Many of today’s gamers aren’t playing at their console or on their PC. They’re playing on their mobile – be it smartphone or tablet. And the variety of mobile games that people play is huge:
One area where there has been a real acceleration in mobile gaming is in gambling games. Initially, it seemed to take a while for the mobile gambling industry to get started, but since it became possible to play games such as slots, roulette and blackjack on your smartphone, the growth of the mobile gambling industry has been immense. And there’s a sense that it has not even got started yet – as there is future growth in countries like the USA to consider too.
It is estimated that the mobile gambling will make up to 40% of the global gambling industry revenues by 2018. Of course, the gambling industry includes traditional sports betting, but the growth area is definitely in gaming – casino, bingo and, increasingly, those social games that have a monetary aspect beginning to appear in them.
Currently, mobile gambling is dominated by casino gaming sites such as 32red, bet365 and SkyVegas. So what’s making playing gambling games on the mobile so popular?
The first reason has to be the convenience factor. There are millions of people who will login on their mobiles to play a quick game of roulette or blackjack, but who would never go to the effort of actually travelling to a land-based casino. And why would they, when they can play such a wide variety slot games from bgo or another casino site on their mobile using the same login they’d use on their pc? If a player’s interest in gambling games is merely a casual one, what better place to play than with the device that’s in their pocket, accessible 24 hours a day?
We all lead busy lives, and may not have the time to dedicate an evening, weekend or longer to a casino trip, but playing on your mobile you can play in five-minute chunks of time, if that’s all you have available. Stats from the Entertainment Software Association earlier this year showed that 44% of gamers choose to play on their smartphone first, and other devices second.
The second reason for the incredible growth in mobile gambling is the technology that makes it possible to play these games and know that your money is secure at the same time. Today the graphics and touch controls on smartphones are so advanced that playing games such as slots is not only a possibility; it’s also a lot of fun. These games make for ideal entertainment for the journey home from work, or while you’re waiting to meet up with a friend. Even when at home, many players find that playing on their mobiles is the most convenient option.
And if you have the choice between a game that simply moves you from one level to another, or a game that could win you real cash, why would you choose the former? Of course, you have to remember that you’re playing with real money, and to only ever bet with money that you can afford to lose, but as long as you’re sensible and set yourself limits, there is a far bigger incentive to play a game if it could make you a profit.
In the early days of mobile gambling, players may have felt a certain hesitation about whether their financial transactions were secure on the mobile, but advances in security features give the assurance that players need to place financial transactions through their mobile devices. Gaming websites use SSL encryption to protect players’ data and money as it moves from the site wallet to their bank account and vice versa. The advances in the mobile gambling industry owe plenty to the technology behind mobile banking.
Sites such as bgo have also worked on making sure that their mobile apps are easy to navigate and self-contained, so that you can access everything the site has to offer through one app. Again, the convenience aspect is vital. If an app is difficult or cumbersome to use in any way, players soon vote with their feet by downloading a different gaming site’s app, which will allow them to get on with the gaming they want to do without any hassle.
The future is definitely a mobile one for the gaming and gambling industry, and the main reasons for that are the technological advances that make mobile gaming so convenient.
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