The beauty of entertainment is that it has the power to capture imaginations all around the world. Nowadays, we are used to entertaining ourselves through technological means, whether that is with a mobile phone, a laptop, or a gaming console. Entertainment has always undergone a consistent evolution and in the current era, there are a whole host of options at our disposal to keep ourselves busy.
The latest trend to come to people’s attention is online casino play. The digital platforms that host popular casino games such as roulette, blackjack, slots, and poker have been growing in popularity over the years, aided particularly by the pandemic that swept across the world and confined people to their houses. With online casino fever sweeping across the globe, here are three of the biggest markets to play in.
United Kingdom
It might be surprising to see the UK top the market size chart over the United States but after one quick glance at the history of casino and sports betting in the UK, it is easy to see why British people enjoy gambling. Gambling, and its counterpart in an online form, are a fabric of British society and culture and date back centuries. Even before the 19th century, when the first casino was opened in London, gambling used to happen in saloons and pubs just amongst friends. The UK market is currently valued at $12.5 billion, but its status as the number one online gambling market in the world could be challenged by recent initiatives introduced by the government. With players potentially relocated to non-UK online casinos at daily-star.co.uk for example, other markets might begin to bridge the gap.
United States
The U.S. is a powerhouse in many industries, but after a slow start, online casino is starting to thrive in the U.S as well. The States is famously known for housing one of, if not the most famous land-based casino in the world. And while Las Vegas, Nevada, still remains incredibly popular, the US online casino industry hit a market size just short of $20 billion in 2023, with further growth forecasted for the coming years.
The establishment of online casino as a popular form of entertainment in the U.S. has been achieved even though only a handful of states allow online gambling. Delaware, New Jersey and unsurprisingly, Nevada, were three of the first states to legalise online casino action in 2011, with Pennsylvania and West Virginia joining years later.
Brazil
Making a perhaps surprising appearance is Brazil. The explosion of online casino action in Brazil is even more surprising considering a law was only passed on 30th December 2023 to regulate online casino and sports betting activity. It was a huge moment for a country that loves its sport, but Brazilians have also clearly taken to online casinos. Although revenue only reached $2.1 billion in 2023, the online casino industry is expected to explode in the country. Although online casino is not as established in Brazil as in some of its counterparts, the South American country has a rich history of gambling, which will only be built on with the regulation of online casinos in Brazil.
