Online Casino Trends We Can Expect To See In 2021

Whenever a year ends, it’s common to look to the one ahead and wonder how much will change. A lot can happen in 365 days, as 2020 has so brutally shown us.

As far as online casinos go, there are certain trends that will likely shape the industry more in 2021 than they did this last year. From how people gamble online to what they pay for their gaming habits with, there’s quite a lot that we can expect from casinos moving forward. These are the five most notable trends.

Mobile Gambling

Obviously, mobile gambling isn’t anything new. As long as smartphones have been around, people have been increasingly looking to them as a means to satisfy their gaming habits. However, it’s expected that there will be a greater shift towards mobile gambling following the pandemic.

An estimated 50% of people used their phones to gamble in 2019, a figure that’s no doubt increased now that access to land-based casinos is limited. With the 2020 lockdowns forcing people to play online, there’s undoubtedly been a significant proportion of gamblers who have realised that this method is both simpler and safer.

Once restrictions begin to ease and physical casinos reopen everywhere, it’s unlikely they’ll see as many people return as they had around when they first closed their doors. It’s bad news for them, but great news for the online casinos.

Cryptocurrency Payments

Again, this isn’t something that’s new to the casino industry. However, it’s taken a while for online establishments to adopt cryptocurrency as a form of payment, despite being viewed as convenient and more secure. This trend has slowly started to change over the last few years, and it’s expected that 2021 will see quite an influx of online casinos embracing this currency.

Part of the hesitancy towards cryptocurrency in the early days was likely tied to confusion from gamblers over how it worked. Now that it’s been around for a while, though, and the number of online players continues to increase, there’s less reason to avoid it. After all, this currency offers people a wealth of benefits, from anonymity to increased safety. There are even some casinos that offer bonuses to those who use cryptocurrency, and we know how much players love free money when they’re online gambling.

New Competition

Competition is something that online casinos always have to be prepared for, and throughout 2021, they’re likely going to have an influx of new sites to deal with. It’s relatively easy to establish an online casino, particularly when using white labels. Given that the online gambling industry is so profitable, it makes sense for businesses to want to cash in on their success. Plus, with the pandemic likely to ease in 2021, there will be plenty of people begin to start gambling again.

While an influx of sites is great news for those who want variety with their online casinos, it can make finding somewhere to play quite overwhelming. You want to gamble on a site that you know is trustworthy and worth your money, which is why you should check out the suggestions on Online Casino Reviews. They take the time to analyse online casinos and see which ones are safe and easy to use, as well as which ones have the best bonuses. They do all the legwork so you can play slots and card games with some peace of mind.

E-Sports Betting

Sports betting has always been a popular form of gambling, and an increasing number of online casinos are integrating it into their sites. That’s something we can expect to see continue in 2021, although it’s not just traditional sports that you’ll be able to bet on. One trend that’s likely to be prominent over the coming year is esports betting.

Although physical sports like horse racing and football will likely always be the most popular option for gamblers, the esports gambling market is growing rapidly. As more people become invested in gaming, professional tournaments for titles like League of Legends are gradually becoming major events.

Given that online casinos are all about making money by playing games, it makes sense for them to offer betting options for esports events. Plus, considering how much revenue is made from microtransactions nowadays, it’s clear that people are more than happy to put money into a game that entices them. That could prove to be very beneficial for online casinos if they tailor the content of their sites to such players.

Virtual Reality Gambling

Virtual reality software has done a lot to shape the gaming industry over the last decade or so. Whereas once this kind of thing was the stuff of sci-fi movies, now it’s a real experience that you can enjoy in your living room. Naturally, as VR has developed, online casinos have looked to utilise it for their own means. We can expect to see that really kick up a notch in 2021, especially after the events of this last year.

Although online casinos might be more convenient, some people prefer the experience of being at a physical location. Luckily, VR can give you the best of both worlds by immersing you in the casino atmosphere without you having to leave the house.

This is probably something that a lot of gamblers could have benefited from in 2020, which is why there’s likely to be a greater push for VR casinos going forward. Given that virtual reality is predicted to more than double its forecasted global revenue over the next four years, that seems like a smart move.

The pandemic might have made some people wary of spending their money, but it also showed a lot of potential gamblers the benefits of playing online. That’s going to have a significant impact on online casinos going into 2021, and internet gambling was already on the rise before lockdowns had even happened. By the end of this next year, the online casino industry will likely be thriving more than ever, and they’ll mostly have these trends to thank for that.