Online searches for casinos have increased to an all-time high since lockdowns began, according to a new report derived from Google Trends. Nearly all land-based online casinos have been shut down due to the pandemic, forcing gamblers to play slots and card games online.
More Time and Money Spent Online
Not only are people interested in online casinos but they are also spending more time and money playing online slots, poker, blackjack and roulette. Up to 64% of avid players have increased the time they spend at casinos.
According to reports, people aren’t spending long hours at casinos. Instead, they are visiting these platforms more often. Naturally, this has led to more money spent on casino games, both slots and card games.
The UK Gambling Commission has already responded to this rise in gambling activities with new guidelines. For starters, it will require casinos to use players’ data to help prevent problem gambling. They must also cease offering bonuses to those showing signs of addiction.
Who can Gamble Online?
In the UK, everyone above 18 years can join and online casino and gamble to win real money. Most casinos require nothing more than an email account and name to register an account. After that, they let you deposit cash and select what games to play.
Over 900 gambling brands have licenses to operate in the UK. Many of them provide a blend of slots and card games. But a few also provide sports betting and bingo. So, it’s up to players to decide how they wish to spend their money.
Crucially, many online casinos have apps for people who prefer to bet through iPhones and android devices. What’s more, they have mobile responsive sites, meaning their customers can install an app or choose to play through mobile websites. Try some poker apps out on Fliptroniks.
What Games are People Playing?
As mentioned, nearly all online casino games are legal in the UK. However, some of them are more popular than others. Slots, for example, make up over 70% of all games at the standard UK online casino.
Poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps make up about 15% whereas video poker and scratch cards contribute the remaining 15%. The games come from independent software makers in many cases.
London-based Playtech, for example, supplies over 100 slots and card games to dozens of online casinos. Latvia’s Evolution Gaming provides over 80% of live casino games. To expound more, these are card games you can play with fellow players through web cameras.
When it comes to bingo, many websites provide it through separate platforms. That means a site that offers bingo will mainly offer that game alone or together with a few slots. You can find similar casinos for poker and blackjack.
Bonuses Searches Proliferating
Amid an increase in online casino searches, the number of people looking for bonuses in the UK is also proliferating. Gamblers who want to experience online gaming don’t want to spend their money alone. They also want a piece of casino’s betting credits.
Luckily, many casinos are more than willing to give out bonuses to whoever wants them. The bonanza at Poker Stars Casino starts after you register an account. You then receive a £10 betting credit instantly.
The welcome package breaks into a windfall after your first deposit bonus—this can be as high as 2020 free spins. At other casinos, you receive up to £2000 in bonuses. Or you can also pick an offer tailored for live casino games.
Although many bonus searches regard welcome packages, experiences players are also interested in loyalty offers. They want to know whether they can get cash backs, reload bonuses or redeemable points. Not every casino provides these offers but a lot of them do.
What Payments can you use?
The UK banned the use of credit cards for online casinos on April 21. Since then, the most common banking options for deposits and withdrawals are to use e-wallets like Skrill and PayPal, debit cards of direct wire transfers.
Casinos generally don’t charge fees for deposits. However, they tend to charge small amounts of withdrawals. These are separate charges from what e-wallets might ask you for their services.
Still on payments, many gambling platforms allow players to withdraw their winnings 24/7. They can ask for cash outs on weekends or bank holidays. However, there’s usually a pending period of up to 72 hours before money is debited into your account.
Customer Assistance Improving
Amid increased popularity for online casinos, one thing has stand out. Online casinos have improved their delivery of quality services. There are several factors contributing to this. For starters, the UKGC has been directing them to stay closer to their players.
To expound more, the UKGC wants online casinos to talk to players regularly to check if they are okay. This is meant to reduce problem gambling. The best casinos, obviously, have been offering quality customer assistance before the pandemic began.
And they haven’t stopped providing reliable customer service due to increased demand for their games. Instead, casinos have devised new and better ways to stay in touch with players. For example, they have AI bots that could provide assistance to hundreds of players quickly. They are also improving their knowledgebases so that people can find answers to common problems without asking for help.
More Engaged Gamblers?
A majority of people who’ve increased their time on online casinos are what experts call engaged gamblers. In plain English, they are players who play casino games loyally whether there are lockdowns or not.
There is a rise in the number of engaged gamblers in the UK during this lockdown, nonetheless. Some of them are projected to continue with the trend post the pandemic, leading to more online gamblers in general.
Engage gamblers are a boon for online casinos. They bring more money now that many of them play larger amounts than the average player. Some engaged players actually gamble casino games professionally. But considering many of these games are based on pure chance, only a small percentage maintain a steady profit in the long haul.
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