Why go all the way to a casino when you can enjoy the fun and games from the comfort of your own home and, hopefully, win big too? That’s the question many people are asking themselves now that many casinos have moved online and all it takes is a tap or click to get going. Like many services on the internet, if you just can’t decide which one you want to use amid a proliferation of service, you can simply avail a comparison site to compare casinos, putting you in a more informed position to choose where to play. Explore here and take a spin in your chosen surroundings, you are guaranteed to have every chance of winning than what you would in an actual land-based casino.
Indeed, many people who have never played at a casino, either in the physical world or online, and normally would never consider such an activity, are becoming increasingly interested in having a flutter, thanks to the growing availability of online casinos that provide not only websites where users can play, but casino apps too.
That’s according to the results of a new Google Survey carried out for UK-based Live Casino Comparer, which found that some respondents were curious about using the services of an online casino and would be interested in playing some of the available games in the hopes of winning cash payouts. Most of those who expressed a preference said they would like to play poker at an online casino, followed by blackjack and then slot machines. A large majority of those who took part in the survey — 80% — said they didn’t know anything about casino games, which may demonstrate the scope of what really remains a massive and untapped market for online casino operators.
Level Playing Field
The good news for anyone considering playing at an online casino is that authorities around the world are getting tough with unscrupulous behaviour among some operators to ensure that they play fair and offer their visitors a pleasant playing experience; advertise their games in an above-board manner; and pay up — in full — when players win.
Britain, for example, has its own authority on betting — suitably called the Gambling Commission — which recently announced new rules that will come into effect at the end of October. “We exist to safeguard consumers and the wider public,” the government regulator says, “by ensuring that gambling is fair and safe. We are focusing on a number of priorities to achieve this, as set out in our Strategy 2018-21 to: protect the interests of consumers, raise standards in the gambling market and improve the way we regulate.”
From November, it will be easier for the Commission to clamp down and take action on rogue gambling operators that unfairly advertise their services. This includes those that run ads targeting minors or that glamorise gambling; such firms could be hit with substantial fines. Gambling operators will have to implement enhanced complaints procedures and all complaints will have to be resolved within eight weeks of being made. Companies that send spam emails or text messages to try and get new players will also be targeted by the new, more rigid, regulations.
Online Gambling Boom
All this comes as the online gambling sector is expected to dramatically expand in the coming years. According to research carried out during the summer, the burgeoning sector is forecast to soar to a $128.2 billion valuation globally by 2026, as more gambling offerings become available online and operators increasingly develop apps that players can use on their smartphones or tablet computers, instead of the traditional PC or laptop.
Most of the digital gambling action is currently taking place in Europe, where it’s now worth around $23 billion, followed by the Asia-Pacific region and then North America — large parts of which are still subjected to strict online gambling rules. Authorities in a growing number of US states may relax those rules in the coming years, however, the report says, and this may fuel a further rise in online gambling among the public.
The future of online gambling not only seems safe, but also a safe bet for many.