The online offering of casino games has become much richer and more diversified in recent years, with operators improving their offerings to satisfy the demand in quality content.
With the unforeseen pandemic forcing people to stay away from traditional brick-and-mortar casinos for over a year, people’s perceptions and ideas around gambling were forced to change quickly.
Gambling activity dropped with around 47% of regular gamblers saying they were betting less often due to the crisis, 23% at the same levels, and just 5% saying they were betting more.
The COVID-19 pandemic did however have a positive impact on the online gambling sector, which saw exponential growth in 2021. All 30 states offering legal forms of gambling reported increased revenue over the lockdown period.
Across all age groups, smartphones are the most popular devices for online gambling, with 50% of gamblers expressing this preference. Laptops are next at 23% but the only age group using tablets for gambling are the 35-44-year-olds. Around 75% of 16-24-year-olds use their smartphones and the remaining 25% their laptops.
Online gamblers tend to be younger in the US than in the rest of the world, although this demographic could be skewed for a reason. There is a thriving grey/black market for gambling in the US, the economy of which is unquantifiable due to its illicit nature. Consequently, the age distribution of online gamblers in the US is at the younger end of the scale than in other countries, with 52% in the 18-34 age range.
Despite being predicted to account for 50% of all global online gambling sites sales by 2023, the live casino experience is still very much in its infancy in the United States, with operators in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania able to offer players that authentic live dealer experience. That seems set to change though with top providers such as Evolution and Playtech opening up live casino studios in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan in the past three years.
All that being said, in a survey carried out by Time2Play, it was discovered that 58% of Americans who have tried online services say that they prefer to gamble online, the same percentage as recorded in Sweden and Germany.
Slots remain the online casino game of choice
As of the fourth quarter of 2020, the leading casino slot gaming app in the United States was Slotomania Vegas Casino Slots. The app accounted for 7.85% of iOS revenue in the slot casino games sub-segment. The slot game’s success is attributed to its monetization strategy which uses a blend of mechanisms that make the game fun, addictive and profitable.
Slotomania was significantly more popular among online gamblers than any other casino slot game. In 2020 alone, revenues from the game brought $332mn for owners Playtika.
The latest figures suggest an average of roughly ten million Americans visit online casinos regularly and of that number, about 48% of visitors are there for slots.
In 2023 there are now a plethora of online slots available for players to choose from, including but not limited to; DaVinci Diamonds, Cleopatra, Bonanza Megaways, and Starburst, which are available through most online casinos.
Online slots also have a variety of bonus features, along with some advantages which make it even better for players to enjoy them via this platform. Many operators offer the players the chance to practice for free on the various machines to find out which they prefer before placing a real wager.
Blackjack is a strong second offering
With Blackjack representing roughly 31% of the action at casino tables, there can be no surprise that the game is equally as popular online with blackjack apps available on all major app stores.
Players can find more than 100 different versions of blackjack, with different sets of rules and betting options. In addition to this, live dealer and video versions will let you interact in different ways with the dealer and other players to meet all players’ preferences.
Different versions of the game are played and several operators offer different gaming options such as live blackjack, live dealer blackjack, and video blackjack, as well as variants that are often unable to be catered for inside a regular casino due to size limitations including Blackjack Switch, Vegas Strip and Atlantic City Blackjack.
Roulette continues to put players in a spin
More than 5% of Americans rank roulette as their favorite online casino game, likely due to its familiarity for anyone who has visited a casino before, its simplistic playing style, and its return to player percentage (RTP) of 94.7%.
There is something for everybody, with many different versions available to play including American, French, and European roulette but live dealer still remains the favorite choice according to experts at Casino USA. Live-action streaming ensures that all players get to enjoy fair gameplay without needing to leave their homes.
There are also some interesting Roulette variations that have come to market in recent years such as Marvel Roulette, which includes an extra slot that leads to a second wheel where you can win a progressive jackpot.
Online poker retains a strong presence within the market
Poker dominates the ratings in terms of popularity among card casino gaming apps in the US, claiming more than 70% of the revenue share. Poker rooms provide players with a very user-friendly environment for playing Poker in a secure manner without any risks involved.
The US saw an increase of first-time online poker players of a massive 255%, since the start of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Overall, the poker industry has seen 43% growth since April 2020. Around the world, more than 100 million people play online poker and 60 million of those poker players are in the US. That means there are more Americans playing online poker than there are playing tennis, golf, or billiards.
Unlike games such as roulette which is one of chance, poker is one that requires ability and skill to master, and being able to practice offline in order to get better at it still remains one of its most appealing qualities.
