Fun Facts from the Online Casino Market

Posted by Harry Kane on Friday, April 28, 2017

By the end of this year, the value of the online gambling market will have peaked at $50.65 billion.

This has more than doubled since 2009, with the industry fully established as one the fastest growing sectors in the commercial world.

While this growth is hard to quantify, there are a number of fun and interesting facts that offer some insight into the markets evolution. Here are a select few:

1. Middle-Aged Men Still Dominate the Market, but for How Long?

Last year, it was widely reported that 52% of all gamers are female, although it appeared as though much of the industry remained in the dark about this significant demographic shift.

While this trend was prevalent across the vast majority of sectors, however, the online casino market provided a notable exception to this rule. More specifically, this sector continues to be dominated by male players in the 40s, as the online platform continues to attract bricks-and-mortar gamblers from across the globe.

In simple terms, online casinos and the base games that they offer appeal primarily to men, while older males are also more active as they have higher levels of disposable income.

The question that remains is how long will this status quo be maintained? After all, the rise of slot gaming has increased the number of themed titles available on the market, which has in turn provided developers with a chance to target female players. If this trend continues, we may see a sustained evolution of the market in the years to come.

2. 20% of Players Account for 80% of All Revenues Online

This is one of the most interesting stats on the market, and one that highlights the importance of building loyalty and trust among gaming demographics.

The market itself is defined by the well-known 80/20 rule, which dictates that an estimated 80% of all online casino revenues are generated by 20% of players. This trend is prevalent across the board, with most casino operators reliant on a core band of loyal high-rollers to drive their growth.

Some may argue that such circumstances are not sustainable, but developers are taking steps to respond. Firstly, they are focusing retaining and incentivising regular players more effectively, with more generous bonus and promotions throughout their lifespan. Secondly, they are creating a wider range of games that appeal to casual gamers, in order to appeal outside of serious gamblers and experienced high-rollers.

3. The Biggest Online Casino Win of All-time Exceeds $24 Million

If there is one fact or number that captures the magic of online gaming, it is this one. On the back of a meagre, 25 cents stake, an anonymous Finnish player scooped a life-changing jackpot of $24 million back in 2013, after wagering on the single spin of the progressive slot game Mega Fortune.

Progressive slots are immensely popular, of course, as while they do not pay-out frequently they do pool cash resources from a network of games and deliver sporadic but often huge wins to lucky players.

While no single player has come close to matching this win, there have been other triumphs that have earned lucky gamers upwards of $10 million during the last decade. This represents a truly marvellous achievement, and one that serves as a huge incentive to players and highlights precisely why online casinos are so popular in the digital age.