At the dawn of online gambling in the late 90’s, online casinos were only accessible via internet browsers and at best 56.6K speed modems. Mobile technology was still in diapers and analog cell phones were popping up in the market.
With the birth of smartphones, there was a mobile technology boom, which introduced faster processing chips, high resolution screens, and HTML 5.0 to make websites mobile responsive. As mobile technology advanced so did the online gambling industry. Therefore, it opened the door to online gamblers being able to access gambling sites from the palm of their hands. So, instead of needing a laptop, desktop computer or even a land-based casino, gamblers could access online gambling via mobile apps and websites.
Today, mobile customers count for at least 80% of the activity at online casinos. So, online gaming sites are more mobile focused when it comes to design, games and payment processing. Fishing Slots, an independent casino games review site, has witnessed the evolution of online casinos and game providers over the years. They outline major impacts of mobile technology in these 3 main categories:
Online Gambling Interfaces
As smartphone use started to grow, gambling platform providers recognized the need for mobile responsive websites. This led to the creation of HTML 5.0 technology which enabled websites to adapt to smaller screen resolutions. Thus, each site would have a unique desktop and mobile site without having to direct mobile users to a unique mobile site domain URL.
This allowed gambling operators to offer new mobile orientated games to their growing mobile customer users. Furthermore, operators didn’t have to target mobile and desktop SEO separately with different URLs. So, if a customer clicked on a generic link via a search engine, then the website’s interface can determine if you are on a mobile device or not and relay the relevant site to the customer. If you are on a mobile device, then you reach the mobile responsive site and vice-versa, you reach the desktop version.
With AI technology starting to be introduced in many industries, gambling operators are starting to utilize it too. So, it will be interesting to see how AI is used to enhance user experience and development in the online gambling industry, in the future.
Casino Game Software Providers
At the turn of the century, there were only a handful of casino software providers. They controlled market share for many years. However, as mobile technology improved, new gambling startups started taking advantage of the technology focusing on mobile responsive games. Thus, slowly taking market share from the big companies, who didn’t foresee the transition of customers from desktop to mobile.
Today, all game studios’ focus on mobile first. All their new game releases are mobile friendly, Additionally, advances in high-speed compression and live streaming, allow game providers to create games with super high resolution and animation, without worrying that their games will keep freezing all the time on players’ screens. If in the past, you could only play your favourite slot machine, for example Fishin Frenzy, at your local casino or betting shop, then today you access casino games from anywhere in the world.
As a result of the growing competition among game studios, many business mergers have occurred, between competing companies. Furthermore, a lot of the older software providers had to remaster many of their old games that players love, so that they could be mobile compatible.
Mobile Payments
One other industry that has seen a major boom in the last decade is Fintech. Today, you can’t leave home without your smartphone. Your whole life revolves around a piece of technology, whether it be for taking photos, social media, emails, phone calls and making payments. Your whole life basically is at the mercy of your cellphone’s battery life.
Today, you don’t even need to carry a purse or wallet anymore. All you must do is tap your phone, scan a code and make your payments without cash or credit cards present. So, since mobile gambling is on the rise worldwide, mobile payment solutions play a huge roll in facilitating transactions at online casinos. Mobile payment solutions are made up of mobile e-wallets, e-vouchers, inhouse smartphone apps such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and credit and debit card transactions.
Conclusion
During the Covid pandemic, there was a substantial rise in online gambling, as people around the world were stuck in lockdown. As a result, fintech and gambling software provider revenues increased a lot. Moreover, online gamblers became more conditioned to use mobile gambling apps instead of visiting their local land-based casinos. So, the future for mobile gambling and the industries fueling it look bright. It will be interesting to see what new innovations and technologies in the gambling industry arise in the future.
Disclaimer:
There are huge risks associated with online gambling, so it should be used for entertainment only. It may seem like you’re winning at the moment, but keep in mind that the edge is always in favor of the house. Therefore, always practice responsible online gambling at real money casino sites.
Are you or someone you know addicted to gambling? The National Gambling Helpline is available to help you overcome your addiction to gambling. Contact them at 1-800-522-4700. Unless otherwise stated, all gambling sites and articles are only for those who are 18 or older.
Some of the casinos on our list might not be accessible in your area. To see whether online gambling is legal in your area, familiarize yourself with the local laws.
Our online casino reviews are completely independent and unbiased. Even though we may receive commissions for our recommendations, it does not influence our rankings. We only recommend casinos that offer the best gaming experience.
For free gambling addiction resources, visit the following organizations:
* https://www.ncpgambling.org/
* https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
* https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/