At the dawn of a new decade, we were struck with a new pandemic. Seems rather unsettling given that exactly a hundred years ago, in 1920, was the time when the Spanish Flu ravaged. As coronavirus started the panic, many industries plummeted, including traditional gambling. Why do we specify the traditional part? Because unconventional business actually went the other way. It skyrocketed and dominated both the corporation’s market and stocks as well. What are we talking about? Things like Zoom (online communications) and Wayfair (online shopping) saw their unnerving breakthroughs.
Of course, if you read the title of today’s topic, you know what we are going to talk about. And while physical casinos were closed, and no legal games were played at any table, here it comes: gamblers went online, big time. It’s hard to say by what percentage the profit of e-gambling increased during the pandemic, but it should suffice to say that this number is through the roof. And it’s not a surprise either, because people have habits. They like to play these games, and if a physical location can’t offer it, an online one will do its job. We are going to draw a definitive outline of what happened, why, and what’s waiting for us in the future.
If You Can’t Go To The Bookie, He Will Come To You!
That’s right. In the year 2020, if an event wasn’t canceled, you still couldn’t attend it in most scenarios, because of government restrictions on public gatherings. Well, nobody is yearning to visit every football game there is, and why would they? The TV at home is a good enough alternative for most and a totally valid option. You don’t get the same experience, but it’s neither worse nor better, it’s just different.
So how about making a bet from the comfort of your own home? Totally doable, we are kind of in the middle of the online era. Sit in your pajamas, grab your credit card, and find a reputable online bookmaker. That’s it. If gambling is legal wherever you are, chances are online gambling is treated the same. Always do your research before doing anything risky, but hey, how risky could betting on Liverpool ever be? Isn’t that part of the thrill?
Now, here’s the split. During twenty-twenty, there were two kinds of countries. Those that canceled all of their action, and those that didn’t. It’s a buzzkill if you are in the first, and joy if you’ve got lucky. Japan, for example, didn’t cancel its fun. It’s decided that all of their events were going to go as planned, without the massive echoing crowds on the tribunes. They are so technologically advanced, watching their races on a screen is arguably better. What happened to making bets during that period? Make a guess. Or don’t, and check out an article on raceinjapan.com which covers the topic in-depth. It’s a local website, but it’s definitely worth the three-click translation in your browser for a solid read.
Games, Games, More Games
Now, let’s say you go to a casino. If it’s a big one, congratulations, you have a thousand slot machines at your disposal. Are you going to play on each one of them? No. Do you have a ton of choice? Absolutely. Imagine doing that online. Since you are not limited by the physical space of the facility, your options are, to say the least, unlimited. Thousands of different games waiting for you, on hundreds of trustworthy websites. Or you can just find one and stick to it. Your call.
This doesn’t apply just to the slots, there are all kinds of games online. Poker, blackjack, you can even roll a dice if you want that kind of thing! It’s all up to you, and the same or even better experience. First, you don’t have to pay for these overpriced drinks. If that’s not enough, imagine how many players are out there, all for you to beat? The table will always be full, and you don’t have to wait around for anyone to join. Did you know that online poker is actually way bigger than conventional around the table sitting? Must be a good reason for that.
Now that the borders are opening up and the casinos are starting the thrill again, online betting is still going to have its place and continue to grow, for the same reasons it did during the closure situation. A mix of these two is perhaps the best of both worlds. Why choose when you can have it all?