Since the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people across the globe have been locked down at home waiting for the spread of the disease to subside.
In the meantime, Covid-19 has wrecked the global economy, throwing millions of people out of jobs and killing hundreds of thousands too. This is just as true in the UK as it is everywhere else. However, some businesses have gained from these odd times. One such sector is the online gambling industry, which has changed dramatically as a result of the epidemic. Most analysts refer to the pandemic as the root cause of the rapid increase in interest in online gambling in general. Common sense suggests that, with so many idle minds, any sort of online entertainment is bound to see a boom. One issue that many fresh faces in the online gambling world will no doubt face, however, is the complexity of the business. So, without further ado, let’s take a peek at how Covid-19 has impacted online gambling in the UK.
More people are heading to Online Casinos Than Ever Before
It is fair to say that the Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a boom in the online gambling industry in the UK. Sports betting, bingo and brick and mortar betting shops are all officially closed, so it only makes sense for punters to turn their focus to online casinos in search of excitement. Be it Online Slots, Bingo, live dealer games like Live Roulette at Winissimo Casino, or just plain simple Poker, all varieties have caught the attention of the players.
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission says that online slots and poker users have increased by 25% and 38% each, with these figures coming from the first month or so of the virus outbreak. Estimates suggest that these numbers will be even higher at this point, with so many of us bored sitting at home. Conversely, other statistics show that overall gambling sales are down across the country, with this increase in online gambling activity not enough to hold the company on a level footing. All that said, a lot of the fresh interest in online gambling seems to be experienced punters searching for new methods of fun during the lockout. Nowadays, many online casino sites offer a pay by phone bill option that removes the need for immediate payment, enabling players to do more of what they enjoy.
Impacts of the rise in online gambling across the UK
All across the UK, prominent individuals have called for tighter laws around the online gambling industry. It extends to ads and bonus offers mostly, with some claiming that they could be detrimental to problem gamblers. Despite the recent boom in online gambling in the UK as a result of Covid-19, these calls have only become louder. While figures point to the majority of entrants to online casinos being professional players moving from more conventional outlets to other sources, those calling for more rules around online gambling fail to show the lengths that casinos go to protect members. In the UK, the industry is highly regulated and so all casino sites operate by the law. Most casino sites promote schemes such as Gamble Aware, which is designed to eradicate problem gambling. With schemes such as Gamstop helping those with gambling issues to block themselves from online sites, there are many methods to reduce this social issue without penalising the industry.