Since the Victorian era, gambling has been a huge part of English culture. That being said, brick-and-mortar casinos have become much less relevant due to the current advances we are seeing in technology. Today, people can complete their recreational release in many ways, including gambling online.
UK gambling history
As we mentioned, gambling is a huge part of England’s history, dating back to the Victorian era. Gambling houses and physical casinos have grown massively throughout this time. Another aspect of gambling that is very popular in the UK is sports betting and horse racing, made more accessible with the rise of gambling houses. If you couldn’t make it to the racecourse, you could still place a bet on a horse through the telegraph.
Through the 20th century, the growth of gambling continued across the UK. There is now an abundance of betting opportunities due to the addition of the National Lottery, UK online slots, casinos, and live in-play sports betting.
Gambling in the UK today
UK gamblers spend millions on gambling every year. With the advancement of technology, gambling is much more accessible than it used to be. Whether on a desktop or a mobile device, you can gamble online. The benefits of playing online casino games are that you don’t need to worry about opening and closing times, travel expenses, or other costs associated with going to a real casino. For this reason, iGaming has witnessed rapid growth over the past few years.
It is no secret that horse racing is one of the most popular forms of gambling across the UK. According to estimates, there were 12.9 million bets placed at The Grand National in 2019. There are also many places you can gamble around the UK in establishments such as bingo halls, pub slot machines, land-based casinos, or placing bets on countless sports choices in the many betting shops.
However, it seems the popularity of these betting establishments is dwindling. It has been seen that people are increasingly choosing to place bets online on their favorite sports teams or using online casinos to play slot games and more. The development of smartphones and 5G have made online gambling much more accessible, with gamblers now able to choose their favorite gambling games without leaving their homes.
In 2022, the gambling market in the UK created revenue above 14 million pounds, with research stating that nearly a fifth was generated from the online gambling sector. This huge proportion of revenue in the UK is around 38.8%.
Why iGaming is rapidly growing
The advances in connectivity are perhaps the major reason for the rapid growth of iGaming. WiFi can be found in nearly all public spaces, and the fast internet speeds found in the abundance of smartphones in the country make gambling available at any time. Online gambling has now become extremely accessible for most adults in the UK.
With these technological advances, the online casino world has seen lots of development and growth. You can now access countless unique slots and casinos at your fingertips. This ease of access makes it very easy to understand why more and more people are choosing to gamble online rather than visiting dedicated land-based casinos.
The abundance of games gives online casinos even more popularity. Gamblers can enjoy scratchcards, bingo, lotteries, and various versions of casino games such as poker, baccarat, and roulette. You can even experience live dealers in online casinos, giving a much more immersive experience that is much like going to a land-based casino.
You can choose from thousands of slot games with a range of themes, jackpots, features, and much more. The choices are truly endless. It also seems that each day a new casino game becomes available.
It’s not only the endless choice of games to play online – growth in the iGaming scene also comes with a choice in payment methods. Online casinos now offer much more varied payment options, increasing their accessibility.
Players are now not only restricted to bank transfers and debit cards. Many more options are available, such as digital wallets such as PayPal or digital currencies such as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Credit transfers, wire transfers, and traditional debit cards are also available. This wide range of payment options makes gambling online much more accessible and appealing to many users.
Continued growth and the future of UK online casinos
It is expected that between now and 2030, online gambling is expected to see considerable growth, making up 50% of the overall gambling market in the UK. This trend is largely down to the reduced popularity of betting on the high street.
iGaming offers a lot of users the perfect alternative to betting on the UK high street. No longer do betting fans in the UK need to know where the nearest brick-and-mortar casino is. They only need a good internet connection that can instantly transport them to the much more accessible online casinos. It is easier than ever before for players to participate in online casino gaming, with an abundance of online slots and casino games to choose from.