The coronavirus pandemic may have slowed down the world, but it certainly boosted the shift to digital. With millions of people practising social distancing, on lockdown or working from home, anything digital thrived – from online shopping to video conferencing and online dating. Just consider how online retail giant Amazon posted revenues of $75.4bn in the first quarter of the year – that’s over $33m an hour. 

Another industry winner during COVID-19 has been online gambling. With land-based casinos shuttered for months, those looking for a safe spot of gambling turned to online casinos and online roulette games.

Most countries – while boosting regulation and responsible gaming – saw a shift to online gaming. In the UK, for instance, the UK Gambling Commission said that while retail gambling venues – which generate 50 per cent of the overall market, excluding lotteries – had to close, operator data showed that people who were already gambling before the pandemic were trying new products. 

With sports fixtures on hold, people also shifted from sports betting to new games such as online slots and poker. 

One of the countries to miss out was the US. Even though Las Vegas casinos partially reopened on June 4, the damage to land-based casinos has been done. Reports by the American Gaming Association show that the US economy is set to lose $21.3bn in direct spending, the assumption being made on casinos staying closed for two months. Also, more than half a million casino industry workers lost their jobs. That is a massive hit for the US economy, considering the gambling sector generates some $34.4bn in total tax revenue per year.

The only US states to gain were those where online gambling is legal – which amount to just 10. One possibility is that the coronavirus shutdown could encourage lawmakers in other states to pass online gambling legislation, as they see revenue from land-based operations dry up. But until that happens – it typically takes a year or more for states to get online gambling sites up and running – it will be offshore sites that will gain. 

Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/

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