You would be hard-pressed to find any industry out there that hasn’t been affected by the Coronavirus, and gambling is no exception.
The restrictions have certainly taken their toll, and businesses have needed to adapt swiftly to keep pace with all the changes. One sector undergoing significant changes is gambling, where lockdown rules and casino closures have meant things have needed to be done a little differently in recent times.
Those who have a passion for the pastime aren’t ones to shrink away from a challenge, and great efforts have been made in this area. Still, with the introduction of vaccines that now stand a good chance of eliminating the virus once and for all, it is worth questioning whether this is enough to turn back time on the gambling industry… or to wonder if things have changed forever.
Here’s a few ways the Coronavirus has affected the gambling sector.
Job Cuts
Gambling venues aren’t exempt from the toll of the Coronavirus. It was recently reported that more than 1,600 jobs were at risk at casino firm Genting, which is one of the largest casino operators in the UK with 27 venues. Even they couldn’t come out of this unscathed. The first waves of COVID related restrictions had a big impact, and the closures of these places were enforced even as some shops, pubs, and restaurants began slowly to reopen.
Even before the second lockdown, Liverpool’s leaders announced in October that casinos would shut within the city and the surrounding area to curb infection rates. Restrictions are still in place, of course, under the rules of a new national lockdown. It all further lames an industry that was already struggling, so the bouts of these measures are no doubt getting more severe as time goes on. However, throughout all of this, casinos have been among those who have been punished foremost and hardest.
Consequently, it is hard to forecast whether regular casinos will ever return to form, particularly when significant moves are being made elsewhere in the industry. The very essence of gambling has had to reshape itself to meet the challenging times ahead.
Online Casinos Are Booming
Because of COVID, almost everything has moved online, from the job roles people work to the weekly grocery shopping.
Online casinos have been incredibly popular since 1996, so they’re at an advantage because they had a strong online presence long before COVID took off. People have been able to find the exact kind of games they’re looking for at the click of a button. Punters can place bets on the fly, and perhaps spend more money and time on their efforts as they haven’t had to travel anywhere.
Instead of making do with their local casino, web users can research their preferred services and enjoy them from anywhere in the country. The process of narrowing down every offering has never been easier, and gamers who want to learn about the best online casinos out there can find the latest details over here. Online Casinos have curated a beautiful review page, listing all the perks of the top ten names in the industry. Each impression is thorough, fair, and insightful. Ultimately, an authentic casino experience is still within reach.
Growing Interest In Online Games
It is understandable to be bored at certain points during the lockdown. There comes a time where all the daily responsibilities are dealt with for the day, and time needs to be filled some other way. Everyone is keen to preoccupy themselves during these trying and restrictive times.
Well, because gambling companies are very aware everyone is stuck at home, there’s been an uptick in marketing online gambling services across the internet. Webpages of all kinds are filled with banners for online poker, blackjack, and roulette, informing the masses that there is at least one way to add some excitement and spontaneity to their lives. Many players have begun to answer the call.
There’s no doubt that this has surged interest in gambling among the masses, and for those who can afford to take a chance here and there, the latest apps have all been downloaded and fired up. The desire to shake up the day-to-day mundanity of lockdowns is no doubt strong, and the online side of the gambling sector is one of the things that’s filling the void for now.
Spending Habits Are changing
Despite the booming successes of online casinos, the event of Coronavirus has shaken up consumer spending in both expected and unexpected ways.
After all, 54% of Britons have said that the coronavirus pandemic has caused a decrease in their spending, and things are unlikely to improve here any time soon. If the public are being frugal with their money, then they’ll feel far less inclined to gamble on occasion. It is understandable, but it doesn’t keep things moving in the sector.
However, lockdowns haven’t quite perturbed seasoned gamblers, according to the Gambling Commissions interpretation of YouGov data. 17% of gamblers spent more on online entertainment, 58% watched more TV, and 51% consumed more on-demand entertainment. They’re also making bets at roughly the same rates or marginally less than normal, and their sessions for these activities are typically lasting over an hour. By the sounds of things, it looks like this demographic is eager to keep the ball rolling.
Consequently, it seems that the consensus is that those who dabble in gambling are understandably holding off for now until they have pennies to spare, while veterans of the hobby are continuing to splash some cash. It is hard to forecast how this will all balance out in the end, but the sector is at least getting interest and business online, compared to numerous other industries that are unfortunately on ice for now.
Conclusions
It is a period of evolution for the gambling industry, with a mixed bag of results so far to say the least. Obviously, the loss of jobs is always a dire circumstance, but the sector is also evolving to better align with consumer trends and spending habits. It is quite likely more of the action will transition to cyberspace moving forward, providing punters with all their betting needs via their smartphones and computers.
