Amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic, while many industries around the globe suffered, one that saw massive benefits from government-issued stay-at-home measures was the gambling one. Mainstream belief may be that this is a relatively new sector. Yet, the truth is that it has been around since 1996 when Toronto-based software developer Cryptologic created a proprietary transaction system and launched the world’s first online casino – InterCasino. Isle of Man interactive gaming juggernaut Microgaming appeared on the scene two years before this occurrence, and this was the company behind the first online gambling software.
Twenty-five years after the advent of this sphere, the ongoing pandemic gave it an unexpected shot in the arm, drastically accelerating its growth. Recent estimates from market research firm Fortune Business Insights claim that the global market should hit a size of $158 billion by 2028, growing at a rate of 11.4% per year. For comparison’s sake, this industry was worth around $66 billion in 2020. Only $2 billion of that figure got attributed to the US market, which is swelling faster than other regions. Its annual compound growth rate is 17.3%.
In 2018, the American Gaming Association came out with a report stating that there were more than 2,800 gambling platforms on the internet. Its report claimed that as the popularity of blockchain technology increases, this figure would keep rising, impressively so. OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.com recommends a specific group of casinos based on user experience and online reviews. Those interested in indulging in this pastime would be wise to stick to only platforms vetted by premium interactive gaming info hubs.
Land-Based Casino Giants Are Expanding Online
MGM Resorts International is one of America’s most established gambling brands, active since 1986. It pulls in annual revenues of close to $13 billion and owns 50% of CityCenter in Las Vegas. In the past two years, the company has emphasized its online product called BetMGM, a mobile sportsbook and casino. The BetMGM app is now available for Android and iOS devices at Google Play and the App Store. In 2020, rollouts of BetMGM Casino software happened in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Going by the latest estimates, it is currently dominating those territories, controlling about 40% of the Michigan market.
The Golden Nugget is one of the older Vegas casinos opening its doors on Fremont Street in 1946. The Texas-based hospitality and gaming corporation Landry’s Incorporated operates this chain of gold rush-themed venues in the US. The Golden Nugget is also a sizeable player in the online sphere. For many years, it was the top interactive gaming operator in New Jersey. However, it lost that title to Borgata this March. In the Garden State, the most developed internet gambling market in the US, online casino revenues marked a year-to-date growth of 84% in 2021. In March of this year, the Golden Nugget and Borgata managed to rake in $32 million and $36 million, respectively.
Caesars Entertainment is also looking to break into the online casino business. In April of 2021, Caesars finalized its purchase of UK sportsbook William Hill, which also boasts casino sites, for $4 billion. The corporation recently announced a partnership agreement with online casino brand LeoVegas, to help facilitate access to the New Jersey market for this UK gaming platform. 888 Holdings, one of the world’s largest gambling brands, launched the first exclusive US online casino in 2013 in New Jersey, and it is still increasing its present state-side.
Top US Online Game Providers
Most premium digital slot and table game providers have headquarters in online gambling hotspots like Malta and the UK. That said, the US has its mixture of interactive gaming pioneers and crossovers from the brick-and-mortar sector.
Realtime Gaming is one of the industry’s first casino software developers. It launched its operations in 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia. However, it got acquired by Hastings International in 2007 and got moved to Heredia, Costa Rica that year. Yet, it remains one of the top providers of games for platforms that cater to US players. It is also a rare provider that offers progressive bets on table games such as casino-poker variants.
Scientific Games is a Las Vegas product provider that services gambling organizations and lotteries across the globe. It is the leader in the manufacturing of electronic card shufflers, and one of its founders, John Koza, invented the randomization symbol pattern system used in scratch card tickets. One of Scientific’s subsidiaries is WMS Industries, whose division Williams interactive, founded in 2012, aims to provide premium video slot games to US-based gambling operators.
Final Thought
The online casino sphere is a competitive landscape where promotions are a substantial factor in casinos attaining new customers. The convenience level involved in playing games of chance from anywhere also plays a role in these platforms continuously growing their user bases. Since the onset of the global pandemic, the popularity of online gaming sites/apps has surged, and it is safe to say that habits attained during the lockdowns will linger long after the pandemic has passed.
About the Author
Shelly Schiff has been working in the gambling industry since 2009, mainly on the digital side of things, employed by OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.com. However, over her eleven-year career, Shelly has provided content for many other top interactive gaming websites. She knows all there is to know about slots and has in-depth knowledge of the most popular table games. Her golden retriever Garry occupies most of her leisure time. Though, when she can, she loves reading Jim Thompson-like crime novels.
