In this day and age, online entertainment is no longer a novelty. However, the global pandemic really put this form of entertainment into the spotlight and helped it evolve even further. Confined to our homes, with gatherings limited, turning to electronics and the internet to stay entertained and up-to-date became a new normal. Each and every industry is adapting to the new circumstances at a rapid pace and the casino industry is certainly one of them. Here is how this sector has adjusted its approach in the new era.
Types of online entertainment
Even before the pandemic, we had a wide array of entertainment options available online.
Social Media
For starters, social media is potentially the most popular kind of online fun. With so many different platforms, people can get entertained in various ways.
The most popular site is still Facebook, with 2.74 billion users, and it changed significantly over the years. In the last few years, they introduced features such as live-streaming events and even started producing their own shows.
Also owned by Meta, there is Instagram that evolved from being a picture-sharing app to one that offers fleeting stories, short videos (reels), and even videos of up to an hour-long through the IGTV feature.
Reels were introduced once everyone realized the popularity of TikTok, another platform that allows users to have fun simply by watching all sorts of different videos suggested by the algorithm.
Then, there is YouTube. No matter the type of content we prefer, this platform is providing all sorts of creators with a space to post their video content and show off their talent. From daily vlogs and instructions on cooking, knitting, and fixing a bike to scripted content that is both free and not, YouTube has years of content at the ready. Plus, it has also entered the music industry with the YouTube Music app, joining Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and others.
TV Streaming Platforms
Of course, Netflix cannot be overlooked when talking about online entertainment. The company is changing the TV industry by creating compelling content and allowing consumers to watch it how they prefer. However, at the same time, there are more and more streaming platforms becoming available and offering a similar approach, thus practically creating a never-ending source of online entertainment.
Online Gaming
Online video games have a large audience as well. With the development of technology, gaming reached a whole new level. In addition to a wide array of games, online multiplayer games where people can play with their friends and make new ones are completely changing the way we spend our free time. And all the Dota, WoW, LoL, and Fortnite players will only confirm it.
Online casinos are keeping up
Gaming and gambling go hand-in-hand, which is why the fact that casinos are also dominating the online entertainment market should come as no surprise. Online casinos are nothing new, as they’ve been around for a couple of decades. However, despite their success, the global pandemic made it possible for many brick-and-mortar establishments to keep raking in profits despite the various lockdown measures.
Moreover, an increasing number of countries are realizing the potential of legalizing online casinos and they are appearing in more markets than ever before. For example, while in the United States only a dozen states have legalized online gambling, those that have are seeing huge profits and potentially inspiring more states to make the change.
In Canada, the legislation is also dependent on the province, in general. However, players can find many top-notch online casinos that accept Canadian players with an offer that is just as good, if not better, as those found in land-based venues.
When it comes to Europe, the legality of the practice varies from country to country and there are some where it’s completely legal and regulated while there are also those that completely ban the practice. No matter the location, operators know that having a competitive offer of games is of the essence in order to keep users interested.
Reasons Why Online Gambling Is Gaining Popularity
The first big advantage of the online approach is that it allows users to play from the comfort of their own homes. Furthermore, as online casinos can be accessed through a browser and via an app, they are available even to people on the go.
Smartphone penetration largely contributed to the boom of the online casino sector, as people can play when on the bus, on their lunch break, and whenever they want, basically.
What is more, making deposits and withdrawals is also made easy, with a wide variety of options now available that players can decide on, from debit and credit cards to e-wallets and cryptocurrency.
Operators are also well aware of the importance of safety, which is why they are implementing all sorts of cybersecurity measures that will ensure all users’ data is protected. Moreover, they need to be up-to-date with all the licenses that are issued by third-party authorities.
As is the case with most things, constant optimization is necessary. The casino industry knows what it has to do in order to compete with other spheres of online entertainment.