When Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a regional lockdown in March, it marked the start of immense financial strain. Thousands of Britons lost jobs or got furloughed. Hundreds of businesses shut down, and panic replaced hope as lockdowns got extended.
But amid the lockdown, one industry remained untouched: the online casino industry. While sportsbooks suffered after leagues were shut down, slots and bingo websites went on unhinged. Not even a pandemic could stop them. And these are the reasons why.
There’s a Game for Everyone
The average British online casino has 400 games, including online pokies for real money. When you include sites with sportsbooks, there’s a limitless amount of ways to gamble. Slots are the most popular games, and they come in a wide variety.
You can play games based on horse racing. Or you can bet on games inspired by James Bond. If you get tired of slots, you can play roulette, blackjack or Texas Hold’em.
Experts advise that you specialize in a few games. It’s easier to become a poker expert when you don’t have to worry about roulette and craps. You can find information about top UK casino games at topukcasinos.org.uk. Then you can decide which games suit you.
A Profitable Pastime
There are many ways to spend your free time. But for Britons furloughed during this lockdown, playing online slots ranks close to the top. The games are simple to play. They are entertaining, fast-paced and can be immensely profitable.
For these reasons, searches for online casinos are at an all-time high. Hull leads England as the city with the biggest demand for slots and card games. Stoke-on-Trent follows next, just a few searches ahead of Bradford and Bolton.
Although some people play casino games for the fun of it, most people play to win real cash. And sure enough, slots are designed to pay back some of the money players bet. Jackpot games payout up to £20 million but regular slots pay up hundreds or thousands of pounds.
A Couple of Clicks Away
Playing online casino games is legal for all adults in England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland. And that makes it stupid simple to become a player. All you need is an account at a real money casino. Then you need a small capital, and you can gamble on slots and blackjack for hours.
According to a recent study, mobile devices are increasingly becoming the favourite platforms for gaming in Britain. Over 80% of the population owns a smartphone. And the average adult spends 24 hours every week on these devices.
As a result, the quickest way to play slots is through an iPhone app or a mobile website. The best part is that you can access an online casino from any part of the world, including your bedroom. That means you can play casino games when you want, wherever you might be.
Betting can be Cheap
The keyword here is can. You can bet on slots with as little as 10p. With £10, you can play a game 100 times. That’s cheap and affordable for many people. And it’s a huge reason why people are feeling more inclined to try their luck on casino games.
If you heard someone won £10,000 from a £2 bet, wouldn’t you want to try? Many people would. And now with the lockdown on full force, Britons have a lot of free time to spend their entertainment money.
With a budget of £1000, you’re a VIP customer at most online casinos. ngIn fact, you receive royal treatment that involves an account manager and expedient payments.
Bonuses are Irresistible
People who never had a dream of gambling online are realizing they don’t have to spend their money to bet. Instead, all they need is to sign up an account at a website that offers no deposit bonuses.
No deposit bonuses come in small amounts—say £10 or 20 free spins. That’s why the first deposit bonuses are more popular. They require a deposit but tend to match your money 100%. If you deposit £100, you receive £100 as a bonus.
Casino bonuses help players cushion real money losses. They also help increase profits, which is why they are irresistible for many players. Unfortunately, they also come with terms and conditions. And sometimes, these terms can be too demanding to fulfil.
As we mentioned earlier, the best way to increase your bonuses is to become a VIP customer. It means spending more money than regular customers. At a good site, high rollers are pampered with all sorts of goodies:
- Weekly free games
- A personal manager
- Tournaments with huge prizes
- Holiday getaways
- Fastened payouts
Increased Regulation
When you think about it, one of the reasons people are gambling online is that they trust these websites. They have faith in their services. They also know there’s a regulator that does the heavy lifting so that British citizens can gamble safely.
Indeed, the UKGC does such a commendable job of regulating online casinos than they are as safe as their land-based counterparts. You can play slots or card games without the fear of getting scammed.
Also, you can be sure that the UKGC can come to your rescue in case of grievances from an online casino. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s all rainbows and unicorns at online gambling websites. You still need to choose casinos carefully.
Structural Shift to the Internet
When the lockdown in March started to disrupt businesses throughout Britain, the Internet offered a platform for doing virtually anything. Companies began to host meetings through Zoom.
People stopped visiting local grocery shops and instead subscribed to meal delivery services. Cable TV was replaced with Netflix, and online gambling became the new normal. Predictably, casual and professional gamblers turned to the Internet, helping increase demand for online casinos.
In other words, the increased demand for online casinos is part of the structural shift of things amid lockdowns. Using the Internet for business and entertainment is the new way of doing things. And based on several studies, it could be here to stay.
