The Influence of COVID-19 on Online Casinos

COVID-19 is one of the most dreadful experiences that impacted nearly all sectors, including the online casino industry. As soon as the virus was upgraded to a global pandemic, everyone panicked. On 24th March 2020, Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, ordered a total lockdown which saw public places shut down. That is how land-based casinos became obsolete as players looked for new and safer ways to gamble. While physical casino establishments struggled to keep the lights on, the online casino industry underwent numerous transformations. With that said, below are a couple of ways COVID-19 impacted the online casino industry.

New Online Casino Cropped Up

The online casino industry has always been packed with thousands of casino sites offering exemplary gaming services on various interfaces. But then, once COVID-19 hit, the number of online casinos rose drastically. That is because investors saw an opportunity and decided to take advantage. Currently, India boasts hundreds of new online casino sites that feature updated systems and modern trends like Bitcoin payment methods and BTC games. Even though new online casinos threaten established brands, other gaming websites still rank high. For instance, Jackpot City Casino and LeoVegas Casino are still Indian’s favorite as reported by Top10casinos.com while analyzing online casinos in India.

The consensus is that existing gaming websites understand what is required to attract potential players and what to do to retain existing members. Furthermore, they are banking on the fact that they have a significant following. Other existing casinos are even updating their services by incorporating more games from different software sites. However, similar measures are being applied by new casinos in the industry to stand a chance in the exploited market. So far, some of the new casinos that came up during COVID-19 include:

• TwiceDice
• RajBet
• Roku Casino
• Khelo24Bet
• PlayLuck
• KimVegas

Players Shifted to Online Casinos

Before COVID-19, there was a fiery competition between land-based and online casinos. Even though the land-based casino sector was very profitable and inexpensive, there was clear proof of Europe eying the Indian online casino market. That saw numerous European companies invest in the sector, which explains why once the pandemic was declared, there were enough online casinos to cater to new players migrating from land-based casinos. As stated earlier, the whole of India was under lockdown, which saw the shutdown of casinos in India to mitigate the spread of the virus. Within a short while, the number of Indians signing up for online casinos spiked. After all, they had found a place where they would enjoy playing slots, baccarat, blackjack, and poker at the comfort of their homes. Furthermore, online casinos offer roulette which, before playing, you should make sure you go through the fascinating facts about roulette to learn more about the game.

According to Statista, the 2021 market size of the online gaming industry in India rose to ₹76 billion, with the online casino industry contributing significantly towards the amount. The good news is that online casinos in India have been built to accommodate numerous players while maintaining peak performance. Furthermore, the spike of online casino gamers is not a challenge, given the continuous growth of online casinos. Currently, operators are establishing compelling offers to attract more players to their c.

Live Casino Games Became Popular

Another way COVID-19 impacted the online casino industry is by popularizing live casino games. The introduction of live casinos, which happened long before the COVID-19 pandemic, revolutionized online gaming despite the fresh online casino restrictions that affected many online casinos in the industry. Live games allowed players to play games while enjoying the atmosphere of actual casinos in the comfort of their homes. That is because live dealers comprise actual croupiers and in-game communication methods. Additionally, live dealer games have background noises, just like land-based casinos. Therefore, when COVID-19 emerged, there was an increase in online casino searches in India and the world.

Expert players who by then could no longer gamble at regular casinos were looking for the best online casino sites to sign up. They were also searching for games that could give them the experience of playing at actual casinos. After analyzing online casino games, the group that matched their preferences was live casinos. As a result, the demand for the games increased, which saw software developers start producing more live dealer titles to accommodate the growing market. Currently, some of the most played live casino games include:

• Live Baccarat
• Live Blackjack
• Live Poker
• Live Roulette

The number of online players grows as more enthusiasts shift from land-based casinos to online casinos. The trend is expected to continue as more players find live casino games to be much better and less stressful as compared to playing at casino establishments.

Smartwatch Casinos Demand Increased

You will be surprised to learn that smartwatch casinos did not begin during the pandemic. Instead, the technology started in 2014. Microgaming is a software provider that first launched games that could be played on smartwatches. The initial smartwatch game was Thunderstruck, followed by a video slot called The Dark Knight Rises. For the first time, players could play their favorite slots on the small screens of smartwatches. However, the demand for smartwatch casinos remained insignificant until 2020. What happened is that during the pandemic, the rise of versatile gaming products that could be played on any device increased. Furthermore, it was the same year when the demand for smartwatches catapulted since everyone wanted technology that could help monitor their heart rate and oxygen levels.

In the process, smartwatch casinos became popular, and they continue to dominate the online casino industry. Currently, there are more smartwatch casinos, and the trend is expected to continue even after the pandemic. After all, players have noticed the advantages of smartwatch casinos, including that they are less intrusive. Also, smartwatch casinos allow multitasking, ensuring players don’t miss any out on any important notifications. The smartwatch casino trend is one of the biggest impacts of COVID-19 on the online casino industry that will forever change how people play online games.

Bonus Offers Intensified

Lastly, while the list of errors increased with regards to Covid-19, so did the surge of casino bonuses. To attract more players during the pandemic, nearly all online casino operators developed bonus offers. That is because it was the only way to make the gaming sites visible to the swelling numbers of online players. While some casino operators offer match deposit promotions to clients, others tripped player deposits to make the promotions more compelling. After all, looking at the welcome bonus is one of the things considered when choosing the best online casino. Thanks to the welcome bonus, players can extend their gaming sessions and learn more about the casino without depleting their actual bankroll.

While some casinos celebrated having the best deposit promotions, others decided to form no deposit bonuses. These promo offers don’t require players to fund their casino accounts to activate. Instead, they just need players to sign up and verify their casino accounts. However, more often than not, no deposit bonus offers come with steep wagering requirements compared to deposit promotions. Nevertheless, the increase or improvement of online casino bonuses is one of the few impacts of COVID-19 that favored players significantly.

In addition to the above impacts of COVID-19, the online casino industry saw an increase in mobile casino gaming, with more players opting to game on the go. Software developers also stepped up the game and continue to develop new ideas to make online casino gaming accommodating. Overall there has been consistent innovation to supply the growing market, and more trends are expected in the near future.