far more regular basis. There is also the added bonus that users can enjoy these services whenever and wherever they are providing they have a computer or mobile device and an adequate internet connection.
It’s something that has only increased in recent months. Since the lockdown and temporary closure of many land-based casinos, there has been a massive surge in interest for online gaming. When comparing year-on-year trends, there was a 40% increase in the player base for virtual betting in March 2020 compared to the year prior. There was also a 38% increase in the popularity of poker and a 25% increase in the player base for slots.
This is part of the wider trend of the increased popularity of online games since the health crisis peaked. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that that the lockdown provides more opportunity for online gaming but the numbers are truly staggering. YouTube search interest in “gaming” nearly doubled compared to 2019 and it doesn’t stop there. Google reported a 20x increase in search traffic for “online games to play with friends” from February to March 2020. The United States has reported an all-time high for video game usage with a 46% increase since March. There was also a marked increase in the number of people tuning in to watch online streaming platforms such as Twitch. The online boom isn’t unique to the world of online casinos as the rest of gaming has seen a massive spike in activity but with the lockdown, land-based casinos will hope that the online boom offsets the in-person slump.
