Impact of COVID-19 on Online Gambling

Lisa Cheban | 13 October, 2022 10:24 | Last update on: 13 October, 2022 10:24

It’s hard to find an industry that hasn’t been affected by the pandemic of Covid 19. Of course, travel agencies had more problems, which can’t be said about the digital area. Especially when we are talking about the iGaming market. It’s no secret that the lockdown made people stay at home, so online solutions quickly replaced the daily routine. And while it was super beneficial for the industry itself, some players faced certain problems and the governments of some countries even had to apply changes. So our BetSquare team has gathered all the statistical and other details to find out the impact of Covid!

COVID-19, for sure, changed things in many industries. And its main impact on business was the fact that nearly all these industries had to change their concept and add more online services. That’s why online gambling sites were at their peak, and they still are. Players could access all those games, make payments, receive bonuses, and enjoy many other gambling advantages at the comfort of their homes.

But these factors somewhat changed gambling behavior. The thing is that more accessible gambling may have more problems facing problems with addiction. For example, in the UK, about 350,000 were affected, and in Australia, this number was 160,000. That’s why the iGaming industry had to change a range of things we’ll highlight below. Mainly, the focus now is on responsible gaming and the organic development of the industry.

Due to COVID 19, the gambling habits of players all over the world changed. Mainly, the factors that influenced this are boredom and depression. So players who used to gamble before had more time to surf the site, test different games, and, actually, start playing each time they got bored.

Another reason that made the online area more popular is obvious. The thing is that all land-based casinos and sports betting organizations were closed. So those who used to opt for this industry had to look for an alternative solution. As a result, some regular gamblers faced addiction:

• In the UK, the government faced that 1.2% of those who gambled faced the addiction, and in the industry of sports betting, this percentage increased up to 2.5% (that’s why the UK government prohibited online gambling for credit funds)
• Unlike land-based casinos, online platforms don’t make players wait for certain events and the range of available casino games is much larger
• It’s harder to track the time you gamble online since you do it at home or anywhere else and can open the site or app at any time
• It’s also worth noting that the range of online casinos is large and players can visit loads of them, so this can be a problem as well

To fight these problems, the online gambling area takes care of players and provides different responsible gaming tools and rules. You find these tools on the official site of your casino and you can also contact a professional organization where compulsive gamblers can get help and it’s completely free.

When gambling habits overcome the acceptable limits, it’s called gambling addiction. In a nutshell, it’s a problem when a player can’t control the spendings and the time spent while gambling. Players who suffer from such an addiction face various difficulties, including not only financial problems but also some deeper issues, including relationships and legal ones.

Gambling habits can impact mental health, so players can face depression and anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, gamblers with such a problem are at risk when it comes to suicidal attempts as they are 6 times more likely to occur among those who suffer from gambling addiction. That’s why it’s essential to reveal this addiction in time and ask for professional help.

It’s worth noting that not all players who play online casino games have an addiction. Even when they started gambling during the Covid 19 pandemic. However, there are certain gambling habits which show that it’s time to stop gambling for a while and ask for help. The questions below can help you find out this:

1. If you lose money, you always try to win it back by placing more stakes
2. You try to stop gambling on a regular basis but can’t do this
3. To feel more excited, you play only at the highest stakes
4. You have financial problems and they are connected with your bets
5. Gambling is your way to relax and forget about problems
6. You see that the amount of time you devote to gambling is increasing

If you answer ‘yes’ to most of them, then you need to change your gambling behavior and get professional help. First of all, it’s worth trying to manage your time and bankroll. For example, gamble only once per week and only for a certain amount. If it doesn’t help, it’s better to contact organizations like GamCare and ask the casino manager to freeze your account within the self-exclusion option.

It will be fair to admit that Covid 19 influenced the gambling market a lot. When we are talking about the development of the industry, it really boomed. According to this, the impact of Covid 19 allowed loads of new platforms to enter the market. Moreover, more and more players found a great way to gamble online rather than visit brick-and-mortar establishments. So this made the online gambling industry more popular and easy to try out.

However, the reverse side of Covid 19 connected with gambling habits is the fact that players face addiction more often. First of all, many of these players haven’t experienced gambling before and didn’t expect problems when trying out such games, Plus, depression and boredom did their job. As a result, this impact is controversial and it’s up to operators and responsible players to achieve less frequent gambling for those who face corresponding problems.

Did the COVID-10 pandemic influence the iGaming industry?

Yes, and the impact of COVID was quite serious. First of all, it significantly increased the online gambling market. However, it also caused certain problems with gambling behavior.

Will the industry of online gambling continue growing?

Yes, according to the research of iGaming experts, there are enough facilities and demands of the audience to continue expanding the online gambling segment.

What are the factors to influence responsible gambling?

First of all, it’s the time and financial management of players themselves. Plus, online gambling sites usually have special tools like self-exclusion to let players decide when they want to stop.

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