The global online gambling market size is poised to rise substantially during the forecast timeframe owing to the potential for financial rewards, along with the penetration of the internet. With growing betting opportunities, industry players have also prioritized the advertisement of promotion of codes. Cloud providers are seeking solutions in unlimited computing and storage capabilities to help online gambling companies expand their penetration. Trends that are expected to influence online betting business are elucidated below:

1. Expansion of casinos in the U.S. bodes well

Casinos are cashing in on the prospect of online gambling through the integration of AI to assess customer behavior and boost personalization. The technology has become trendier to analyze and bolster customer experience. Online casinos will further gain impetus with technological advancements, ease of playing for newbies, promotions and bonuses. With the future of casinos slated to be virtual, major casino platforms are likely to invest in online channels. North America online gambling market size is likely to surpass USD 20 billion by 2026.

2. Online betting to gain ground across North America

Expanding prominence of e-sports, football, horse racing and tennis has fared well for the prominence of online betting. The growth of sports leagues, coupled with the integration of local sportsbooks, has fueled the penetration in the U.S. and Canada. Prominently, the rising presence of legal sports betting has helped governments explore opportunities in the form of tax revenue and job opportunities.

It is pertinent to mention that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018 that limited sports betting. Moreover, the expansion of leading sports leagues, such as NBL and NHL will also boost the business outlook.

3. Europe poised to be the hub for eSports

At the time when Europe’s tech hubs are pushing eSports to the next level, businesses are flocking to the trend in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. The exposure of esports could be pronounced in Italy, Spain, France, the U.K. and Germany. Millennials and the Gen Z population have shown traction for a host of offerings, including live streams, pay- and free- TV, and video-on-demand.

E-sports has become a force to reckon with as companies strive to leverage brand power across the region. Europe online gambling market size could surpass USD 70 billion by 2026. The robust outlook is attributed largely to the arrival of new game formats, the uptake of content rights sales and convergence among entertainment, telecom and sports companies.

4. Exploring opportunities in mobile gambling in Europe

With online gambling entering a new phase towards becoming a lucrative market, the next few years will shape the global market on multiple revenue sources—mobile devices being one of them. Notably, the emergence of 5G networks played a monumental role to bolster the rise of mobile gambling. Smartphone technology has brought a paradigm shift and played a major role in resisting the challenges of 2020. The prevalence of a large number of people, proximity, cash changing hands in an enclosed environment became a major factor shifting attention from brick-and-mortar to mobile gambling.

5. Poker thrives in Asia Pacific market

Several online gambling sites have shown an increased inclination for poker underpinned by the use of mobile wallets. Prominently, referral-based currency and free joining bonuses have become the go-to business model. The trend for online poker is mainly down to the fact that customers are not confined by geography, are spoilt for choices and can play 24/7 on any device. Besides, poker rooms in China, Japan and Australia have followed the suit of online bingo rooms and casino games, offering slots and more choices and opportunities to gamble. Asia Pacific online gambling market share is forecast to exceed USD 50 billion by 2026.

6. Desktop gambling sought-after in China and India

Over the years, desktop gambling has thrived and is striving to withstand challenges emanating from the rise of smartphone technology. Given the significance of convenience, several players prefer gambling on a PC. Not to mention, gambling on a computer has seemingly outnumbered mobile gambling in emerging economies, including India and China. Desktop could contribute a notable share towards global online gambling market by 2026, partly due to the demand for improved picture quality and storage capacity.

The interest of leagues, sports personalities and clubs, and agencies will expedite the growth of global online betting. Agencies are expected to bring their experience in sports marketing, while the inclusion of sports teams will provide an impetus to the acceptance and awareness of esports, for instance.

Strategic partners are likely to add revenue, capital and know-how to the online betting ecosystem. In a bid to stay ahead of the trends and keep up with the demands of stakeholders, blockchain, VR and IoT are expected to be sought globally. While there’s no denying that the pandemic put the industry to the test, a high proportion of newbies and a surged consumption compared to the pre-COVID levels fared well for the global forecast.