Rising To The Top: Are Casinos Rapidly Becoming The Pastime Of Choice In The UK?
According to recent reports, public interest in online casinos has hit an all-time high. This is according to a recent news report, which has indicated that user internet searches for online casinos has reached new peaks.
Although gambling has always been a staple of the UK social scene – with the UK Gambling Commission estimating that the sector generated well over £14 billion in 2018 – interest among individual users has never been higher. In fact, not only are online casinos generating more online searches than ever, online casinos like Rizk are reporting record-breaking numbers of users signing up to their platform.
This is a particularly curious development, given that the online casino sector has never had so many other possible challenges to face in vying for users’ attention. With the rise of on-demand TV, online multiplayer videogames and other streaming services, the competition has never been so stiff!
Despite this, the online casino and gambling sector is truly booming in the UK. It seems like every other week we see a new online casino bursting onto the scene, hoping to win out in the battle for our attention.
Although the unique factors of the past year might partially help to explain the rising popularity of the online casino scene, with millions of Brits forced to stay at home and socially distance, this was a trend that was clearly underway well before the events of 2020 and 2021 started to unfold. With this in mind, we can’t help but wonder why online casinos are so quickly becoming the pastime of choice for millions across the UK.
Casino-friendly regulatory environment
An important but often overlooked factor in what makes casinos and online gambling popular in a particular region or area relates to the legal and regulatory environment in which casinos must operate. It makes sense, for example, that in certain countries or areas with a strong adherence to a particular religion, and where certain forms of casino gaming are restricted, gambling itself would be less popular among the local population. Conversely, those countries that have an environment where access to gambling is relatively unrestricted are experiencing a boom in online casino attendance.
The latter is certainly true of the UK, which is generally friendly towards any online casino looking to operate here. While regulatory bodies such as the Gambling Commission do oversee the operations of physical and virtual casinos, their primary aim is to encourage safe gambling, rather than to restrict access to it. This means that as long as you abide by the rules that are in place, you will be permitted to operate and provide users with access to safe, fun gambling services.
With all that said, it is relatively easy for an online casino to begin offering their services to users in the UK, once they meet the requirements. For this reason, many have entered the market here over the last number of years. Having so much choice available to consumers has allowed the industry to flourish.
The rise of online casinos: social gaming and the convenience factor
Another reason why online casinos have so rapidly expanded their user base relates to the broader shift of our socialising into online spaces. With so much of our in-person socialising facilitated through social media and communication platforms, a certain percentage of this has naturally shifted online, and with more of us connecting with friends online, new ways of spending time with friends and keeping in touch have emerged.
In this context, more and more online casinos have started to integrate social elements that can be used to keep in contact with real-life friends in the virtual space.
Another aspect is the convenience factor. Online casinos provide a relatively quick and painless way to connect with friends online – in a matter of seconds, you can pull your phone out of your pocket and have your online casino app of choice booted up, engaging in friendly competition in games like poker or blackjack with friends. Compare this with the ordeal we had to put ourselves through in times gone by, where a trip to the casino typically involved public transport or having to drive out there yourself. In contrast, online casinos are quick, accessible and incredibly convenient, which is a winning combination in our books!
With all this in mind, we begin to get a sense of why online casinos are quickly becoming one of the most popular pastimes for people in the UK looking to kill some time, catch up with friends or introduce a bit of fun and excitement into another boring weeknight!
