Online casinos have prospered over the past decade and continue to grow at an annual rate of more than 10 percent. Yet, that growth won’t be enough to stave off the rise of mobile gambling, which is poised to dominate the online gambling world.
Since 2013, online gambling has grown by 11 percent every year, and industry analysts say that trend will continue into the next decade. This year, online gambling could top the $500 billion mark.
Of that total, industry analysts anticipate about $100 billion coming from mobile gambling. Next year, they say that should increase to $165 billion — a nearly two-thirds increase in just one year.
Within a couple years, it very well may be easier to play casino games on your tablet than on your desktop computer or laptop device. That could be especially true if the United States legalizes online gambling at the federal level, and its millions of mobile users join the mobile gambling ranks.
It already is cheaper to gamble using a mobile device than it is using a computer. The cost of obtaining a smartphone or tablet and cellular service is a fraction of what it costs to buy a computer, modem and pay for high-speed Internet service.
The gameplay on a mobile device is exceptionally high, too, with high-definition graphics, digital sound, and lightning fast video capabilities. It generally costs nothing to start mobile gambling, as most people can get a free or very low-cost smartphone or tablet device from a cellular service provider just for signing up for the service.
Mobile devices also provide the added benefit of sending and receiving phone calls and text messages, as well as working as cameras and video recorders. While computers can provide the same functions, they don’t have the same light weight and portability of a smartphone or tablet.
Mobile wagering also is available anywhere there is good cellular service or a Wi-Fi signal. That means you can go virtually anywhere and still have fun playing your favorite casino games and taking a chance on winning a lot of cash.
The convenience of mobile wagering likely is why a recent marketing study showed 65 percent of online gamblers asked said they would choose to bet using only their mobile device than would choose to use only their computer if forced to choose one or the other.
And, with mobile gambling growing much faster than computer-based wagering, mobile gambling should become the king of the online gambling world soon.