The Rise of Mobile Casinos: Trends and Future Projections
10 years ago, mobile casinos were just getting off the ground. Some online casinos didn't even offer a mobile option in the early and mid-2010s. Fast-forward to today, though, and mobile casinos are the main way to enjoy online gaming. What changed, and where are mobile casino games heading? Read along as we cover the early days of mobile gaming, the trends of today, and predict where the industry is headed.
The Early Days of Mobile Casinos
Some gaming sites experimented with mobile play in the late 2000s. But mobile phone technology still had much improvement to make, so mobile casino games never took off in these days. Everything changed, though, when the iPhone came out in 2007. The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone, but it was by far the most advanced at the time. The Android operating system launched the next year and became central to Samsung Galaxy, Motorola, and a few other major phone makers. Finally, casino sites had something to latch onto with their mobile efforts. Mobile gaming has since been closely correlated with the rise of smartphone and tablet technology.
Where Are Mobile Casino Games at Today?
Online casinos used to only be available through desktop computers. This situation changed in the mid and late-2000s as mobile phones became more prevalent. As discussed before, the introduction of high-quality smartphones and improved technology helped make mobile casinos more successful. That said, most people today enjoy gaming through a smartphone. They play casino games on their phones for two reasons:
- The convenience of enjoying gaming anywhere.
- Players already use their smartphones for other things (e.g., Snapchat, texting, Instagram).
Tablets are also somewhat popular among online casino players. After all, the tablet screen is larger than a smartphone's screen and gives you a bigger view of casinos and games. Nevertheless, smartphones are still the dominant method for playing at online casinos versus tablets and desktop computers.
What is the Future of Mobile Casinos?
Mobile gaming is a massive $185 billion industry. But as big as it already is, this industry will get even bigger over the next decade. Projections show mobile gaming generating over $775 billion by 2032 (source: Precedence Research). That's over a 4x increase from where it is today in less than a decade's time. What will drive this massive growth? Here are a few factors that will increase the popularity of gaming:
- Virtual reality - VR gaming is expected to become bigger within the coming years. It will likely play a larger role in mobile gaming in the future and, thanks to its rise, boost smartphone casino play.
- More phone access - Previously, large parts of Africa and Asia couldn't afford phones. This trend is changing, though, with smartphones now reaching a wider demographic.
- 5G technology - Nobody wants to experience lag and disconnections when playing mobile casino games. 5G technology will help take care of this problem by increasing connection rates.
- Emerging gaming markets - Some countries like India are experiencing a rise in standards of living. These nations gamble online more when they have extra disposable income.
- More crypto banking - Every year more and more online casinos accept cryptocurrencies as payment options. Many people handle crypto transactions from their phone, meaning they're likely to intertwine crypto usage and mobile gaming at some point.
Why Should You Sign Up at a Mobile Casino?
You can see that mobile casino games should only get more popular as time moves on. But does this mean that you should hop on the mobile gaming trend too? We think so, given that playing on a smartphone or tablet has some distinct advantages. First off, you can enjoy the ultimate convenience when playing through a phone. Chances are that you already have a smartphone in your pocket-why not also use it to play casino games. Another point is that more casinos are optimizing themselves for mobile players first, with desktop gamblers being a second thought. If you want to avoid awkward desktop versions, you can opt for playing on your tablet or phone. Mobile casinos are also worthwhile because these feature large welcome bonuses for new players. For example, you might get up to $3,000 over your first three deposits.
How to Join Mobile Casinos
The process of joining a mobile casino is pretty simple. You begin by visiting the casino's website through a tablet or phone. Some online casinos may have apps, but most that we review don't. You can just visit the casino's website through an Android or iOS device in this case. Once at the mobile casino, you complete registration and deposit (optional) like normal-no app necessary. You will be able to enjoy real-money mobile casinos games once you go through this process. As mentioned above, you can also qualify for a big welcome bonus after placing your first deposit.